SE Oakland News

Senator Thomas Albert has introduced a legislative plan aimed at eliminating the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and restructuring how the state handles job creation. The proposal, announced Thursday in Lansing, consists of 53 bills that would end several existing programs and transfer some responsibilities to a new Bureau of Fair Competition and Free Enterprise. This bureau would include an independent compliance officer tasked with overseeing the state's use of taxpayer money for economic development.

“The MEDC has failed massively and is beyond repair,” said Albert, R-Lowell. “They have wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on risky corporate giveaways and suspect grants to politically connected recipients. It’s time to shut down the MEDC, retain only those programs with a proven track record, and ensure decision-making for taxpayer-funded projects has accountability.”

Albert emphasized that his plan is designed to make sure Michigan’s economic development initiatives deliver measurable results for the state. The proposed Senate Bills 631 through 683 are intended to address concerns about overspending and fraud while moving away from government-led economic strategies.

“We cannot continue replacing one failed corporate welfare scheme with another. Michigan has tried that state-directed approach for decades, and it doesn’t work,” Albert said. “We should get government out of the way and instead lower taxes and reduce bureaucracy so Michigan job creators and workers can lead the way to a brighter economic future.”

The legislation reflects ongoing debates over the effectiveness of public investment in economic development compared to private sector-driven approaches.