Latest news with #MackinacPolicyConference
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
To The Point: Highlights from the Mackinac Policy Conference
MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (WOOD) — The annual Detroit Regional Chamber's annual Mackinac Policy Conference drew decision-makers, business leaders and stakeholders to Mackinac Island. This year, there were two major themes. The first was trade and tariffs. Relations with Canada, a key trading partner of the nation and Michigan, have been strained recently. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra told To The Point he believes that tension will ease. 'The mandate from the president is to deliver more prosperity to the American people. The mandate for Prime Minister (Mark) Carney is to do the same thing — deliver more prosperity to the Canadian people. And as they're both successful, again, imagine what will happen to North America. More prosperity for America. I think what's damaging us right now is the uncertainty. I mean, you got personal relationships across the border,' Hoekstra said. The other topic on everyone's minds at the conference was the federal spending bill dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill.' The bill has made it through the U.S. House of Representatives and now goes to the U.S. Senate. Above on this episode of 'To The Point,' see comment on the bill from U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, and U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brinks says passing road funding and public safety trust fund will take conversations and compromise
Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, participates in a PAC reception during the third day of the Mackinac Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich., on May 29, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) MACKINAC ISLAND – With a little over a month until the July 1 deadline, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) told the Michigan Advance she has concerns about whether the Legislature would be able to pass the state's budget for Fiscal Year 2026 before the end of June. 'We're at the stage where we need to negotiate the differences between a House budget and a Senate budget, and the House has not passed what you can reasonably or meaningfully call a budget that we can even negotiate from. So they're pretty far behind in the process. And so that gives me pause about that deadline,' Brinks said. Michigan House Republicans took control of the chamber in the 2024 election, winning a 58-52 majority and bringing an end to Democrats' trifecta control of the House, Senate and governor's seat. As a result, the Legislature has deadlocked, passing only four bills since the start of the year. Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) has repeatedly refused to commit to meeting the July 1 deadline, when lawmakers are legally required to pass a budget. However, the state's fiscal year does not start until Oct. 1, with Hall telling reporters in January that the budget may not be done until Sept. 30. A failure to have a budget in place by the Oct. 1 deadline would force a state government shutdown. As Democrats raise alarms about the potential for a shutdown, House Republicans have passed what they call a 'shutdown prevention plan' which allocates $20 billion for critical programs like schools and local law enforcement if the Legislature cannot reach an agreement by the end of September. While there is no penalty if lawmakers fail to agree on a new budget by July 1, Brinks noted in an interview with the Advance during the Mackinac Policy Conference that completing the budget on time is critical for municipalities, K-12 schools and universities. 'They're all making their plans right now for how they expend resources and serve their folks that they serve. I don't want to show up at my kid's school and find out that they didn't know enough about the resources they have coming from the state to be able to hire enough teachers to teach the kids and have larger class sizes. That's a completely unnecessary thing, and it's completely avoidable,' Brinks said. And while Hall has slammed the Democratic-led Senate for failing to act on bipartisan road funding legislation and policies establishing a public safety and violence prevention fund to support local law enforcement and community violence intervention organizations, Brinks said those conversations need to be held in the context of the state's budget. 'You know something like the public safety trust fund, while there's a policy element to it, it's essentially a budget conversation. So get back in the room and have a budget conversation. I know our appropriations chairs have had some conversation, but there's so much more to the process…. This is exactly the kind of thing that could be worked out in a budget process, and there will, by necessity, need to be compromise,' Brinks said. Similarly, allocating $3 billion towards road funding should also be subject to bipartisan discussion, Brinks said. 'So far, there hasn't been a lot of willingness to actually have those conversations between us from Matt Hall, and so, you know, at that point, they're simply just ideas that have been thrown out in the ether. The real work comes in the conversation, in the negotiation, in the sitting down and hashing things out,' Brinks said. 