From AnnArbor.com

By Tom Perkins
July 7, 2010

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Rick Snyder laid out his plans for turning around Michigan’s struggling economy at a town hall meeting Tuesday.

He told the audience of roughly 150 people at Washtenaw Community College that Lansing is broken, and he – not career politicians – can resolve the issues. Snyder, an Ann Arbor-based venture capitalist, spent six years leading Gateway Computers as its executive vice president and president.

Snyder said Michigan needs to reinvent itself, as it previously did when it moved from a natural resource-based economy to an industrialized state that was “the catalyst to create the middle class.”

Snyder discussed parts of a 10-point plan to achieve his goals, with a primary concern of “creating more and better jobs.”

He said the government’s role is to create an environment in which business can flourish, and called the Michigan Business Tax “simply a job killer.” He suggested replacing it with a flat 6-percent corporate tax.

Snyder contends Michigan currently spends too much on incentives to attract out-of-state businesses and needs to focus its energy and resources on fostering homegrown business.

“The state has a broken system of trying to pick winners and losers too often, saying ‘This industry is good, this industry is bad,’” he said. “I’ve been doing venture capital for a lot of years. I’ve been picking winners and losers for a living. It’s hard work. The government isn’t competent to do that work.

“The comeback of Michigan is going to be Michiganders creating small businesses and growing businesses.”

“I’m a job creator,” he said. “I’ve created jobs in Michigan and other states, and people are just making that up because they want to keep me out of office. I’m here to keep creating more jobs.”

He said students should be evaluated beyond standardized testing and suggested they carry a portfolio that travels with them through their educational career. He said that would allow for easier evaluation of educators and the resources needed “at the front lines,” ultimately leading to a reduction in overhead.

Snyder noted he hasn’t taken any money from special interest groups.

“I believe it’s absolutely critical to have a governor who says ‘I have no baggage, no special interest, I’m here to represent all the people of Michigan,’” he said.

The entire story here.

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