The vision for the inaugural West Michigan Regional Policy Conference, which brought some 600 business and civic leaders, legislators and local officials to Grand Rapids, was to unite the West Michigan business community, in a forum to create common regional policy goals we can set in motion.
The conference breakout sessions and speeches by various subject experts lead up to the Closing Session on the last afternoon of the conference, where attendees participated in real-time voting that targeted specific issues and desired outcomes based around three themes:
- Economic Growth
- Attraction and Retention of Businesses
- Improve Government Functions
These themes were broken down into seven subject areas, and as attendees voted, the follow policy goals emerges as the top ranked results.
They are:
- Governance: Eliminate the MBT with corresponding spending cuts.
- Workforce of the Future: Implement a right-to-work status for Michigan.
- Health Care and Life Sciences: Increase funding for providers with effective prevention practices.
- Manufacturing and Design for the Future: Streamline the permitting process within state government.
- Attraction and Retention of Talent: Update funding mechanisms for transportation infrastructure.
To view the audience polling results, click here.
A new Regional Policy Council and task forces will be convened to advance these directives and begin preparation for the "West Michigan Regional Policy Conference 2010" for September 16 and 17, 2010.
Click here to view the legislative recommendations put forth to accomplish the current directives.
Stay tuned for more information on how you can get involved and please communicate with your elected officials and colleagues about these results.
Questions? Contact Jared Rodriguez.