Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You're listening to Michigan's Big Show starring Michael Patrick Shields.
My name is Scott Ellis, the executive director of the
Michigan License Beverage Association.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Sitting in and my next guest.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I'm sure you've all heard of him, and he's done
amazing things for the city of Detroit and he's now
running for governor.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Good morning, mister Mayor, Mike doug and how are you.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good morning, stat Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Well, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
And you know, I'm driving around and seeing a bunch
of signs everywhere I go, and I know.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
You're working hard.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
But a lot of the question I was get is,
you know, after you came back, you came to Detroit
and you built it back, and you know, I just
had the chief on talking about how crime has been
reduced in the city.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Why are you running for governor and what are you
running on?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Well, when I came into Detroit and people remember where
it was a city was in bankruptcy. Half the street
lights where out, the ambulances wouldn't show up for an hour.
We had forty seven thousand at houses and it seemed
like there was no hope. But what I was watching
was the elected officials, the mayor and the council. We're
(01:09):
fighting with each other constantly. Have everything was us versus them,
City versus suber, Black versus white, Detroit versus Lansing. And
when I ran for mayor in twenty thirteen, you know,
I went house to house in the city and said
to people, us versus them politics is tearing the city down.
I think if we pulled together, we could rebuild in
(01:32):
And it's been a remarkable period of time. But I'm
looking at the state of Michigan and I have never
seen the taxic politics between Republicans and Democrats worse than
it is now. And I mean, they finally got a
budget done, but the schools went back and for the
(01:52):
first two months had no budget, which was they couldn't
add teachers, they couldn't add reading assistance, they couldn't do
so many things. Just felt like maybe people were tired
of politics as usual, maybe they like to try something different.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Well, and I think that's you know, obviously, you know,
I work up here and deal with it every day,
and I've seen the changes, and I agree with you.
It is very separate now. And I will say, you know,
they did get it done. It was the first time that.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
They had to do this with a split legislature. They
managed to get it done. How do you you know, well,
first of all, how did you use go independent?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
And how do you plan to bring everybody together like
you did in the city up here in Lansing.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, and so you look at the budget this time
and say, well, it was split between the Republicans and Democrats,
and so that's the reason it was a miss. But Scott,
just go back to the lame duck session in December
where you had the Democratic trifecta and it collapsed with
things not getting done because the left wing and the
(02:49):
right wing of the Democratic Party we're fighting with each other.
Everything has become so partisan. And what I did in
the city was I spent time sitting down with every
single consul member saying, what are the most important things
to you? Here are the things that are most important
to me, and it's the darnedest thing. Providing more public
(03:11):
safety isn't partisan. Bringing businesses into your community isn't partisan.
We found ways to build partnerships. And I look at
the state of Michigan and you know what the school's
numbers look like. They just released a report that sixty
third grade is across Michigan can't read a grade level.
And the Republics and Democrats are fighting over curriculum, fighting
(03:32):
over how schools get measured, and I just think it's
time we stopped the bick or you can put the
kids first.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Well, and you know you say that.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I remember, you know, going through COVID and being representing
the hospitality industry, I'd make jokes like I just want
to get them in a room, buy them all a beer.
Let's figure this out right, And it sounds like that's
your approach is you know, maybe not buy them a beer,
but you know your approach is to get them all
in the room and listen. And I think, you know,
human nature when we do get everybody in, Yes, we
may have some differences, but we can we can find
that common growth. And you know, one of the things
(04:02):
that we face is, you know, obviously as business is
coming to Michigan and I know I'm going to have
a guest on here, Shirly Airspace Link, who by opening
in Detroit brought I think approxed me seventeen companies to
move to the city Detroit to bring their operations, so
some werek from out of the country. So obviously things
are happening by doing that. But to do that, we
have to be able to fill the jobs. How do
(04:22):
you plan on growing the population and keeping people in Michigan.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, And of course in Detroit, we have filled the
jobs and got thirty thousand more Detroit is working today
than when I started. And we brought in auto plants,
we brought in Amazon, and we brought in the tech companies,
the drones and the kinds of companies that you're talking about.
