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Michigan’s Economy in Crisis. Prepared for: Michigan Mortgage Lenders Annual Leadership Conference August 3, 2009 Patrick L. Anderson Principal & CEO. O v e r v i e w. Who We Are Current Economic Crisis Federal Government Intervention: Helping or Hurting? Expectations for 2009
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Michigan’s Economy in Crisis • Prepared for: • Michigan Mortgage Lenders Annual Leadership Conference • August 3, 2009 • Patrick L. Anderson • Principal & CEO
O v e r v i e w • Who We Are • Current Economic Crisis • Federal Government Intervention: Helping or Hurting? • Expectations for 2009 • Policies to Help Michigan’s Economy
W h o W e A r e • Anderson Economic Group is an economic consulting firm, specializing in economics, financial valuation, market analysis, and public policy with offices in East Lansing and Chicago. • We advise some of the country’s leading businesses, governments, and institutions. • Our work is based on our core values: • • Professionalism • • Integrity • • Expertise
W h o W e A r e • Patrick L. Anderson • • Founded Anderson Economic Group in 1996. • • Helped repeal the SBT (2006); create a PPT credit (2007); reform tax reversion laws (1999); change sales tax law (1996); and implement proposal A (1994). • • Author of Business Economics & Finance (CRC Press, 2004) and Executive Editor of the annually-published State Economic Handbook. • • Most recent article, “The Value of Private Businesses in the United States,” was published in the April 2009 issue of Business Economics.
W h o W e A r e • Recent AEG Projects in Michigan • • Assess the technology industry in Automation Alley. • • Estimate the economic impact of Michigan’s University Research Corridor. • • Assist MSU in winning federal funding for the FRIB. • • Assess the effectiveness of tax incentives. • • Outline business tax reform options for Detroit Renaissance.
C u r r e n t E c o n o m i c C r i s i s • U.S. in a Severe Recession • • Economy began shrinking in December 2007. • • 1.9 million jobs lost in last 4 months of 2008 and negative GDP growth in Q3 and Q4. • • Unemployment rate was 10% in June 2009. • • “Financial Crisis” declared by elected officials in late September 2008; first “bailout” bill voted down by Congress on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Second “bailout” bill passed on Friday, October 3.
C u r r e n t E c o n o m i c C r i s i s • Michigan in a Recession Since 2001 • Jobs lost every year since 2001 • • 372,300 private sector jobs lost between 2001 and 2008. • • 339,200 private sector jobs lost between June 2008 and June 2009. • Unemployment rate was 15% in June 2009 • • Highest monthly rate since March 1984. • Michigan’s recession not caused by “Wall Street,” but by real economic conditions such as contractions in earnings, decreased demand in key industries, and poor business climate. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
C u r r e n t E c o n o m i c C r i s i s Unemployment Rate Trend Mid 2000’s: MI two points higher than nation. Mid 1990’s: MI gets better than the US
C u r r e n t E c o n o m i c C r i s i s The State of Michigan’s Budget • State revenue for FY 2009 is expected to fall from the previous year, for both the GF and SAF. • The Senate Fiscal Agency estimated in May 2009 a $884.5 million General Fund budget deficit for FY 2009. • Normally the current economic condition would trigger a transfer from the BSF, however it is almost empty. • Still not clear how state will end its fiscal year (Sept 30th) within the Constitutional requirement for a balanced budget. Source: State of Michigan Census Revenue Estimates, revised May 2009.
C u r r e n t E c o n o m i c C r i s i s Michigan: No Strategy • We have no coherent economic development strategy. “Film credit this week, battery credit next week” does not instill confidence. •Our tax policies are confusing. Since 2006: SBT repeal; new MBT; “Excise Tax”; repeal Excise Tax and add “Surcharge.” • Structural deficit, but no structural reforms. No sustainable spending priorities. • Reform ideas now coming from outside the executive branch…and outside government entirely.
Federal Government Intervention: Helping or Hurting?
