This past Wednesday, Oakland County Sheriff and Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Bouchard held a press conference at SBAM’s Lansing headquarters. Bouchard presented his plans to make Michigan more competitive and to create jobs.
The press conference also featured SBAM board member David Rhoa. Rhoa spoke of his frustrations with Michigan’s business environment when their company was looking to expand, calling it “…at the very least, difficult and at its very worst, openly hostile to business growth and expansion.” See the video of Rhoa’s presentation.
Bouchard’s plan aims to improve the regulatory environment that Michigan businesses must adhere to, change the economic development strategy of the state by helping existing businesses grow and prosper, and to assist start-ups. Specifics include:
- Freeze all pending (new) regulatory rules until a review of existing regulations has been completed
- Require a detailed cost-benefit analysis of regulatory legislation so the public knows its true fiscal and economic impact should it become law
- Mandate that environmental and regulatory standards be based on sound science and reasoning
- Streamline and expedite the permitting process, setting clear requirements and timelines that businesses can depend on in their planning
- Transform the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) into a state agency subject to state policies and transparency rules
- Consolidate 300 pages of economic development laws in the state into a single, coherent Michigan Economic Development Code
- Shift resources and funds from helping favored businesses and industries to helping create an environment for many businesses to flourish
- Assemble a team of “economic development account executives” that will help businesses cut through red tape and successfully navigate government requirements
- Grow jobs quicker by focusing government efforts and incentives on top job creators: startup businesses and Michigan companies that are expanding