And that's what you've got to do. You've got to
attract the traditional jobs, you've got to attract the jobs
(04:47):
of the future. But again I come back to where
the state's been. First, we had in the Great Recession
the Mega credits, where they gave massive tax cuts to
the auto industry. Snyder came in and he stopped all
the tax breaks, and then he realized that was too much.
Then he did a more limited version, and then this
(05:08):
last few years we went to sore where we did
cash up front, and then we canceled all of that
and now we have no program. I don't know why
a company would come to Michigan when the Republicans and
Democrats every two years changed the economic development direction. But
in twelve years of Detroit, we had one consistent policy.
We won't give you cash up front. That's not something
(05:29):
we're going to do. But if you'll come build on
vacant land or empty buildings, we'll give you a discount
on the new taxes you can pay. And in twelve years,
I've not had to veto an action a city council.
We brought in jeep plans, Amazon facilities. It's been one
project after another, and it's been the mayor and city
council united and everybody knows what the agreements are going
(05:52):
to be, and being predictable, it turns out to be
an extremely good strategy.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Well, and we see that it did work in the city.
And I know, you know sore and all that, and
you know, I don't know the answer, right, I don't
know the answer. But it sounds like, you know, you
want to incentivize, but you don't want to pay it front,
but you're giving them a break on cash that you
know it's not even in the city budget yet, so
you're not losing money. If I understand that correctly, you're
just maybe losing something you would capture, but at the
jobs and everything else that brings in, it would help
(06:18):
it help the city or the state of Michigan.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Is that correct.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
That's right, Scott. So you think about the train station
which had been a band in for for nearly forty years,
say that there empty as assimilar to Detroit's decline. Bill
Ford and Ford Motor Company wanted to come. If they
paid us full taxes over thirty years, it would be
four hundred million dollars in new taxes. We gave them
a discount, so they paid three hundred million dollars and
put two thousand jobs in a building that had been empty.
(06:44):
That's the kind of arrangement that makes sense, and I
think at the state level it makes sense. Let's give
people discounts when they actually hire the people and actually
do the construction, but don't kill them the cash up front.
But the most important thing is business wants predictability. I've
got ten billion dollars in investment going into Troit right now,
and every one of them knew when they sat down
(07:07):
with us that this was going to be the arranger
that you can get a discount of future taxes, but
you couldn't get cash up front, and people have found
that to be a very fair.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Solution and they stay then, right because now they're invested
in the community. And that's the thing is, it's not
just to come in and build and get the break,
but it's to be invested in that community. And so,
you know, the the big challenge you have, right you're
running as an independent. I know you obviously right in
candidate the city Detroit. I think maybe the first time
that's ever happened in one How are you being accepted
around the other parts of the state. Obviously the Downriver
(07:37):
and you know, the Tri County area, everybody knows you.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
But what about the rest of the state. How's that
been going?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Yeah, it's been absolutely great. I just have to get
out and get out. And so I've been into all
kinds of small towns and farms and the cities and
the western and northwestern parts of the state. And when
I get a chance to talk to people, it turns
out across the state people are fed up with both parties,
(08:03):
and there's a lot of people who feel forgotten in
small towns and farms and just sit down and when
they say to me, what is the Mayor Detroit know
about us. We've been forgotten here in the middle of
the state, and I just say, let me tell you
about representative people that feel forgotten. Introduce you to some
families who are living on a block with three abandoned houses,
(08:23):
no parks, no street lights. We didn't complain about it.
We got to work and solve the problems. Let's talk
about what your issues are here. And people are responding
in a great way. In January one, when I'm out
of the Mayor's office, I will be camp dating full
time and I will I'm spending my time going around
the parts of the state that don't know me.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Wonderful mister Mayor. We appreciate what you've done for the
city Detroit. We look forward to the next year, and
thanks for coming on and enjoy the travel around the state.
