Michigan Policy Wonk

Our weekly round-up of policy-relevant reads and IPPSR-connected research (inspired by John Kingdon).

Problems:

• In an improving economy, Michigan workers’ part-time blues. State of the State Survey Director Charles Ballard comments on mismatch between worker skills and employer needs.
• Immigrant talent pool can fill the needs of metro Detroit. Michigan Political Leadership Program Co-director Steve Tobocman appeared in Other Voices section of Crain’s Detroit Business.
• Study links gang membership and depression. Chris Melde, IPPSR Affiliated Faculty member, released a study about gangs and mental health.

Policy:

• EM law needs revamping. Faculty Affiliate Eric Scorsone cited in Detroit News editorial about Emergency Manager law.
• Cross-Border Trucking. Bill Anderson, director of the Cross-Border Institute at the University of Windsor, talks about the cost of trucking goods across the U.S.-Canadian border. He’s a featured speaker at IPPSR’s April 20 Public Policy Forum.
• MIBRFSS Surveillance Brief. Michigan’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a project conducted by IPPSR’s Office for Survey research, released its April surveillance brief.

Politics:

• Kasich the Kingmaker. IPPSR Director Matt Grossmann op-ed in the Detroit News on good news for Donald Trump at the Michigan Republican convention.
• Oligarchs and demagogues, as America teeters. Phil Power, a 2014 Legislative Leadership Program speaker, comments on the state of American democracy.
• State Capitol interns nominated for internship honors. IPPSR and James Madison College celebrate 14 nominees for the Daniel Rosenthal Legislative Internship Award.