This summer, U.S. News & World Report’s Best States rankings placed Michigan among the five worst states in the country. The Detroit News summed it up in a single headline: Michigan is “in the pits”. We keep falling behind, but this doesn’t have to be permanent. Climbing out takes more than just hoping things get better. It takes an honest look at how we got here and a real plan to get out. 

The Numbers Don’t Lie 

Whether it’s paychecks, classrooms or kitchen-table energy bills, Michigan has slid toward the bottom. 

MI is in the Pits - Numbers

This Didn’t Happen by Accident 

Michigan’s people are not the problem. Our workers are skilled. Our families are resilient. Our natural assets are the envy of most states. What changed were the choices made in Lansing. 

Michigan passed a third-grade reading law in 2018, never fully implemented it, and repealed it in 2023. That same year, Right to Work was repealed after a decade in which jobs, manufacturing and incomes grew. New energy mandates pushed generation down a more expensive path just as demand began to climb. And the state kept leaning on a strategy of hand-picking winners with business incentives, even as site selectors say workforce, infrastructure, permitting and utility costs matter far more. 

The simple truth is that bad policy leads to bad outcomes. Follow the moving vans and a pattern emerges. The top five destinations for Michiganders who leave are Florida, Texas, Arizona, North Carolina and Indiana. Their average personal income tax rate is 1.89%. Michigan’s is 4.25%. Other states aren’t outperforming Michigan by luck. They made different choices. 

The Way Out 

The West Michigan Policy Forum has been pushing these reforms long before they were politically convenient. But none of these policies are political, each one is proven to be working somewhere else right now. 

Empower every student for a lifetime of success 

• Read by grade three. Mississippi went from 49th to 9th in 4th-grade reading with five reforms: the science of reading, teacher training, support for struggling kids, literacy-based promotion and A-F school grades. HB 5520 would bring literacy-based promotion back to Michigan. 

• More options for more kids. At least 30 states have opted into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, giving about 90% of their children access to scholarships at no cost to taxpayers or existing school budgets. 

Ignite business creation, job growth and career potential 

• Stop taxing work. Five of the ten fastest-growing in-migration states have no income tax. With fiscal discipline, Michigan can responsibly phase its income tax down. 

• Return the Balance of Right to Work. Under RTW, unions remained free to make their case and workers became free to make their choice. Many employers offering more opportunities for better careers don’t consider Michigan because we are no longer a Right to Work state.  Reinstating Right to Work was proven to increase income for workers because it offered more career opportunities in our state, and it would return the choice to join a union back in workers’ hands. 

• Transform the MEDC. Instead of favors for a few, make economic development a true one-stop shop that helps any business through every permit, registration and form. 

Elevate quality of life to attract and retain families 

• Keep pension promises. Staying the current course will fully fund obligations to teachers, troopers and state employees, offering savings for taxpayers of more than $3 billion a year when we no longer have to play catch up from past underfunding by politicians. 

• Affordable, reliable energy. Repeal the cost-raising 2023 mandates and rely on sound planning to meet rising demand. Energy policy is economic development policy. 

• Fix the roads with existing revenue. Make sure the taxes paid at the pump actually go to fix our roads and bridges. 

Climbing Out Starts With You 

Michigan won’t climb out on its own. Change happens when voters know the record and expect better. That’s where you come in. 

First, check the record. WMPF’s updated Michigan Legislative Scorecard now combines votes from both the 2023–2024 and 2025–2026 sessions into one running record, with an A–F grade for every state representative and senator. It tracks the votes that will decide whether Michigan climbs out. Look up your own lawmakers; the votes speak for themselves. 

Second, ask questions. This fall, people seeking your vote will be at doorsteps, town halls and community events. Ask every one of them, regardless of party, how they plan to turn Michigan around: 

1. Michigan ranks 44th in 4th-grade reading. What specific steps would you take to get us into the top 10? 
2. Our income tax is more than double the average of the states where Michiganders are moving. What would you do about it? 
3. Should workers have the freedom to choose whether to join a union? 
4. How would you keep electricity affordable and reliable as demand grows? 
5. How would you make it easier to start, grow or move a business here?  And, would you empower Michigan’s men and women to make decisions on where and how to invest for their growth, or would you continue to rely on state government to shift tax dollars to favored businesses? 
6. Will you keep Michigan on track to fully fund its pension promises? 

Listen for specifics. Plans, not platitudes. 

Time to Climb Out 

Every year Michigan stays near the bottom, other states keep recruiting our workers, our businesses and our kids. They aren’t waiting for us to catch up. 

Michigan families won’t settle for the bottom, they deserve a state worth staying in. Know the record, ask the hard questions, and demand real answers. 

The West Michigan Policy Forum is a nonpartisan organization that brings together leaders from across the state to advance policies that promote economic growth, innovation and a high quality of life for all Michigan residents and businesses. WMPF does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. To learn more about the 2026 policy agenda, contact info@wmpolicyforum.com.