Governor Snyder says Michigan has become a more business-friendly place since he took office—and that’s good news for the automotive industry.
The Governor addressed industry leaders at the Michigan Automotive Summit in Detroit Wednesday.
Snyder says that in the emerging global economy, there will be a “go-to place” to on each continent to make things. And he thinks Michigan is poised to be that place in North America—but the state needs to embrace, not reject, its manufacturing past.
Snyder says the focus on the past few years have been on diversifying the state’s economy—but that’s “dumb.”
“People said we should walk away from that [autos and manufacturing], we should do other stuff,” he says. “Just as you go through tough times and you come back and you’re really productive, you should stop doing it.
“That’s a backward concept. Now’s the time to double down on it, to say ‘Let’s do it well.’”
Snyder touted his administration’s record of cutting business taxes, and what he called “a lot of dumb” rules and regulations.
Despite sounding campaign-like notes in the speech, Snyder still wouldn’t formally say he’s running for re-election. He says he expects to decide early next year.