LANSING, Mich. — Growing Michigan Together Council, the council established by Governor Whitmer to address population challenges in the state, have finalized a report that they will now send out for legislative consideration.
The council voted, 19-1, to send this report, filled with recommendations and strategies to improve Michigan's population growth, to the Governor, the Michigan House of Representatives, and the Michigan Senate. Their goal is to make Michigan a top-ten state for population growth by 2050.
The council was assisted by people from multiple work-forces, including education and infrastructure, and the report details strategies to tackle the dwindling population issue, including building better, affordable education systems, providing support for entrepreneurs and businesses, creating jobs, and fostering thriving, affordable communities to attract young workers.
According to the Growing Michigan Together Council, Michigan ranks 49th out of 50 states in terms of population growth.
The majority of speakers agreed the report was ready to send, but not everyone was in support of the vote.
Representative Pauline Wendzel (R) said, "I also believe that this committee did not fulfill one of the directives put forth by the Governor and that is finding new revenue to implement many of these, which as a legislator is a major problem."
According the Growing Michigan Together Council, the goal of this report is to provide the legislature and governor with suggestions for next steps to continue the momentum and implementation of the council's efforts.