G o v e r n m e n t I n t e r v e n t i o n Financial Sector Bailouts • The “Troubled Asset Relief Program” totals $700 billion in government funds; $160.2 billion remained uncommitted as of Spring. • The Federal Reserve has also guaranteed more than $1 trillion to buy “toxic” assets and purchase government bonds. • Management of financial firms is largely unchanged. Government essentially forced some banks to accept money. • Lending and relief programs are rife with moral hazard. Source: U.S. News and World Report, “Auto Bailout,” February 26, 2009; TheWall Street Journal, “Goldman Seeks New Stock Sale,” April 10, 2009; AEG Analysis.
G o v e r n m e n t I n t e r v e n t i o n 2009 Stimulus Plan • Total expenditures equal $789B ($507B in spending programs and $282B in tax cuts and AMT exemptions). Most spending dedicated to infrastructure, energy, and technology. • Some funding will go to Michigan, but, thus far has largely been used to fill budget gaps and fund programs that the state can’t sustain. • Very little in actual tax cuts; more spending helps in the short term but leads to higher taxes (or inflation) later. • Most of “stimulus” money not spent yet…
G o v e r n m e n t I n t e r v e n t i o n Automotive Industry • U.S. Government ousted GM CEO in March and put Chrysler on a 30-day watch; bankruptcy followed quickly for both firms. • These actions have had devastating effects on consumer confidence. • “Old GM” will be liquidated; “New GM” is a smaller collection of assets primarily funded by the federal government. • U.S. sales still at 10 million unit annual rate; lowest post-war rate ever.
E x p e c t a t i o n s f o r 2 0 0 9 • Weak economy through 2009. • • Unemployment will continue to climb even if GDP growth turns positive. • Automotive sales trend will continue. • • Consumers are likely to avoid bankruptcy-tainted firms. • No avoidance of deep employment reductions in Michigan auto industry. • • White collar and blue collar. • • Closure of more auto related facilities.
E x p e c t a t i o n s f o r 2 0 0 9 • A “bailout” of the automotive industry would have been less expensive than pushing GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy. Our fall 2008 analysis found: • A realistic scenario involving two of the Detroit 3 going into bankruptcy would cost taxpayers more than four times the cost of a federal bridge loan. • Direct taxpayer costs of bankruptcy were estimated to be about $66 billion; excluding many additional costs (e.g. DIP financing).
E x p e c t a t i o n s f o r 2 0 0 9 • No improvement in housing market.• Michigan did not have much of a “bubble,” but suffered the worst economic contraction. • Private employers, and many of their employees, may face higher taxes and possible inflation in the future due to stimulus spending and bailout. • In the short-term, some employees will pay higher federal taxes, while others will pay lower federal taxes. • Moral hazard created by many bailout policies will afflict financial sector for decades.
P o l i c i e s t o H e l p M i c h i g a n • Tax Reform for Businesses • Tax burdens are the only major business factor that we control completely. • Michigan ranks 22nd in the nation for our business tax burden (about 27th after implementation of the MBT), based on FY2006 data. • Perception of Michigan is worse: some surveys rank Michigan 48th out of 50. • “Average” is not good enough to compete with comparable states, like Ohio.
P o l i c i e s t o H e l p M i c h i g a n • Enact Structural Budget Reforms • Improve economic and budget projections; complete budgets in 2-year cycles. • Address serious structural imbalances. • Recognize Importance of Higher Education • University Research Corridor alone contributed $13.3M in net economic impact in FY 2007.
P o l i c i e s t o H e l p M i c h i g a n • Encourage High-Tech and Life Sciences Industries • Over 311,000 high-tech jobs with an average wage of $70,000 in Automation Alley in SE Michigan. • Adopt a Plan to Win • Hoping for “green jobs” and relying on stimulus money is not a coherent strategy. • We need a coherent plan for Michigan that builds on actual strengths and addresses worst problems.
C o n c l u s i o n • Federal government intervention: hurting and helping • • Moral hazard, and auto bankruptcy legacy, will be with us for some time. • • Enormous taxpayer cost of stimulus may force significant tax increases. • Economy, especially employment, not likely to turn around in 2009. • Michigan needs to adopt a strategy to win.
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