Well it’s the start of a new year, and as with any new year it comes with great anticipation of what might be.  And what might be always starts with us as individuals. That is why I was excited to see a series of articles in the Lansing State Journal featuring viewpoints from several individuals who are high on Lansing.  From Chamber Director Tim Daman, continued recognition about the power of talent and young professionals in creating prosperity. Danielle Robinson of Jackson National Life Insurance reminds us about the importance of a strong core city.  She has committed herself and her family to not just working in one, but living there as well. As a matter of fact there are more than half a dozen articles from Lansing area young professionals discussing what brought them here and what keeps them here today. The themes in each are consistent… collaboration, creativity, a diverse economy being built around entrepreneurs and young talent.

Of course, what is happening on the ground in communities often outpaces what some policymakers seem to think is important to creating economic growth. At the state level that has meant a focus on lowering the cost of doing business through changes to tax policy, labor law, and regulations. However, there are many who believe that only by raising earnings will we create prosperity in Michigan.

One of those who take this view is Lou Glazer, co-founder and president of the non-partisan think tank, “Michigan Future”. In a recent interview with Detroit Free Press Deputy Editorial Page Editor, Brian Dickerson, Glazer argued that it is earnings, not business costs that we should be using to measure economic success. And if we want to increase earnings, we need to recruit and keep talent and if we want to do that, Glazer argues that we should be investing in things such as education and cities, two items that have increasingly been found to correlate with keeping talent at home and creating economic prosperity.

As I noted at the start of this piece, a new year brings with it anticipation of what might be.  It does little good if your unemployment rate is among the lowest in the country, but so is your per-capita income and standard of living.  No, if we want to create prosperity we must be about investing. Such programs as the Michigan Municipal League “Center for 21st Century Communities” and the new “MIPlace Initiative” offer much in the way of guideposts,  Policymakers in other states, cities and countries have understood the importance of investing for far longer than we. I do not want to be known as living in “Michissippi”. Its a new year. Its time to get to work.