The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is an American free market think tank headquartered in Midland, Michigan. It is the USA’s largest state-based free market think tank. The Center’s stated mission is "improving the quality of life for all Michigan citizens by promoting sound solutions to state and local policy questions” by assisting "policy makers, scholars, business people, the media and the public by providing objective analysis of Michigan issues” with the goal of helping “to equip Michigan citizens and other decision makers to better evaluate policy options."
The Mackinac Center conducts policy research on a broad range of public policy issues. Its commentaries frequently appear in Michigan newspapers, and its policy staff are often guests on radio and television news programs around the state. It also conducts educational programs such as workshops for high school debate students and sponsors MichiganVotes.org, a comprehensive online legislative voting record database. Mackinac Center scholars generally recommend lower state and local taxes, reduced regulatory authority for state agencies, labor law revisions including making Michigan a right-to-work state, school choice via universal tuition tax credits, and enhanced protection of individual property rights. They have been outspoken in their opposition to state higher taxes, economic central planning programs including subsidies, targeted corporate tax breaks, etc.
The Mackinac Center is nonprofit and non-partisan, and its scholars’ and policy staff’s views are not consistently aligned with any political party. For example, the Center was critical of former Republican Governor John Engler’s use of selective tax breaks granted to certain companies, and has praised efforts by former Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm to enact criminal sentencing reform as a way to reduce the state’s prison population.
Read more about Mackinac Center For Public Policy: History, Budget and Finances, Principles
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