Huge crowd at SaveMICity panel discussion at the 2018 Mackinac Policy Conference.The Michigan Municipal League’s Anthony Minghine participates in the panel discussion.
We had a fantastic panel discussion this morning about why we need to fix Michigan’s broken system for funding municipalities. The discussion took place at the state’s premiere political event of the year – the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy
Conference on Mackinac Island happening this week.
The Michigan Municipal League and the SaveMICity campaign and our partners used the Policy Conference as an opportunity to launch our newly enhanced SaveMICity education outreach initiative. Check out the press release and view a blog about it here. The panel event was a huge success as there was a standing room only crowd. We did a highly successful panel discussion at last year’s conference and this one seemed to even top last year’s success, which is especially noteworthy because there was more competition and a lot more news happening at this year’s conference.
C.S. Mott Foundation President Ridgway White declares the state’s system for funding municipalities as “broken.”
The session – “Not Open for Business: Why Disinvestment in Michigan Cities is Hampering Economic Opportunity” – and enhanced education campaign is generously sponsored by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The session included welcoming remarks by Mott Foundation President Ridgway White, opening comments by U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee and a panel discussion moderated by Doug Rothwell of Business Leaders for Michigan with the League’s Anthony Minghine, Gordon Krater of Plante Moran and Chris Coleman, former mayor of St. Paul, Minn.
The enhanced campaign is focused on digital outreach so fittingly we released a new animated video to explain the issue and launched an improved savemicity.org website with fresh content and updated social media presence on Facebook and Twitter. The new 3-minute animated video creatively explains why and how Michigan’s system for funding its municipalities is broken. The video can be viewed at the bottom of this post and found on YouTube here.
We also did extensive FB and Twitter posts that we’re shared by dozens of supporters and followers of the Michigan Municipal League and our partner organizations. We’ve complied many of those tweets below, so while the video of the actual panel discussion won’t be posted for a couple days you can follow the tweets to get a feel for the success of Wednesday’s session. It was a packed house and some excellent conversation.
Minghine and SEMCOG Executive Director Kathleen Lomako discuss on Detroit Public TV how Michigan’s municipal funding system needs to track with the economy, but doesn’t.
We’re also getting some tremendous media coverage, including interviews with the Detroit Free Press, mlive.com, Detroit Public TV’s MiWeek program, WWJ News Radio, Bankole Thompson and others. Here is a list of the coverage we’ve found online so far and we will update this list as it grows:
Detroit Public Television Interviews Tony Minghine and Kathleen Lomako of Southeast Michigan Council of Governments at 2018 Mackinac Policy Conference. Conversation focuses on broken municipal finance system – Detroit Public Television, MiWeek, May 30, 2018. View the full interview here.
Placemaking is economic development. Building vitality and energy in downtown St. Paul was my jobs strategy, says former @cityofsaintpaul Mayor Chris Coleman. #MPC18
Plante Moran Partner Gordon Krater explains that cities and businesses cannot cut their way out to profitability. Improved communities requires investment.
U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee: “Flint is not an anomaly — it’s a warning.”
Thanks again to the @MottFoundation, @RepDanKildee, the panelists, and our audience this morning for a thought-provoking panel on investing in Michigan’s core cities. #MPC18
Business must be at the table, helping lead to find regional solutions to issues. The Itasca Project and @GreaterMSP in Minnesota show a model of how to do this, says former @CityofSaintPaul Mayor Chris Coleman. #MPC18
@BusLeadersforMI CEO Doug Rothwell ignores the red light to continue to constructive dialogue during compelling #MPC18 panel on cities. Fixing municipal finance in Michigan shaping up to be the breakout issue at Mackinac this year. Follow #SaveMICity to learn more. #MPC2018
In attracting talent to Michigan: “the one thing we’re missing is investing in our communities” – Anthony Minghine of @MMLeague.
@MMLeague COO @aminghine not interested in using the “t-word” (taxes) to solve municipal finance problems first, interested more in strategic investments with a global view. #SaveMICity#mpc2018#mpc18
Cities are working to deliver 2018 healthcare on a model that was built in the 70’s or before. The state must partner with cities to give them the tools to manage and address legacy costs, says @MMLeague’s Anthony Minghine. #MPC18
@BusLeadersforMI CEO Doug Rothwell ignores the red light to continue to constructive dialogue during compelling #MPC18 panel on cities. Fixing municipal finance in Michigan shaping up to be the breakout issue at Mackinac this year. Follow #SaveMICity to learn more. #MPC2018
If you’re not building an equitable community—a community that works for everybody—you’re missing the boat. If you’re pushing out teachers and firefighters, if they can’t afford to live there, you’ve got a problem. @mayorcoleman#MPC18
Former St. Paul , Minn., Mayor Chris Coleman tells how businesses and cities working together made a tremendous difference in his city.