'It's not glamorous, right? You don't get to start in your own press conference for two hours as a negotiation. That's not negotiating. If he wants to do that, that's fine. But in addition to that, he's going to have to really find some time or empower his caucus, and there are some capable people there to sit down and really, do that work,' Brinks said. While the House and Senate were able to break through their deadlock earlier this month to extend the filing deadline for lawmakers' legally-required financial disclosures amid frustrations with the rollout of the state's new financial reporting system, Brinks said there are several other policies they could be working on if Hall was interested. 'We could be talking about prescription drug affordability. We could be talking about ways to ensure, you know, we have more affordable housing, we could, you know, be talking about FOIA, you know, something that passed with a really strong bipartisan vote,' Brinks said. In January, members of the Senate voted 33-2 to advance Senate Bills 1 and 2 to the House. The package looks to extend FOIA to include the Legislature, the governor and the lieutenant governor, which are exempt under the current state law. However, Hall has declared the package dead, calling them 'a very low priority.' While Hall has pointed to the public safety trust fund as a bipartisan slam dunk, Brinks said the same about FOIA reform. 'It could be an easy bipartisan win that really helps improve transparency and the ethical environment in our state,' she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Detroit mayoral candidates tackle lingering issues, plans for city's future
Five of Detroit's mayoral candidates debated each other Thursday evening at the Mackinac Policy Conference, taking questions about ways to improve the city, and being challenged over their previous roles. Moderators Stephen Henderson of Bridge Detroit and Nolan Finley of The Detroit News questioned candidates on ways they expect to lure in more businesses while managing tax credits, maintain a balanced budget and whether their past experiences transfer to the duties of the city's top position. The debate included former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, Triumph Church Pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, Councilmember Fred Durhal III and former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins. Todd Perkins, Joel Haashiim, Jonathan Barlow and DaNetta Simpson are also running but were not a part of the debate. Mayor Mike Duggan held a panel discussion of his own at the conference aimed at propping himself up for his 2026 gubernatorial bid, and moderators asked candidates to delve into whether he did the city right by his policies. In the debate, mayoral candidates had chances for rebuttals, which often resulted in defending themselves or their platforms. Craig and Sheffield sparred over the theft of $44 million from the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy's former CFO, William Smith, as the former police chief aimed his argument at Sheffield, who sits on the board. "I'm not saying the board did anything wrong, but I think it warrants a closer examination to find out what went wrong, because we're talking about fiscal leadership and fiscal responsibility. Something's lacking there," Craig said. Sheffield clapped back, noting she is not part of the audit or finance committees, and called his argument "disingenuous." "All of the documents were altered. The public documents that were put online and submitted to the board at public meetings were all altered. No one knew what was going on," Sheffield said. "In that situation, we now know, and for me as a leader, the importance of oversight and more control as it relates to fiscal management." Here is how candidates tackled the debate: Candidates addressed what they believed the business community's role in the city is and explained how they would manage things like using tax incentives to attract businesses. Tax incentives have been a contentious subject for residents but several developers relied on them to build major projects. Jenkins said she would partner with businesses, noting 'over half of the tax abatements will have expired' by 2030, which would require searching for ways to extend them. 'Otherwise, we'll start to lose businesses. We'll start to lose jobs, and the role of business is twofold. It's creating jobs. It's an economic driver,' Jenkins said. Durhal said the city is facing an 'abatement cliff' and expects to restructure it. 'We can utilize, as we spread out the length of that abatement, an opportunity to opt in and generate revenue earlier for our city by allowing developers, as well as those who have built there, to pay a little bit early, and that'll add more money and revenue to our general fund here,' Durhal said. Kinloch expects to convene various business and community leaders to ensure they are aware the mayor is receptive to business in the city. 'The mayoral office does not just cast vision, it also communicates that vision, and it also convenes a table. In order to bring stakeholders together, we have to make sure that businesses are not the only stakeholders at the table, that we are calling together neighborhood leaders. We're calling together the philanthropic community because we want to ensure that residents feel as much a part of the community as anyone else,' Kinloch said. Craig mainly focused on growing the middle class by building out small businesses. 'We have to focus on growing our middle class. I talk a lot about growing small businesses, but that doesn't take away from continuing to grow big businesses. We have got to raise revenues in this city,' Craig said. 