paul brown

As Michigan’s job growth begins to taper, businesses have immense opportunities to embrace this time of innovation and adaptability. Despite the dip in growth, the state’s economy remains rich in potential. In this ever-changing economy, companies must prioritize adapting their workforce and staying updated with technology to remain competitive. Michigan’s history of manufacturing is a strength. The question remains: who has the foresight to apply this talent to the opportunities today? Our legacy successes are not indicative of future wins. As mentioned in the article, it is not time to hit the panic button. Although you can interpret the data presented as bleak, you can also be optimistic about where Michigan’s economy is headed, which is how University of Michigan economists feel. Although things aren’t amazing now, Michigan’s economy should be fine. By fostering a culture of resilience innovation, Michigan can navigate challenges and emerge even better: https://lnkd.in/g8cXfPtN #Economy #Business #Michigan

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Looking forward to this important discussion on Innovation and Public Policy in MI. You can read the findings below - but it's time MI prioritizes innovation (outside of just mobility) and puts in time, resources, and intentionality around building a robust high-growth, entrepreneurial ecosystem. Lisa McLaughlin Nia Batts Lisa Katz Ned Staebler https://lnkd.in/gsw2NbPe

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In a recent interview with the Chicago Reader, I spoke about the surge in unionization of the city's service workers and the political implications of unionizing. Following the pandemic, our country has seen the service industry organize at an unprecedented rate. Whenever there’s a union drive, it’s an effort to pull some power away from the employers. And that becomes something that has strong political implications. Read more of our conversation at: https://lnkd.in/eiDJDc_4

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My statement regarding University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: For several days, I maintained relative silence as I tried to better understand Chancellor Mone’s statement regarding his agreement with the pro-Hamas, anti-Israel, and anti-American protestors at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. Unfortunately, Chancellor Mone did not respond to any of my requests to talk. There are four issues with the debacle at UW-Milwaukee: 1. The public statement made by Chancellor Mone contains high levels of misinformation, and selective and unbalanced information about the current situation in Gaza. This statement does not even comply with academic standards. 2. Chancellor Mone avoided reaching out to us, or Jewish community leaders, to get our perspective on the events. 3. The agreement fails to mention the ongoing antisemitic harassment and intimidation faced by Jewish and pro-Israel students and professors at the hands of the pro-Palestinian protestors. Not only did Chancellor Mone capitulate to the violence by rewarding the mob, but he did so by further discriminating against Jewish and pro-Israel students. What Chancellor Mone did with his agreement was make UW-Milwaukee a safe haven for antisemites and antisemitic behavior. 4. The partnership of the Water Council with Israeli institutions came about out of a mutual interest, which benefited Wisconsinites and Israelis alike. Forcing the Water Council to boycott Israel is not only illegal according to Wisconsin’s anti-BDS laws, but also irrelevant to all parties involved. Lastly, I expect that Chancellor Mark A. Mone, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Andrew Daire, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chia Vang, and Dean of Students Adam Jussel will publicly and specifically condemn antisemitism and Jew-hatred, and will detail how they intend to protect Jewish students moving forward. Failure to do so will reaffirm that UW-Milwaukee is accepting of violence, intimidation, and bullying of the Jewish student minority. Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest

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Call for Papers: Mere Christian Social Thought Acton Institute Annual Academic Colloquium When: October 25, 2024 Where: Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan Co-Sponsors: The Paul B. Henry Institute at Calvin University C. S. Lewis Society of California The Ciceronian Society The Davenant Institute Reasoning from the common phenomenon of everyday quarrels over right and wrong to what “older thinkers” called the “Law of Nature,” C. S. Lewis made his famous case for God in general and Christianity in particular. Yet despite being Anglican, he chose to speak of “mere Christianity,” referring to the common doctrinal core of all Christians across denominations and traditions. Since the nineteenth century, Christians of every tradition have sought to grapple with the unique problems of economic hardship for the working poor in our modern age of industrialization, commerce, and abundance. Is there a “mere Christian” common ground for navigating the troubled waters of markets and morality both today and, like the Dawn Treader, to the very end of the world? What inspiration might Lewis, his sources, and others like him provide? Acton Institute’s Fourth Annual Academic Colloquium will seek to answer those questions by bringing together scholars across disciplines and denominations to present original research on the C. S. Lewis-inspired theme of “Mere Christian Social Thought.” Paper proposals of 50-100 words can be submitted to Dylan Pahman ([email protected]), executive editor of the Journal of Markets & Morality, by June 10, 2024.

