July 22, 2009
by Amy Lane | Crain’s Detroit Business

Michigan CEOs are pessimistic about Michigan’s economy in the coming months but believe the national economy will hit bottom and begin to improve, according to a survey released Wednesday by Detroit Renaissance Inc. and the Michigan Business Leadership Council. The survey of 60 Michigan chief executives found approximately 90 percent forecasting the same or lower employment and Michigan capital investment over the next six months.  Click to read more: http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090722/FREE/907229985

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July 15, 2009
Michigan Chronicle

"The Michigan public is very clear that they want to see significant budget reform and they are specific on where they want to see cuts," said Doug Rothwell, president of Detroit Renaissance. A comparison of the results of polls conducted for Detroit Renaissance in 2008 and 2009 with a poll conducted by EPIC-MRA this week shows many similarities.

Both polls showed the public thinks the state is on the wrong track: 75% for the EPIC poll and 63% for the Renaissance poll. Both polls showed the public thinks the budget can and should be balanced through spending cuts alone: 54% each. Both polls found general agreement among voters as to where to cut the budget, including public employee workforce size, pay and benefits and corrections spending.  Both polls showed more support for extending the sales tax to services than raising the income tax among tax reform options. Click here to read more.

*Note that articles may be removed from the newspaper's website 30 days from the date on which they are published.

July 2009
Doug Rothwell

Southeast Michigan doesn't have a reputation for regional cooperation.  Heck, it seems we can't even talk civil to each other at times.  But, then came along the month of June...In the space of just one month the following happened…click here to read the rest at dBusiness.

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June 4, 2009

By Tom Watkins

Tom Watkins of Northville says addressing this economic and budgetary crisis requires bold, decisive leadership that employs the new three R's: reform, restructuring and reinvention for all aspects of government -- such as through privatization or consolidation of governments or school districts. We cannot simply cut or tax our way out of this mess. Among other organizations, he mentions the work of Detroit Renaissance:

"The Detroit Renaissance is the state's premier business leadership organization, led by Doug Rothwell and Sabrina Keeley. Detroit Renaissance is benchmarking how Michigan stacks up on economic competitiveness with other states and advocating for fundamental state structural reforms. The organization has identified nearly $1 billion in major state tax, spending and business reforms to reduce Michigan's structural budget deficit. Like the other recommendations made by the Center for Michigan and the Citizens Research Council, Detroit Renaissance's work has not been acted upon by the state's elected leadership. Each of these three organizations have offered the tools to help our state elected leaders reform, restructure and reinvent itself. To date, the governor and Legislature have refused the tools offered to them."

To read the full article, click here.

*Note that articles may be removed from the newspaper's website 30 days from the date on which they are published.