Facts matter, and the simple truth is that Michigan is falling behind. Whether it be personal income for our workers, reading performance for our kids, or the outbound migration of our families — Michigan has fallen to among the worst 10 states. That’s not spin. That’s the data.
This week, the West Michigan Policy Forum hosted its 2026 Freedom Series Annual Luncheon, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and community members for an honest conversation about where Michigan stands, and what it’s going to take to change course.
“We exist to advance policy that empowers people to succeed,” said John Kennedy, WMPF Board Chair. “Every item on our 2026 agenda reflects that mission. Michigan has the potential to be a place where families want to stay, and businesses want to invest. Because, Michigan families deserve better than the middle ground, they deserve the best. We are committed to making that happen, no matter the opposition we face.”
A Wake-Up Call from a National Expert
Our featured speaker was Jonathan Williams, co-author of the nationally recognized Rich States, Poor States, a leading report that measures economic competitiveness across all 50 states using 15 different indicators, including tax burden, debt levels, Right-to-Work status, and tort liability.
The numbers Williams presented were sobering. Michigan currently ranks 32nd in the 2026 economic outlook rankings. That’s bad enough on its own, but consider this: Michigan was ranked 12th as recently as 2019. In just a few years, we’ve fallen 20 spots. Meanwhile, neighboring Ohio has climbed to 15th and shot past us in the rankings this year. Over the past decade, Michigan has lost more than 144,000 residents to domestic out-migration. People are voting with their feet.
“What we see across the country is that pro-growth reforms work,” Williams told the audience. “States that have prioritized simplicity, predictability, and fiscal responsibility are attracting people and investment while unlocking economic opportunity that benefits communities across the income spectrum. Michigan has that same potential, and the policy tools to get there are well within reach.”
Williams’ message was clear: this is not a story of inevitable decline. It’s a story of policy choices — and policy choices can be changed.
Facing the Truth
WMPF President and CEO Jase Bolger put it plainly:
“The facts are not good, but we need to face the truth. Whether it be income for our families, education for our kids, or career opportunities for our workers, Michigan has fallen to the bottom 10. It’s a competitive world and Michigan’s men and women cannot afford to keep falling behind. The simple truth is that bad policy leads to bad outcomes, and Michigan is losing residents and opportunity to states that have made the logical choices to be a welcoming state for investment. The West Michigan Policy Forum will continue to advocate for the pro-growth policies that make Michigan a place where businesses want to invest and families want to stay.”
That commitment isn’t just a rallying cry, it’s a plan. Following the luncheon, WMPF leaders got to work, establishing a focused 2026 policy agenda aimed at making Michigan a competitive, attractive state to start, grow, or locate a business. Now, that agenda includes a new priority: affordable, reliable energy. When businesses decide where to invest, site selectors consistently rank utility availability and reliability at the top of their list, well above state incentive packages. Yet Michigan’s residential electricity rates have climbed faster than inflation and now exceed the national average, making us the most expensive among our Great Lakes neighbors. That’s not a coincidence — it’s the result of policy choices. WMPF is calling for the repeal of the costly 2023 energy mandates and a return to sound, integrated planning that delivers affordable, dependable power for the Michigan families and businesses who need it.
Our 2026 Policy Agenda:
Key Priorities for a Stronger Michigan
WMPF’s 2026 agenda is built on the belief that empowering individuals, not government, is the true source of prosperity. Here’s what we’re fighting for:
- Education: Get Every Kid Reading by Third Grade
Michigan’s reading scores are an emergency. Too many kids are reaching fourth grade without the foundational literacy skills they need to succeed. WMPF is advancing five key education reforms centered on third-grade reading proficiency: implementing the Science of Reading, training and supporting teachers, tutoring and supporting students, introducing A-F letter grading of school buildings so parents have real information, and ensuring literacy-based promotion so kids can read to learn before moving on. Because a child who can’t read by third grade faces steeper odds for the rest of their life. Our kids deserve better, and we’re going to fight for it.
- Labor: Return Freedom to Work to Every Michigan Worker
During our decade-long Right to Work era, unions continued to be free to make their case while workers simply became free to make their choice. As a result we saw overall jobs rise notably, manufacturing jobs saw meaningful gains and personal income consistently grew. Since its repeal overall jobs have declined with manufacturing jobs leading that loss, and as a result personal income growth has weakened. WMPF is calling for the reinstatement of Right-to Work so that every Michigan worker, not just union leadership, has a voice in their own career; and Michigan can compete for more jobs and better careers.
- Tax Policy: Let Michigan Workers Keep More of What They Earn
Michigan’s income tax is a drag on growth. Workers and job creators who get to keep more of what they earn invest it, spend it, and build with it, right here in Michigan. WMPF is advocating for meaningful tax reform, including a path to eliminating the personal income tax, to make Michigan more competitive with the states that are winning the talent and investment race.
- Regulatory Reform: Make Michigan Open for Business
Ask any entrepreneur or business owner about starting or expanding in Michigan and you’ll hear the same thing: too much red tape, too many agencies, too many hoops to jump through. WMPF is pushing for replacing the MEDC with a one-stop-shop regulatory framework that makes it straightforward to start, grow, or locate a business in Michigan — cutting bureaucratic friction without sacrificing accountability.
- Fiscal Health: Fully Fund Our Pension Promises
Michigan is grappling today with the burden of unfunded liabilities created decades ago, obligations to public employees and retirees that aren’t fully funded. Fully funding this promise alone will account for the income tax that currently goes to the School Aid Fund. Ignoring this problem doesn’t make it go away; it makes it bigger. WMPF is committed to advancing honest, durable fiscal reforms that put Michigan on a sustainable financial path and protect taxpayers from a future reckoning.
- Affordable Energy: Stop the Mandates, Protect What Works
Energy is economic development. Site selectors rank utility reliability as their top criteria when deciding where to invest, and put incentives at the end of the list. Yet Michigan’s residential electricity rates are already the highest among Great Lakes states, and the 2023 energy mandates are projected to make things significantly worse. WMPF is calling for the repeal of those cost-raising mandates and instead rely on sound planning for affordable and dependable energy supply to meet future needs.
Why This Matters
Every item on this agenda connects directly to improving the lives of Michigan families.
It’s the parent wondering why their child is struggling to read. The worker who doesn’t understand why their paycheck is smaller when they didn’t choose to join a union. The small business owner stifled by permits and paperwork instead of serving customers. The struggling family watching their energy bill climb. And, the missed opportunities of employers who choose Tennessee, Florida, Indiana or Ohio.
Michigan has every ingredient we need to succeed: talented people, strong communities and a world class work ethic that the rest of the country respects. What’s missing is the policy that lets our state grow and people flourish.
That’s why the WMPF exists. We’ll drive this change. Join our work today!
To learn more about WMPF’s work and the 2026 Policy Agenda, reach us at info@wmpolicyforum.com.
For more information on the Freedom Series and upcoming events, visit thefreedomseries.org. To access the full Rich States, Poor States 2026 rankings and report, visit richstatespoorstates.org.