'One of the things I have heard as chief and deputy mayor over time is many neighborhoods feel left out, the businesses feel left out. As police chief, I leveraged working very closely with small businesses,' Craig said, referring to Project Green Light, an initiative that places cameras at businesses to prevent crime. Sheffield said during her tenure on council, she tried bridging the gap between people and businesses, and credited public-private partnerships for contributing to the city's growth. 'When it comes to tax abatements, my number one issue is addressing the core of why we have to abate in the first place, and that is because we pay some of the highest property taxes in the country,' Sheffield said. 'My goal, day one, which we're laying the foundation now, is to ensure that we're addressing real structural property tax reform so that we do not have to continue to abate our way out of the issues that we have in Detroit." Candidates highlighted the Duggan administration's record of attracting businesses and manufacturers after the city came out of bankruptcy, laying groundwork for the next mayor, restoring basic city services, reducing crime, maintaining a fiscal foundation and overall rebuilding confidence for investors. But several highlighted the need to invest more in neighborhoods. 'We need to make sure that there is a commercial corridor in each of the seven districts. We have to ensure that our planning is intentional and that it is inclusive, and when we are having discussions about tax abatements, discussions about affordable housing, we have a real plan in place that is driving development and affordable housing and public transit in a way that is building our neighborhoods, and we also have to include schools,' Jenkins said. Durhal and Sheffield pointed out that Duggan's successes also stemmed from working alongside City Council. Durhal hit hard on the continuing need to change the city's high property taxes. 'What nobody's talking about when we talk about comprehensive property tax reform, all of those ropes lead through Lansing … so when we take our plans to Lansing, we're going to lower property taxes, we're going to work on preemption to give our city the ability to have the determination of our future. And I think we can have a better job of delivering from Lansing to continue Detroit's growth. You're going to need that experienced leadership to continue that growth." Kinloch credited Duggan but also pointed out that the city needs to tackle homelessness and poverty, and bring equitable jobs to help residents 'not only just survive, but thrive.' Craig critiqued the 'red tape bureaucracy,' indicating it holds back business owners from opening up their establishments due to dozens of steps they have to face, which Duggan addressed last week. Sheffield stressed that boosting the middle class and raising the income levels of Detroiters, who face a median income below the statewide average, is important to creating a pipeline of future jobs. 'Without a doubt, we have to ensure that more investment comes back into our neighborhoods and that we're activating our commercial corridors. I'm very excited for my administration to be way more hands-on as it relates to the education of our youth,' Sheffield said. Moderators questioned candidates about leaving their roles, leaning toward a political party — despite the mayoral post being nonpartisan — running a religious institution while potentially balancing public office and proving their abilities. Jenkins served on City Council amid Detroit's bankruptcy but resigned early to pursue an executive role with The Heat and Warmth Fund. She added that her last day on council was when officials announced Detroit was exiting bankruptcy. 'We had a plan in place that would not be changed for the next 10 years, no matter who was on council. So I did something that's actually very similar to what our current mayor did. I left my elected position and went to serve as CEO of a multi-million dollar organization that was serving some of the most vulnerable citizens across the state of Michigan.' Sheffield has been an advocate involved with numerous politically progressive individuals, though concerns about a deeply conservative White House do not deter the council president. 'I know how to find common ground,' Sheffield said. 'I come from a legacy of fighters. It is really about bringing resources back to Detroit, improving the quality of life for Detroiters.' Craig has publicly declared himself conservative and flexed his relationship with the White House but pointed out that he is 'a Detroiter first' and expects to draw out more federal money, if elected. Kinloch expects to run his church simultaneously with his role as mayor, if elected. He promises to serve as a full-time mayor and go to church on Sundays, preach, and leave the day-to-day responsibilities to an executive team at the church. Durhal addressed his past leadership experiences in Lansing as an assistant Democratic leader of the House, and his experience chairing City Council committees, as proof he can manage more than what his resume shows. 'You've got to have relationships up there. Folks talk about working across the aisle. We've got a proven track record of doing it,' Durhal said. The city maintained a balanced budget since bankruptcy and has since received more than $800 million in federal money. Officials are in the process of transferring any remaining federal money that must be spent by next year, along with retaining employees. Boosting revenue will require some creativity from the next mayor. 'We have to diversify our revenue streams,' Sheffield said, suggesting ideas such as an entertainment tax, but noting the city needs a 'phenomenal' chief financial officer to maintain fiscal discipline. Durhal said that an amusement tax would not generate enough, though it's projected to raise about $10 million a year. 'That's not enough funding to move this city forward,' Durhal said. Jenkins added that adopting a balanced budget, which Durhal and Sheffield touted, does not make one a good fiscal leader. Although she credited city officials throughout the years for maintaining a balanced budget, simply because it is their duty. Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@ Follow her: @DanaAfana This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit mayoral candidates debate at Mackinac Policy Conference