Former @CityofSaintPaul Mayor Chris Coleman: This isn’t about hip cities with micro-breweries on every block, it’s about building a city for everyone and investing in roads, education, affordable housing, transit. #MPC18
@MMLeague CEO @aminghine says Michigan candidates for statewide office on both sides of the political spectrum are not speaking nearly enough about this challenge – “we won’t have a prosperous Michigan if our cities fall one by one.” #SaveMICity#MPC18#MPC2018#MILeg
There’s lots of talk on this muni finance panel about the issue being a “political football.” The issue was also discussed at last year’s conference. Can’t tell for sure but there don’t appear to be any Governor candidates in the room. #MPC18
Chris Coleman say state lawmakers must “get out of this mindset that cities are the enemy,” realize they’re economic drivers for a state, attract companies, new residents. #SaveMICity@SaveMICity#MPC2018
.@PlanteMoran Partner Gordon Krater: I’ve been in business a long time. You can’t your way to profitability. Better infrastructure will take more funding and better regional thinking and collaboration. #MPC18
If you destroy the economic success of a core city, then the entire state suffers—why rural communities need to care about fixing Michigan’s municipal finance system—former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. #mpc18@MMLeague@SaveMICity
Congressman @dankildee addresses #MPC18 panel on the cost of disinvesting in our cities, says Flint Water Crisis was a direct result of abdicating our responsibilities in supporting our communities. #SaveMICity
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Panel ‘Not Open for Business’. Former mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota @mayorcoleman talks about investing in city infrastructure to create economic uptick in our state. @MottFoundation#MPC18
@MMLeague COO Tony Minghine says Michigan municipal finance has to track with the economy in order to ensure stability in economic downturn. #SaveMICity#MPC18
As a major global company, what is @PlanteMoran hoping to see in cities? An environment for public-private partnerships, mass transit, placemaking, and education, says firm Partner Gordon Krater. #MPC18
Placemaking is economic development. Building vitality and energy in downtown St. Paul was my jobs strategy, says former @cityofsaintpaul Mayor Chris Coleman. #MPC18
Business must be at the table, helping lead to find regional solutions to issues. The Itasca Project and @GreaterMSP in Minnesota show a model of how to do this, says former @CityofSaintPaul Mayor Chris Coleman. #MPC18
Panel with Tony Minghine of @MMLeague, Gordon Krater of @PlanteMoran, former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman talk with @BusLeadersforMI CEO Doug Rothwell about how much disinvestment in cities harms economic development, drives people away. #MPC2018#SaveMICity@SaveMICity
Cities are working to deliver 2018 healthcare on a model that was built in the 70’s or before. The state must partner with cities to give them the tools to manage and address legacy costs, says @MMLeague’s Anthony Minghine. #MPC18
Former @cityofsaintpaul Mayor Chris Coleman shares success stories from Minnesota and its investment in itself as part of comprehensive #MPC18 panel on Michigan’s cities. #SaveMICity .@SaveMICity
Michigan is dead last compared to all 50 states when it comes to state investment into communities.
Michigan is last in the growth of general muncipal revenue. Without investing to build stronger places, the state will lose residents and businesses, says @MMLeague’s Anthony Minghine. #MPC18
Great discussion about reinvesting in cities. Local governments consistently better manage resources yet receive less and less from the state and feds. #MPC18@RochesterHills
#MPC18 Shocking truth – more than $8 billion in revenues diverted away from communities – we must change the way we do business if we expect to stay in business. Follow @SaveMICity to learn more! #SaveMICity
The League’s Anthony Minghine and Ferndale Councilmember Melanie, League Board Vice President, talk about the broken system on WWJ News Radio. Piana
In Michigan, we have a broken municipal finance system. Reduced funding for #CitiesandTowns means less essential services like police and fire. We need a new agenda—a Marshall Plan—for these communities to succeed. #MPC18#SaveMICity
.@RepDanKildee: Flint is not an anomaly. It’s a warning. We need a national conversation on how we fund and provide services in our older, industrial communities. #MPC18
Congressman @dankildee addresses #MPC18 panel on the cost of disinvesting in our cities, says Flint Water Crisis was a direct result of abdicating our responsibilities in supporting our communities. #SaveMICity
.@MottFoundation President Ridgeway White introducing today’s session on how Michigan can adapt its municipal financing to better support and invest in its cities. #MPC18
.@MottFoundation Ridgeway White declares Michigan’s municipal finance system “broken” – attracting talent only happens when we invest in infrastructure. @SaveMICity#MPC18
Speaking shortly at the @DetroitChamber‘s important discussion on the need to reinvest in older, industrial communities like my hometown of Flint. If you’re at #MPC18, please join us now in the Grand Pavilion!
.@SaveMICity Going to be a packed Grand Pavilion for our 10:30 panel on the economic costs of disinvesting in our cities. #MPC18 attendees, still some room left!
Thought-provoking video from Save MI City https://youtu.be/g_osM97nQAo The disinvestment in our state & our communities is appalling, and it affects everyone. #SaveMICity
@SaveMICity making an important resurgence at #MPC18 today. Visit the website – http://www.savemicity.org – and sign up! Not Open for Business: Why Disinvestment in Michigan Cities Is Hampering Economic Opportunity,” is sponsored by the Mott Foundation. #saveMIcity@MMLeague
Cities are working to deliver 2018 healthcare on a model that was built in the 70’s or before. The state must partner with cities to give them the tools to manage and address legacy costs, says @MMLeague’s Anthony Minghine. #MPC18
Where’s this in your plan for MI? $8.1 BILLION diverted away from communities. Are you going to let the state continue to balance its budget on the backs of cities? @SchuetteOnDuty @briancalley @gretchenwhitmer @ShriForMI @AbdulElSayed @pjcolbeck #SaveMICity #MPC18 @MMLeague
Building a culture of vitality that focus on public spaces and places where talent wants to be is key in building #EconomicOpportunity. #MPC18
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Panel ‘Not Open for Business’. Former mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota @mayorcoleman talks about investing in city infrastructure to create economic uptick in our state. @MottFoundation #MPC18
Panel with Tony Minghine of @MMLeague, Gordon Krater of @PlanteMoran, former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman talk with @BusLeadersforMI CEO Doug Rothwell about how much disinvestment in cities harms economic development, drives people away. #MPC2018 #SaveMICity @SaveMICity
