Quality of Place essential to attracting talent - Snyder

Governor Rick Snyder has released another of his policy driven special messages to the Legislature, this time on talent development.

The Governor's message is that Michigan must "reinvent the way in which we prepare children for fulfilling careers, reshape how Michiganders look for work and redesign the way in which employers obtain the skills they need. "Tomorrow's opportunities cannot be realized with yesterday's skills," the governor was quoted as saying.

And as part of that effort the Governor used the message to re-emphasize the importance of "enhancing quality of place" as a means of encouraging talent attraction and retention.

The Governor's message once again recognizes that investing in place-based strategies will create the kinds communities that people are seeking to live, work and play in. The League has been pushing for such policies for several years through our "Center for 21st Century Communities" program, and most recently with the publication of our book, "The Economics of Place".

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.