This is Scott Ellis sitting in on Michigan's big show.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
People can't have access to quality medical care without affordable
health insurance. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, we
understand increasing health insurance costs are becoming more of a
strain on the budgets of the businesses and people we serve.
Affordability matters. It affects real families, real decisions, and real care.
That's why at Blue Cross were dedicated to finding solutions
(09:22):
to learn about this critical issue in our efforts to
make healthcare affordable for all. Visitmi blue Daily dot com
slash affordability today.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
Whether they are dough boys, comments or even gremlins, Every
public school in Michigan is proud to be known for something,
and at the Michigan Lottery, we're proud to be known
for something too. Education. I'm Lottery Commissioner Susanna Shcrelli, and
one hundred percent of our profits go to support the
state School Aid Fund. Last year, the Lottery contributed over
one billion dollars. So whatever hometown school you're from, we're
(09:52):
rooting for all of them. Michigan Lottery for fun for schools.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Knowing your limits as always.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
The best back. Dean Transportation is looking for compassionate people
to join our team of school bus drivers and attendants.
Visit Dean jobs dot com to see all openings. Dean
Transportation provides paid training to obtain a commercial driver's license,
increased starting pay, comprehensive benefits, and flexible schedules with no
(10:19):
weekend shifts, no experience needed. Apply today at Dean jobs
dot com and train for back to school season. That's
da n Jobs dot com.
Speaker 7 (10:30):
Change is bright. It's a clean energy future fueled by
fields of solar. It's led lighting in every home, and
Consumers Energy is making it happen with their industry leading
clean energy plan. This year, they're going all in on
their commitment to protecting the planet while serving nearly seven
(10:52):
million Michigan neighbors. Learn more and join the movement at
Consumers Energy dot com. Slash clean Energy
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You're listening to Michigan's Big Show starring Michael Patrick Shields.
My name is Scott Ellis, the executive director of the
Michigan License Beverage Association.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Sitting in and my next guest.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I'm sure you've all heard of him, and he's done
amazing things for the city of Detroit and he's now
running for governor.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Good morning, mister Mayor, Mike doug and how are you.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good morning, stat Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Well, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
And you know, I'm driving around and seeing a bunch
of signs everywhere I go, and I know.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
You're working hard.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
But a lot of the question I was get is,
you know, after you came back, you came to Detroit
and you built it back, and you know, I just
had the chief on talking about how crime has been
reduced in the city.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Why are you running for governor and what are you
running on?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Well, when I came into Detroit and people remember where
it was a city was in bankruptcy. Half the street
lights where out, the ambulances wouldn't show up for an hour.
We had forty seven thousand at houses and it seemed
like there was no hope. But what I was watching
was the elected officials, the mayor and the council. We're
(01:09):
fighting with each other constantly. Have everything was us versus them,
City versus suber, Black versus white, Detroit versus Lansing. And
when I ran for mayor in twenty thirteen, you know,
I went house to house in the city and said
to people, us versus them politics is tearing the city down.
I think if we pulled together, we could rebuild in
(01:32):
And it's been a remarkable period of time. But I'm
looking at the state of Michigan and I have never
seen the taxic politics between Republicans and Democrats worse than
it is now. And I mean, they finally got a
budget done, but the schools went back and for the
(01:52):
first two months had no budget, which was they couldn't
add teachers, they couldn't add reading assistance, they couldn't do
so many things. Just felt like maybe people were tired
of politics as usual, maybe they like to try something different.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Well, and I think that's you know, obviously, you know,
I work up here and deal with it every day,
and I've seen the changes, and I agree with you.
