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Mackinac Center President Joseph G. Lehman addressed the disparity in benefits between the private and public sectors in Michigan as a main reason for the state's economic turmoil at the West Michigan Policy Forum Thursday, according to the West Michigan Business Review.
"The more state government cannot live within its means, the harder it is to create jobs here," Lehman said. Public employee unions must prove "that they deserve better insurance and vacations and pensions than the people they work for."
The story noted research by James Hohman, fiscal policy analyst, that shows public-sector benefits at all levels of government in Michigan outpace those in the private sector by about $5.7 billion annually.
Lehman's comments were also noted in the Grand Rapids Business Journal.
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The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonprofit research and educational institute that advances the principles of free markets and limited government. Through our research and education programs, we challenge government overreach and advocate for a free-market approach to public policy that frees people to realize their potential and dreams.
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