About a year ago, I wrote about the flaws in our current approach and need to overhaul our approach to incentives and economic development in an op-ed for @crainsdetroitcrainsdetroit.com/other-voices/i…
And just yesterday, I pointed to these flaws in a floor speech on a current package of bills that would give Meijer tax breaks for their automated warehouses - their argument being that companies like Amazon get far more in incentives than they do.
On that front, they're not wrong. As a Michigan-based company, it's unfair to watch Michigan bend over backwards with huge incentive packages to bring in outside companies who may or may not fulfill their promises.
But the solution isn't to grant more tax cuts. 4/
The solution is to level the playing field so every company pays their fair share to support our communities, schools, public services, infrastructure - things that attract, retain, and support PEOPLE. That's what's going to drive sustained economic growth. /5
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Shoutout to my staff who is endlessly patient w/ people who want what they want when they want it.
We're getting dozens of calls from people "demanding" a personal call back to know what I'm doing to "stop the fraud" (there have been no credible reports of widespread fraud) 1/
These calls make it harder to get to the callers who legitimately need constituent support, like those needing help with UIA, or looking for a job and needing resources etc. 2/
One said he "feels disenfranchised and has already demanded a call and haven't gotten one from the Senator."
We've held over 70 live virtual coffee hours since March. There are many, many ways to engage with me directly - almost weekly. 3/
A few days after the election in Nov. 2018, exhausted, still processing what happened in the blur of the year-and-a-half-long campaign, I got a call from a number I didn't recognize. Normally, I ignore numbers I don't recognize. But this time, I picked up.
@ewarren "I was just reading about your election - congratulations!" she said. Then, she asked about the people in my district. How were they? What was on their minds? What were they looking forward to? What were they struggling with? 2/
@ewarren We talked about clean water and the Great Lakes, about our schools and teachers, about how quickly the auto industry is changing and our incredible history of design, manufacturing, and innovation - about why I love Michigan and what inspired me to run. 3/
Hi @BretStephensNYT. I'm a literal "Gawker spawn" and youngest member of the Michigan Senate. This "Millennials are lazy/entitled" narrative is as lazy as they come. 1/
@BretStephensNYT Many of us launched our careers right in the depths of the recession: with student loan debt, no healthcare, and no job prospects. We'll face the realities of climate change and erosion of social safety nets head-on. 2/
@BretStephensNYT And the reality is that if our generation can't afford to have kids or buy houses, the Boomer generation - who has their equity tied up in 3 or 4 bedroom houses - won't be able to sell those homes and retire. 3/