EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A Public Good Investment Agenda that Resonates with Michigan Citizens Citizen research suggests there is opportunity to package messages and public investment policy priorities that have broad appeal, if they speak to shared core Michigan values, which can be summed up as:
Shared Core Michigan Values
• Economic opportunity in return for ‘hard work’ • A good place to raise a family, and keeping family close (by having communities to be proud of, that attract business, and keep our kids from leaving) • Having good places to escape (recreate, enjoy the outdoors, lakes, “Pure Michigan” – as respite from ‘hard work’ and as part of having a good place for family)
Public Good Investment Policy Choices Consonant with Michigander Core Values The focus groups and survey confirmed strong support for potential policies and programs that are consonant with Michigan citizen values and priorities. The most attractive public good investment priorities and strategies that emerged from the focus groups, which were then confirmed through the survey, include: Focus on Vital Services Citizen priorities are public safety/crime, core services, good roads, fixing decaying infrastructure, which are all viewed as critical for having communities to be proud of, good neighborhoods to raise a family, and keeping family close. These elements are understood by Michigan voters to be essential pre-requisites for economic growth, because they make it possible to attract business—and keep people and our kids here— by making cities and communities places people want to live and work.
• A proposed “Vital Services Fund” (all core services such as safety, fire, water, roads) and specific proposals for “Road/ infrastructure funding” ranked very high in focus groups. These findings were confirmed by the survey. When asked to rank ideas on a 0-100 scale in terms of their appeal, a Vital Services Fund had an 84% overall appeal, funding to upgrade Michigan roads, 81% overall appeal. Education and Higher Education Public education generally, and better access for higher education, were broadly supported as a ways to deliver on values of economic opportunity for hard work, and having a good place to raise a family. Voters strongly support investing in access to higher education, but they want some return on their investment and they want to reward hard work. Proposed programs that did so were rated very well across demographics and the political spectrum (see next page).
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