Investing in Michigan's Future: Encouraging Employment for the Disadvantaged

At a Tuesday, January 12, 2010 State Board of Education meeting in Lansing, several economists presented their ideas as to how to revise or rework the state's taxation and budget systems. Economists from W.E. Upjohn Institute, Michigan State University, and the Mackinac Center presented their proposals.

Timothy Bartik from the W.E. Upjohn Institute of Southwest Michigan proposed what he labeled "research-based investments to revive Michigan's economy." Some examples of his studies includes the notion that $41 million in adult jobs training would return $107 million in "investment return" to the state. $49 million invested in K-12, but especially early elementary summer school, would return $406 million in long term investment return for the state. An investment of $300 million to create high quality, universal pre-school for all Michigan's 4-year-olds would return an investment of $834 million.

Mr. Bartik also researched a program in Minnesota called the Minnesota Emergency Employment Development (MEED) program. The MEED program is a program to encourage employment for the disadvantaged. According to Mr. Bartik's study, $263 million invested in a Michigan's MEED program may return $1.491 Billion in investment return for the State of Michigan.

In a July 2009 article in the W.E. Upjohn "Employment Research" report, Mr. Bartik states:

"Even after the U.S. economy recovers, there are likely to be considerable long-term employment problems for the disadvantaged."

The article, only a page long, can be found at:

www.upjohninstitute.org/publications/newsletter/tjb2_709.pdf