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As you may know, there is an election in the U.S. next week. There has been some near term volatility but what could the elections mean in the bigger picture? See our thoughts here! https://lnkd.in/eGVPZPd6

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No rest til Nov, y’all. As governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz has worked hard to lower costs for middle-class families and make health care more affordable and accessible. He has: > Enhanced mental health infrastructure, including increasing the number of beds available for care and expanding mobile crisis units > Protected reproductive freedom by signing a law that shields health care professionals and patients from legal attacks and criminal penalties from other states > Reduced the burden of medical debt by preventing medical debt from impacting credit scores, eliminating medical debt transfers to a patient's spouse, and protecting consumers from unethical medical debt collection practices > Implemented stricter regulations on pollutants, reducing air and water contamination to protect public health > Championed legislation aimed at capping out-of-pocket costs for insulin https://lnkd.in/gTuWPh2a

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New publication! In Elsevier's Solar Compass Journal, Loyola Chicago School of Environmental Sustainability alum Simeng (Sampson) Hao and I find that large-scale #solar projects in the Midwestern US increase nearby property values by 0.5–2.0%. Elsevier for Energy; International Solar Alliance   https://lnkd.in/gYXZVCYX   More and more large, utility-scale #solar projects continue to be proposed across the #Midwest (and the entire US), and we comprehensively study the residential property value impacts related to the construction of 70 solar projects (5 MW+) in the region (built 2009­–2022).   This is an important and unique contribution, as most prior studies have just investigated the impact of one particular solar project, which is too narrow to imply any broader trend.   Most prior studies also show mixed or insignificant impacts, whereas our study shows a strong positive correlation between building a large solar project and increased property values. In particular, we find that home values can increase up to $3,200 with a large solar project in their zip code.   While we did not specifically study “why” property values increase, we surmise that the new tax revenues fed into communities from these large solar projects (and how this supports local schools + other public services), as well as new local employment opportunities, are probable drivers. This is a question for future research.   It’s also worth noting that we found that utility-scale solar projects positively impact nearby property values in both rural AND metro areas. Our work has clear policy implications, such as reducing setback rules and otherwise streamlining the project approval process to meet RPS and other RE/decarbonization goals.   Our paper is fully open access. Give it a read and enjoy! And continue to follow along with what the Michaud Energy Policy Research Group is up to here: https://lnkd.in/eDtUEant

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Higher education at the service of a “3rd age” career powered by experience, skill and a deep societal purpose: a concept quickly gaining traction in a deeply challenged world…

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New Research: Assessing quality of life in Michigan’s Black-majority places: A statewide landscape | Brookings In a new analysis, Hannah Stephens, Manann Donoghoe, Nicholas French and I analyze Black-majority places in Michigan to determine where quality of life for Black Michiganders is relatively high, comparing outcomes across community, economic, housing, health, and other indicators. Places with thriving Black communities may hold lessons for how to improve quality of life among Black populations within the state and other cities as well. The analysis not only challenges the common narrative of struggle associated with Black communities, but also illuminates the strength, diversity, and dynamism that define these areas. #MPC24 Detroit Regional Chamber Read their report here: https://lnkd.in/eSQDdqvk

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This piece from The Mackinac Center for Public Policy questions whether Michigan residents can you think of a single service that has gotten better over the past few years. The governor and state officials talk about what they are spending but much less about what we are getting from it. That may be because taxpayers are spending more money but the results for services are stagnant or worse. Michigan’s budget, adjusted for inflation, has increased by $7 billion over the past few years. Read the full article on True North: https://lnkd.in/ewqMU2N6

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Today's Michigan Supreme Court's 'adopt and amend' decision significantly impacts small businesses with employees and those planning to scale and underscores the need for entrepreneurs to have risk management skills! Many business owners will be caught off guard by this because there is often limited proactive investment in teaching leaders what mindset, systems, tools, and relationships to have in place to help them identify and assess risks and build solutions before they are under the gun. I will share over and over why it's critical to think like a risk manager, regardless of your background or industry.

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Campus Expression “We must distinguish between freedom of inquiry and license to disrupt, and it is this line that we need to find and walk on our college campuses today,” said Rep. Marvin L. Esch, a Republican of Michigan, in 1968.  Merely making policy changes is insufficient to address campus disruptions. Effective institutional leadership requires transparency about what constitutes acceptable behavior and what does not. Clear, honest communication is vital for setting expectations with students and other members of the campus community. Campus leaders must exhibit courage in the political arena, standing firm in their convictions while navigating complex challenges. By doing so, they can create a balanced and respectful campus environment, fostering both stability and open dialogue. #firstamendment #highered #highereducation #leadership

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