- Michigan governor hopefuls outline economic plans in form near the Mackinac Policy Conference
- Republicans tout plans to cut taxes, offer few details on spending cuts that would be required to balance state budget
- Democrat Jocelyn Benson proposes a new state department to oversee arts, culture, tourism and sports
MACKINAC ISLAND — Here in a packed pub not far from the annual Mackinac Policy Conference, leading gubernatorial candidates told business and political leaders how they intend to make Michigan more competitive.
Republicans centered their pitches on tax cuts, while Democrats Jocelyn Benson and Chris Swanson shared plans to restructure Michigan’s economy.
Benson proposed a novel approach: She’d like to create a state department overseeing arts, culture, tourism and sports “to leverage all of the economic benefits that can happen when we’re really strategically inviting people to Michigan,” she said.
Benson envisioned the department as a way to attract “musicians, filmmakers (and) sporting events that can generate additional economic revenue for our local communities, as well for our state.”
Pointing to changes she oversaw at branch offices as secretary of state, Benson argued she could find efficiencies in government to cut costs and free revenue without requiring tax hikes or reductions in services.
Rather than create government departments, Republicans shared plans to cut taxes, which would benefit residents and businesses but force the state government to scale back spending.
Businessman Perry Johnson has staked his campaign on a proposal to fully eliminate Michigan’s 4.25% income tax. He hasn’t detailed potential spending cuts but touts plans to lead a “mega audit” of state government.
“In six months, I will be able to find at least” $13.5 billion “that we can eliminate to pass this income tax,” he said Wednesday.
Johnson has run extensive television ads saying his tax cut plan would save the average Michigan family $4,747 a year, which Bridge Michigan has found overstates potential savings by about $1,300.