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Bill Ford says he has no plans to leave the family business
At a time of great uncertainty for the automotive industry, one thing is certain: Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Co., says he plans to stay in his role for "a while." "Everybody has a sell-by date," Ford told reporters after a panel at the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference. "But I also feel like, in many ways, I'm hitting my stride. I feel like I have the right combination of experience and energy to help provide leadership for the company for some time. "Will the day come when I won't feel that way?" he continued. "Yes, of course, and I have no idea when that is, but I'm not planning on it. It's not there yet." The comments from the 68-year-old great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford comes amid a historic transformation for the Blue Oval. It's seeking to balance continued demand for gas-powered vehicles and an electrified future, to transform its products into software-driven machines and to navigate a shifting environment when it comes to trade, regulations and incentives. Some might argue that such upheaval could demand new leadership, but Ford, who's been with the company since 1979 and has been executive chairman since 1999, underscored the importance of persisting values of the company, a familiar name and face for the corporation, and the intentionality behind long-term partnerships like Ford's 1977 joint venture in Turkey with Koç Holding with original relations dating to 1928. "We're not going to take golden parachutes and ride off into the sunset. We're here through thick and thin, and I feel like I've proven that over the last 25 years," Ford said. "It's really setting an intention for the future of where this company needs to go." But there are many obstacles in the way. The latest is the "big beautiful" budget bill that could remove production tax credits for electric vehicle battery manufacturers that were established in the Inflation Reduction Act that former President Joe Biden signed in 2022. Bill Ford confirmed losing that could imperil the $3 billion battery plant Ford is building in south-central Michigan's Marshall and the 1,700 jobs it's expected to create. "It needs to be kept in place, the production tax credit, that we have built the business case on Marshall around that," Ford said. "Politicians can agree or disagree on whether those kind of things are desirable, and that's fine, but don't change the rules once you've already made the investment, because that, to me, is just a question of fairness, and that's unfair." He added: "If it goes away, it really puts in peril the plant and the jobs in Michigan." Ford called for greater stability on policies in general from Washington, D.C., as the automotive industry has longer lead times to build product than political terms. He said the same is true in states like Michigan and voiced support for Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running as an independent for governor, because he "understands businesses and the decisions we face." Ford also noted the Ford family meets quarterly to discuss the company. Daughter Alexandra Ford English is a member of Ford's board and said she is in frequent contact with her father about the company's future. "We are always focused on the future," English said during the panel. "A lot of people think about family involvement as being protectors of the past, and that is absolutely not how we view our role. A lot of that stems from Dad and how he thinks about the company. But we just have such a rich opportunity set ahead of us. The industry is changing so rapidly, and so I'm really focused on everything that's going to come for our company." One example she pointed to when she came to the company in 2017 was texting her father pictures and videos of aging office buildings that needed repairs. The automaker has been investing in improvements to its buildings in Dearborn, including a new production development center slated to open later this year, as well as its $940 million advanced mobility campus in Corktown anchored by the restored Michigan Central Station. The company next week will announce the hotel brand that will occupy the top floors of the once-derelict, 1913-built former train depot. Already a Detroit destination ahead of the first anniversary of its reopening party on June 6, the station has become a hotspot for weddings, other events and visits by more than 300,000 people. "And there's really not much to see yet," Ford said. "We're going to announce the hotel next week." Michigan Central Innovation District LLC, the wholly owned subsidiary of Ford charged with running the campus, had sought zoning approval from the city for a hotel to occupy the never-used top floors. A year ago, the selection process had been down to a few finalist brands with the goal of a special hospitality solution for the landmark whose rooms wouldn't be inaccessible in price. Limited retail so far has opened in the station, including a location of the east-side coffee shop Yellow Light and Neighbor x Folk, a creation of Rohani Foulkes behind Detroit's James Beard-nominated cafe Folk. There also a souvenir shop for the station. Additionally, the depot in the fall became the headquarters of Ford's Model e electric vehicle division and occupied by Integrated Services software employees. The first occupant was a lab for Code Next, a computer science education program from Alphabet Inc.'s Google LLC for Detroit high school students. "People love working down there," English said. "It's just a much more urban feel than you get in some of our other buildings. And people coming from other cities want that." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bill Ford says Michigan battery plant ‘in peril' under proposed legislation
The executive chairman of Ford Motor Co. said its $2.5 billion electric vehicle battery factory in southwestern Michigan would be 'in peril' if it loses production tax credits as called for in proposed U.S. House legislation. The bill, which still must be reconciled by the Senate, could make the plant ineligible for a key manufacturing subsidy due to its ties to Chinese battery company CATL. If that were to happen, it would harm the business case in Marshall, said Bill Ford. 'We have built the business case on Marshall around that,' the chairman told reporters after a panel discussion at the Mackinac Policy Conference. 'My point is politicians can agree or disagree whether those kind of things are desirable, and that's fine. But don't change the rules once you've already made the investment, because that to me is just a question of fairness, and that's unfair.' The company likely will press hard to change the language of the final bill to ensure the factory, located about 107 miles West of Detroit and set to launch production next year, makes it to the finish line. While some lawmakers are seeking to keep tax credits away form 'foreign entities of concern,' as CATL is labeled in the proposed bill, the factory in Marshall would create 1,700 jobs and serve as an economic catalyst, the automaker and proponents has argued. Bill Ford said he is not sure whether the tax credits for the Marshall plant will ultimately be protected. 'I don't know the likelihood, but I do know that if it goes away, it puts in peril the plant and the jobs in Michigan,' he said. The chairman made the remarks after an on-stage interview alongside his daughter and Ford board member Alexandra Ford English at the Mackinac Policy Conference. The discussion, moderated by former TV anchor Christy McDonald, centered on the father-daughter dynamics in one of America's most famous family businesses. Bill Ford, great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford, is the automaker's fourth leader named Ford in its more than 120-year existence. English was elected to the automaker's influential board of directors in 2021, along with her cousin Henry Ford III, son of Edsel B. Ford II, a former board member and director at the company. English began her career in retail, working at Gap Inc. and Tory Burch. Even if she had wanted to jump straight from college to the automaker, her father wouldn't have allowed it. Bill Ford's rule is that family members cannot go right into the business. 'We cannot be a family employment agency,' Ford said. 'We want to make sure the young people that come into our company are incredibly well qualified and motivated.' Sign up for the quarterly Automotive News U.S. Sales report to get data and news sent to your inbox as soon as it's compiled. English served as an employee at the automaker from 2017 until June 2022, running operations for Ford's Autonomous Vehicle LLC before the company shut down efforts to develop a fully autonomous vehicle. She said the inspiration to work for the automaker started when her father would come home from work and talk to his family about his day. The family values and those of the company are one in the same, she said, making it a seamless cultural fit working for the automaker. 'Whenever he spoke about employees, it was always with deep respect, and that leaves an impression,' English said. 'I don't remember anything other than those values. It's all we know.' Ford said one characteristic English is never afraid to bring to the table – over family dinner or in the boardroom – is brutal honesty. That's important, the chairman said, because most others aren't willing to be that blunt with the boss. 'She's always the one that will sit me down and tell me what I don't want to hear,' he said. 'Not many people in life will do that. She's been the brave one.' On the topic of constantly shifting federal policy under President Donald Trump, the chairman said his company, expecting to take a $1.5 billion tariff hit this year, speaks with the White House on a near daily basis. Ford, which boasts the most U.S.-based vehicle production among its domestic counterparts, hopes the Trump administration and lawmakers recognize that when devising policy that could impact its Marshall factory and broader production plans. The company's decision to build more in the U.S. amounts to a $2,000 per vehicle 'penalty' compared to customers more exposed to foreign manufacturing, the chairman said. 'For us, it was the right decision to invest in America and pay that penalty,' he said. 'I don't regret that for a minute.' Have an opinion about this story? Tell us about it and we may publish it in print. Click here to submit a letter to the editor. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