It is very separate now. And I will say, you know,
they did get it done. It was the first time that.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
They had to do this with a split legislature. They
managed to get it done. How do you you know, well,
first of all, how did you use go independent?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
And how do you plan to bring everybody together like
you did in the city up here in Lansing.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, and so you look at the budget this time
and say, well, it was split between the Republicans and Democrats,
and so that's the reason it was a miss. But Scott,
just go back to the lame duck session in December
where you had the Democratic trifecta and it collapsed with
things not getting done because the left wing and the
(02:49):
right wing of the Democratic Party we're fighting with each other.
Everything has become so partisan. And what I did in
the city was I spent time sitting down with every
single consul member saying, what are the most important things
to you? Here are the things that are most important
to me, and it's the darnedest thing. Providing more public
(03:11):
safety isn't partisan. Bringing businesses into your community isn't partisan.
We found ways to build partnerships. And I look at
the state of Michigan and you know what the school's
numbers look like. They just released a report that sixty
third grade is across Michigan can't read a grade level.
And the Republics and Democrats are fighting over curriculum, fighting
(03:32):
over how schools get measured, and I just think it's
time we stopped the bick or you can put the
kids first.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Well, and you know you say that.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I remember, you know, going through COVID and being representing
the hospitality industry, I'd make jokes like I just want
to get them in a room, buy them all a beer.
Let's figure this out right, And it sounds like that's
your approach is you know, maybe not buy them a beer,
but you know your approach is to get them all
in the room and listen. And I think, you know,
human nature when we do get everybody in, Yes, we
may have some differences, but we can we can find
that common growth. And you know, one of the things
(04:02):
that we face is, you know, obviously as business is
coming to Michigan and I know I'm going to have
a guest on here, Shirly Airspace Link, who by opening
in Detroit brought I think approxed me seventeen companies to
move to the city Detroit to bring their operations, so
some werek from out of the country. So obviously things
are happening by doing that. But to do that, we
have to be able to fill the jobs. How do
(04:22):
you plan on growing the population and keeping people in Michigan.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, And of course in Detroit, we have filled the
jobs and got thirty thousand more Detroit is working today
than when I started. And we brought in auto plants,
we brought in Amazon, and we brought in the tech companies,
the drones and the kinds of companies that you're talking about.
And that's what you've got to do. You've got to
attract the traditional jobs, you've got to attract the jobs
(04:47):
of the future. But again I come back to where
the state's been. First, we had in the Great Recession
the Mega credits, where they gave massive tax cuts to
the auto industry. Snyder came in and he stopped all
the tax breaks, and then he realized that was too much.
Then he did a more limited version, and then this
(05:08):
last few years we went to sore where we did
cash up front, and then we canceled all of that
and now we have no program. I don't know why
a company would come to Michigan when the Republicans and
Democrats every two years changed the economic development direction. But
in twelve years of Detroit, we had one consistent policy.
We won't give you cash up front. That's not something
(05:29):
we're going to do. But if you'll come build on
vacant land or empty buildings, we'll give you a discount
on the new taxes you can pay. And in twelve years,
I've not had to veto an action a city council.
We brought in jeep plans, Amazon facilities. It's been one
project after another, and it's been the mayor and city
council united and everybody knows what the agreements are going
(05:52):
to be, and being predictable, it turns out to be
an extremely good strategy.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Well, and we see that it did work in the city.
And I know, you know sore and all that, and
you know, I don't know the answer, right, I don't
know the answer. But it sounds like, you know, you
want to incentivize, but you don't want to pay it front,
but you're giving them a break on cash that you
know it's not even in the city budget yet, so
you're not losing money. If I understand that correctly, you're
just maybe losing something you would capture, but at the
jobs and everything else that brings in, it would help
(06:18):
it help the city or the state of Michigan.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Is that correct.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
That's right, Scott. So you think about the train station
which had been a band in for for nearly forty years,
say that there empty as assimilar to Detroit's decline. Bill
Ford and Ford Motor Company wanted to come. If they
paid us full taxes over thirty years, it would be
four hundred million dollars in new taxes. We gave them
a discount, so they paid three hundred million dollars and
put two thousand jobs in a building that had been empty.
