Gubernatorial race starts with fierce competition
The 2010 Michigan gubernatorial race is just getting started, but looks to feature a host of competitive candidates - at least on the Republican side of things.
Bill Ballenger, former Griffin Endowed Chair, believes John Cherry appears to be the frontrunner for the Democratic ticket. At the same time, there will be several GOP candidates vying for the governor's spot next year and they are already talking about their respective platforms.
Tax reform is necessary if any improvements are going to be made to the current economy, said Oakland County Sheriff and Republican candidate Mike Bouchard.
"We have to create a tax system that encourages business growth and doesn't prevent it," he said. "In addition to the tax structure, we have to change the spending in Lansing."
Even with those changes in mind, Bouchard believes the current economic forecast will remain gloomy until around 2015, when property values start to increase.
Education is also a much-discussed topic in the candidates' respective campaigns. Central Michigan University is just one of several Michigan universities where costs have skyrocketed.
In-state tuition at CMU has increased from $108.15 per credit hour in 2001 to $324 in 2008.
According to U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, the government must play a vital role in higher education investment.
"It's a competitive advantage that we have, plus we need a skilled and educated workforce," he said. "I'll work aggressively with colleges and universities to control tuition increases and develop additional ways for students to finance higher education."
Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land is another major name that has popped up in the election discussions.
In February, she set up an exploratory committee as a precursor to what will likely be a campaign for governor. She is not likely to make an official announcement of her candidacy until possibly later this summer, said Land spokesman Matt Golden.
The committee is traveling to different areas of the state looking to hear from people about the key issues that will be addressed in the upcoming election, most notably the economy and unemployment, which has risen from 3.2 percent at the beginning of the decade to 12.9 percent as of April.
"We want to get input from business leaders and people in the auto industry," Golden said.
He added that Granholm's replacement will have to create as many jobs as possible in order to be considered successful.
Ballenger agreed that the most talked about issue across the state and nation will be the one that candidates must focus on the most.
"It makes no difference who the candidate is," he said. "It's going to come down to the economy."
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