A new report from Michigan Future found that four year degrees correlated more closely to increased wages than tax cuts.
Officials with Michigan Future say while the state economy is doing, better wages have been stagnant.
Lou Glazer is the President and CEO of Michigan Future, which advocates for a healthy middle class. He said despite Michigan’s economy being on the upswing, wages in the state remain stagnant.
“Michigan’s fundamental problem is not that we’re a high tax state, we’re actually a low tax state, or that we’re not business friendly. It’s that we’re 32nd in the proportion of adults with a four year degree or more. It’s no accident that we’re also 32nd in per-capita income.”
Glazer said the best predictor of high income is a four year degree.
“So if you look at the top 15 states in per capita income three are energy driven states: Wyoming, Alaska, and North Dakota. Of the other 12 all 12 are in the top 15 in the proportion of adults with a four year degree.”
Glazer said factory jobs are no longer a feasible way to build a middle class in the state.
“At least what we’re arguing is that we need to define a strong economy as an economy with lots of good paying jobs not just an economy where most people are working. Low unemployment and low income are not success to us and the places with high income are not low tax states.”
Michigan Future advocates for increased investment in education from birth to college and increasing the minimum wage.