(06:44):
That's the kind of arrangement that makes sense, and I
think at the state level it makes sense. Let's give
people discounts when they actually hire the people and actually
do the construction, but don't kill them the cash up front.
But the most important thing is business wants predictability. I've
got ten billion dollars in investment going into Troit right now,
and every one of them knew when they sat down
(07:07):
with us that this was going to be the arranger
that you can get a discount of future taxes, but
you couldn't get cash up front, and people have found
that to be a very fair.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Solution and they stay then, right because now they're invested
in the community. And that's the thing is, it's not
just to come in and build and get the break,
but it's to be invested in that community. And so,
you know, the the big challenge you have, right you're
running as an independent. I know you obviously right in
candidate the city Detroit. I think maybe the first time
that's ever happened in one How are you being accepted
around the other parts of the state. Obviously the Downriver
(07:37):
and you know, the Tri County area, everybody knows you.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
But what about the rest of the state. How's that
been going?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Yeah, it's been absolutely great. I just have to get
out and get out. And so I've been into all
kinds of small towns and farms and the cities and
the western and northwestern parts of the state. And when
I get a chance to talk to people, it turns
out across the state people are fed up with both parties,
(08:03):
and there's a lot of people who feel forgotten in
small towns and farms and just sit down and when
they say to me, what is the Mayor Detroit know
about us. We've been forgotten here in the middle of
the state, and I just say, let me tell you
about representative people that feel forgotten. Introduce you to some
families who are living on a block with three abandoned houses,
(08:23):
no parks, no street lights. We didn't complain about it.
We got to work and solve the problems. Let's talk
about what your issues are here. And people are responding
in a great way. In January one, when I'm out
of the Mayor's office, I will be camp dating full
time and I will I'm spending my time going around
the parts of the state that don't know me.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Wonderful mister Mayor. We appreciate what you've done for the
city Detroit. We look forward to the next year, and
thanks for coming on and enjoy the travel around the state.
This is Scott Ellis sitting in on Michigan's big show.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
People can't have access to quality medical care without affordable
health insurance. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, we
understand increasing health insurance costs are becoming more of a
strain on the budgets of the businesses and people we serve.
Affordability matters. It affects real families, real decisions, and real care.
That's why at Blue Cross were dedicated to finding solutions
(09:22):
to learn about this critical issue in our efforts to
make healthcare affordable for all. Visitmi blue Daily dot com
slash affordability today.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
Whether they are dough boys, comments or even gremlins, Every
public school in Michigan is proud to be known for something,
and at the Michigan Lottery, we're proud to be known
for something too. Education. I'm Lottery Commissioner Susanna Shcrelli, and
one hundred percent of our profits go to support the
state School Aid Fund. Last year, the Lottery contributed over
one billion dollars. So whatever hometown school you're from, we're
(09:52):
rooting for all of them. Michigan Lottery for fun for schools.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Knowing your limits as always.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
The best back. Dean Transportation is looking for compassionate people
to join our team of school bus drivers and attendants.
Visit Dean jobs dot com to see all openings. Dean
Transportation provides paid training to obtain a commercial driver's license,
increased starting pay, comprehensive benefits, and flexible schedules with no
(10:19):
weekend shifts, no experience needed. Apply today at Dean jobs
dot com and train for back to school season. That's
da n Jobs dot com.
Speaker 7 (10:30):
Change is bright. It's a clean energy future fueled by
fields of solar. It's led lighting in every home, and
Consumers Energy is making it happen with their industry leading
clean energy plan. This year, they're going all in on
their commitment to protecting the planet while serving nearly seven
(10:52):
million Michigan neighbors. Learn more and join the movement at
Consumers Energy dot com. Slash clean Energy
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