Tell a friend...
Nearly 50%...
of U.S. job loss since 2000 has been in Michigan.
ICYMI - "Our View: Snyder deserves voters’ nod in GOP primary" from the Daily Telegram
ADRIAN, Mich. — Michigan’s Republicans have put forth a solid slate of candidates to be the state’s next governor. Although there were three candidates who garnered support from members of our editorial board, we ultimately arrived at Rick Snyder as our choice in the Aug. 3 Republican primary.
What Snyder lacks in legislative experience, he makes up for with his substantial business and economic development acumen. He was a partner at the accounting firm now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was president and chief operating officer of computer-maker Gateway Inc. in its heyday as a Fortune 500 company.
Beyond his high-tech experience at Gateway, Snyder’s venture capital firm has helped start a number of technology-based companies — a useful background for the leader of a state that must move beyond traditional manufacturing and learn to attract and foster new industries.
He also was the first chairman of both the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and Ann Arbor Spark, the public-private economic development agency in Washtenaw County.
The “value for money” budgeting concept Snyder wants Michigan to use is one that has been successfully used by Washington state to cut deficits without raising taxes. Basically, it seeks input from state residents to make sure they are getting what they expect for their tax dollars. Community meetings, much greater transparency of state spending, multiple-year budget planning and evaluation of public and private service options are included in the process.
Snyder has stated plainly that he has no major social agendas, which may cause him trouble with some Republican primary voters. But while this could be a weakness in the primary, it will be a strength in both the general election and the governorship. Michigan needs a governor who will focus with laser-sharp precision on the task of turning our economy around, not get distracted by crusades on social issues that will only create division and take lawmakers’ attention away from the job at hand.
The two other candidates who found support from our editorial board are U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland and Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
Hoekstra has considerable legislative experience from his 18 years in Congress and business experience in the front office of furniture-maker Herman Miller. He is a solid fiscal conservative who has a reputation of being able to work with Democrats. Bouchard, in addition to having served in the Legislature in the 1990s, has a strong record as an executive who knows how to meet budget targets.
But in the end, we believe Snyder is the right choice for a workable, non-partisan approach to solving Michigan’s economic problems.
What Snyder lacks in legislative experience, he makes up for with his substantial business and economic development acumen. He was a partner at the accounting firm now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was president and chief operating officer of computer-maker Gateway Inc. in its heyday as a Fortune 500 company.
Beyond his high-tech experience at Gateway, Snyder’s venture capital firm has helped start a number of technology-based companies — a useful background for the leader of a state that must move beyond traditional manufacturing and learn to attract and foster new industries.
He also was the first chairman of both the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and Ann Arbor Spark, the public-private economic development agency in Washtenaw County.
The “value for money” budgeting concept Snyder wants Michigan to use is one that has been successfully used by Washington state to cut deficits without raising taxes. Basically, it seeks input from state residents to make sure they are getting what they expect for their tax dollars. Community meetings, much greater transparency of state spending, multiple-year budget planning and evaluation of public and private service options are included in the process.
Snyder has stated plainly that he has no major social agendas, which may cause him trouble with some Republican primary voters. But while this could be a weakness in the primary, it will be a strength in both the general election and the governorship. Michigan needs a governor who will focus with laser-sharp precision on the task of turning our economy around, not get distracted by crusades on social issues that will only create division and take lawmakers’ attention away from the job at hand.
The two other candidates who found support from our editorial board are U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland and Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
Hoekstra has considerable legislative experience from his 18 years in Congress and business experience in the front office of furniture-maker Herman Miller. He is a solid fiscal conservative who has a reputation of being able to work with Democrats. Bouchard, in addition to having served in the Legislature in the 1990s, has a strong record as an executive who knows how to meet budget targets.
But in the end, we believe Snyder is the right choice for a workable, non-partisan approach to solving Michigan’s economic problems.
To read the full article, click here.