West Michigan Policy Forum

West Michigan Policy Forum Our role is to provide the leadership, education and voice of Michigan business to guide the administration and legislature in reinventing Michigan.

06/02/2026

Leaving pension debt to our kids and grandkids isn't a budget strategy, it's a moral failure.

Michigan is close, closer than ever, to fully funding its obligations to teachers, state troopers, and state workers. And when we get there, over $3 billion per year gets freed up for tax relief and economic growth.

The path is clear. The question is whether our leaders will stay on it.

Watch WMPF's latest video on unfunded liabilities and why fiscal responsibility is the foundation of Michigan's future.

05/22/2026

Personal income. Reading performance. Outbound migration.
Michigan is losing on all three. And our neighbors are capitalizing on it.

WMPF voted to do something about it. Six policy priorities. One mission: make Michigan the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

Watch the video from WMPF CEO and President Jase Bolger.

05/19/2026

Facts matter, and Michigan is falling behind.

At our May 11 luncheon in partnership with the Freedom Series, Jonathan Williams of 'Rich States, Poor States' laid out the numbers: Michigan has dropped to 32nd in the nation across 15 economic indicators, while states like Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee climb past us - attracting our workers and families.

Policy got us here. Policy can get us out.

Watch the video to learn more. Join us in the fight to move Michigan forward.

05/05/2026

Every student learns differently. Policy should reflect that.

A new federal tax credit could expand K–12 scholarship access - at no added cost to Michigan taxpayers. But Michigan must opt in.

29 states already have. We cannot fall behind.

Contact your elected officials and urge action - our kids deserve it.

04/24/2026

Policy matters. And right now, Michigan is falling behind.

From jobs lost to outmigration and income growth, the data tells a clear story, but it’s not the end of it.

We have an opportunity to change the trajectory.

Join us May 11 as Jonathan Williams, author of Rich States, Poor States, breaks down where Michigan stands, what policies matter, and what we can do next.

Register now: https://bit.ly/4bd6Jl3

04/15/2026

Enough is enough.

Michigan’s proposed budget keeps growing - and so do the costs passed on to you and your family.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

We can fund our obligations, protect savings, and avoid raising taxes and fees - but only if leaders hear from you.

Call your state legislators today and deliver a simple message: Restrain spending. Protect savings. Don’t raise costs.

Your voice matters. Make the call.

04/02/2026

Michigan is showing up on the wrong lists again.

• Top 10 for job loss
• Bottom 10 for personal income
• Bottom 10 for literacy
• Top 10 for outbound migration

But it doesn’t have to stay this way.

Join us on May 11 for a lunch event with Jonathan Williams, author of 'Rich States, Poor States', to explore how Michigan compares - and what we can learn from states that are getting it right.

Register now: https://bit.ly/4bd6Jl3

03/25/2026

A proposal to more than double Michigan’s personal income tax has been withdrawn.

Here’s what you should know:
• More than 70% of those impacted would have been small businesses
• There was no guarantee it would improve school funding
• It risked driving jobs and opportunity out of Michigan

With your help, Michigan residents said no.

Watch the full update from WMPF CEO Jase Bolger.

03/16/2026

We’re thrilled to welcome Jonathan Williams as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Freedom Series Luncheon.

Williams serves as President and Chief Economist of American Legislative Exchange Council and co-authors Rich States, Poor States, a leading index on state economic competitiveness.

Register today: https://bit.ly/4bd6Jl3

03/05/2026

March is Reading Month - but too many Michigan kids are still falling behind in early literacy.

The good news? We know what works. States like Mississippi have shown that science-of-reading instruction combined with real accountability can dramatically improve outcomes.

Michigan needs the full solution to help kids learn to read so they can read to learn.

Watch this short video from WMPF President and CEO Jase Bolger to see what works - and how you can urge leaders to support real literacy reform.

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Grand Rapids, MI
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