Michigan’s house is on fire.
What’s worse – no one is talking about it.
Michigan cannot solve its problem without first admitting it has one.
Where Michigan Ranks
Voters across the political spectrum view Michigan as ‘average’ despite near last rankings on the economy and education. A statewide poll asked respondents to rank the state of Michigan in various categories.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Detroit Regional Chamber Michigan Voter Poll, February 2026.
A Wake-up Call for Business Leaders, Lawmakers, and Voters
At the 2026 Meet Southeast Michigan County Leaders event, Detroit Regional Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah spoke on the region and state’s shared challenges.
Our poor performance on these key metrics should serve as a wake-up call for business leaders, lawmakers, and voters.
Michigan must commit to long-term, cohesive strategies that support education, economic development, infrastructure investment, and other key drivers of innovation and economic growth.
Leading the Conversation
Education
At a time when Michigan is working to strengthen its economy and grow its talent pipeline, we cannot afford to let outdated structures hold back our students or our state.
Mobility
Industry insights will help inform the development of a broader policy roadmap for Michigan’s automotive competitiveness. This will outline strategies to better support continued innovation and manufacturing leadership in Michigan.
Policy
Leaders across sectors need to move beyond finger-pointing and commit to long-term, bipartisan solutions that can endure beyond a single election cycle.