Legislative Policy Platform Task Force Kickoff: identifying policies critical to the future of Southeast Michigan

The Legislative Policy Platform Task Force held its first meeting on July 17, taking its first steps toward developing the region’s next policy platform. The meeting was focused on nonpartisan collaboration among local leaders who shared legislative and regulatory issues impacting their communities.

Task Force Overview

Robert McCraight, Mayor, City of Romulus and Chairperson of the task force, began by giving an overview of the task force’s goals over the course of its three total meetings.

“Every community has their own particular set of issues, which is why I got involved with SEMCOG – so we could talk about them,” McCraight said. “As a region, we want to make sure we’re listening to the things that are impacting each community. Anything that goes on in each community affects all of us.”

Following Chairman McCraight’s overview, Amy O’Leary, Executive Director, SEMCOG, spoke about how the organization advocates for Southeast Michigan in Lansing and Washington.

Person speaking at a podium during a SEMCOG meeting, with attendees seated around conference tables and a presentation displayed on a screen.

“We engage both on the federal and State levels not only on proposed legislation, but we go beyond that and include rulemaking and operational guidance for State and federal departments as part of our advocacy efforts,” O’Leary said.

O’Leary then highlighted the annual meetings in Washington, D.C. to meet directly with legislators and share the organization’s legislative priorities. She also discussed engagement in Lansing, including annual legislative receptions and sharing policy expertise via legislative testimony.

After O’Leary’s advocacy overview, Kevin Vettraino, Deputy Director, SEMCOG, covered emerging issue areas in transportation safety, water infrastructure, economic development, and more. He also referenced existing regional plans that provide the task force with guidance as it formulates the new policy platform.

Presenter speaks at a SEMCOG podium while a slide on regional plans and policies is displayed on a screen.

Task Force Members Share Key Topics for Consideration

Following these opening remarks, attendees participated in breakout groups to identify the legislative and regulatory issues affecting their communities across the following categories:

Infrastructure
Communities
Economy and workforce
Natural assets

Participants seated around a conference table speaking and listening during a SEMCOG meeting.

Here are some key topics raised by task force members during their breakout discussions:

Infrastructure and Transportation

1. Proactively modernize, sustain, expand infrastructure funding

2. Establish consistent standards and oversight for transportation technologies and roadway safety infrastructure

3. Strengthen regional coordination to better plan for the future of the region

4. Prepare and support communities for the region’s transportation future

Meeting participant speaking and gesturing while seated at a conference table during a discussion.

Communities

1. Develop and protect local funding sources while reforming and increasing transparency around tax policies and government operations to respond to evolving community needs

2. Strengthen investment in public safety; cybersecurity; election security; emergency preparedness; and social services to lighten the load on local governments

3. Address workforce shortages by supporting local governments in attracting and retaining skilled labor to better develop the region’s workforce

Attendees seated around conference tables listen to a presentation during a SEMCOG meeting.

Economy and Workforce

1. Promotion of additional career pathways outside of the four-year college degree by increasing career preparation resources

2. Move away from emphasis on standardized testing and instead address future workplace technologies and demands to create a future-proof workforce

3. Improve coordination and collaboration between schools, employers, state agencies and workforce/economic organizations

4. Proactively plan for how policy changes and economic and demographic trends will impact the current and future landscape of Michigan’s economy and workforce

Natural Assets

1. Revitalize and redevelop waterfront and former industrial properties to support recreation, tourism, and economic development while doing so with environmental preservation in mind

2. Encourage development that incorporates green infrastructure to improve climate resilience and protect water resources

3. Improve collaboration around the region’s natural assets to support greater local environmental decision-making; expand environmental education and better leverage natural resources for overall regional prosperity

View the meeting summary

Participant speaking into a microphone during a SEMCOG meeting while others sit around a conference table.

Future Meetings

The task force will meet twice more, on September 14 and November 9. The September meeting will feature more robust policy discussions, including a review of policy language to incorporate feedback from task force members during the breakout discussions, as well as issues raised by SEMCOG policy staff and lobbyists.