"...A convergence of forces has brought about the most serious financial crisis in many years for Michigan’s state and local governments. This is a structural challenge, not simply the result of an economic downturn...We will not economically grow our way out of it. We cannot solely cut or tax our way out of it. Fundamentally, Michigan must reform its spending and taxing and must reinvent the way state and local governments deliver services to be more efficient and productive..."
"After careful study and considerable discussion, this bipartisan panel believes that Michigan
- needs fundamental reform of both spending and taxes;
- must create a modern tax structure that abandons the focus on the economic system of the 20th century and looks to the developing economy of the new century;
- must end the disinvestment in education and those other assets that define the quality of life that knowledge-based workers seek—cultural offerings, natural resources, and vibrant cities; and
- must develop a fiscal plan that includes a combination of revenue increases, spending cuts, and reform of how public services are delivered."
