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Richard Helppie
Hello, welcome to The Common Bridge. I'm your host, Rich Helppie. Today we have the honor of having Michigan's 43rd Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, with us. Secretary Benson has an illustrious career in law. She is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and we were lucky enough to bring her into the Great Lakes state when she was a clerk for Justice Damon Keith - excuse my pronunciation. She became the youngest woman ever appointed dean of the Wayne State University Law School, where she focused on affordability and transparency in education. She authored a major book on secretaries of state and election law, co-founded the Military Spouses of Michigan, and serves on various boards, including the Southern Poverty Law Center and iCivics [which was] founded by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. We have a primary for the governorship and a general election for the governor of Michigan next year, in 2026, and the importance of Michigan goes beyond our borders; Michigan sits on an international border. We've talked a lot about international trade tariffs and all of the things as a member of the world community. We sit on the largest freshwater resources in the world, and we, of course, have a proud history as an industrial power at a time when there was certainly a pivot going on. With that, welcome to The Common Bridge, Michigan Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson. Secretary, thank you so much for joining us.
Jocelyn Benson
Thank you for having me. Really happy to be here.
Richard Helppie
Glad that we were able to attract talent like you into our state, because that's one of the things that we're talking about in this election.
Jocelyn Benson
Well, I've been a Michigander for the better part of almost three decades now, so I am raising my son here. I live in Detroit. I lived in Detroit the whole time. My husband's from Ann Arbor, so I've got deep roots here, and my husband's family is from Marquette - all across the state - so I've been honored to both live and serve in the state for a number of decades now.
Richard Helppie
Well, you've got it covered from the UP down to the Motor City, that's awesome. Why do you want to be the governor of our great state? Part and parcel of that is, from your viewpoint, what do you see as Michigan's greatest assets, and how would you make use of some of these assets to make a better future for our state?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, as I mentioned, I'm a mom of an eight year old kid, and in ten years, he's going to be 18, and the work we do over the next ten years is going to define his future and the future of our loved ones throughout the state. I want Michigan to be the best place in the country to be a kid, to raise a kid and call home. In many ways, we're not that right now. People are struggling to pay for child care, to buy a home in the community they want to live in, as the cost of everything continues to escalate. But as Secretary of State, I know how to run state government well. I've run one of our state's largest agencies, saving people time, saving people money, making their lives easier, and then just getting out of the way. So I'm committed to the economic prosperity of our state, and I will work with anyone to get that done, no matter who they are or what side of the aisle they are on. As an educator, as the daughter of special education teachers and as the wife of a military veteran, and again, as a parent, I'm deeply committed to ensuring that we do protect our greatest asset, which is our people. The people of Michigan across the board [are] some of the best people in the whole nation, if not the world, salt of the earth, folks who are committed to building community and supporting each other, and who deserve Michigan to be the best place in the country to call home. Related to that, ensuring we're investing in public education and ensuring that we're not defunding our schools, and that we're not cutting healthcare costs, but that we're including people in every decision that we make, so that we're investing in our growth, in our future, and making people-driven, patient-driven, student-driven, decisions about how to improve these institutions is how we, I believe, show the people of Michigan how much we value them and value them choosing to call Michigan home.
Richard Helppie
So as governor, what would be the top two or three things that you might focus on first and along with that, why are you the best choice to be the next governor?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, the number one issue I hear about every single day is affordability. That actually seems to be the word across the entire country. How can I afford to have a place to live, to heat the place that I live, to put food on the table, to get my kids to child care, to pay my health care bills and and truly thrive? Those anxieties are front of mind for everyone I talk to in the state, from from the Leelanau peninsula to all the way up to Iron River and Iron Mountain in the UP, to Detroit to Monroe to Muskegon to Saginaw. Right now, too many people are living paycheck to paycheck, and that's not thriving, that's barely surviving. So to me, investing in the people means talking to the cherry farmers that I met with in Traverse City, who told me their farm hands - the people who are harvesting the food that ends up on our tables - that they can't afford to live near the farms where they work because homes in that area cost over a million dollars. It's impossible for them to build a life, raise a family, or even consider staying in the community long term. And in Detroit, I've heard from families who are worried not just about buying a home, but about being able to pay the energy bill in that home, keeping the lights on, heating their homes in the winter, and making sure the water is that running through their homes is clean and safe for their family to drink. So these real, everyday struggles that Michiganders are facing all across our state are what's a priority for me in this campaign. What we believe, what I believe state government needs to be: in every decision we make, committed to addressing - and that means fighting for - affordable housing in every corner of the state, fighting for clean water, lower energy costs, strong public schools where we're investing in institutions that will help our young people be ready for the jobs of tomorrow, high paying jobs that will let them build a life with dignity. That's what it means to fight for a Michigan where families can, not just survive, but thrive, where families don't have to choose between paying for groceries or paying their electricity bill. I think all of us as elected officials, as leaders in the state, should be committed to figuring this out. The through line of a lot of it is making sure government works well for folks, and that's one thing I uniquely bring to the table. As the Secretary of State, I have seen firsthand how important it is to ensure transparency and strategy. And a commitment to service is critical to how every single state agency works, from our Department of Health, Human Health and Human Services, to MEDC to EGLE and DNR and everything in between. So I'll be committed to making sure our state runs in a way that is efficient, cost effective, that saves people time, saves people money, that we eliminate red tape and inefficiencies, which I've shown you can do through our department. And that we ensure the agencies of government are on the side of the people, expanding affordable housing, rebuilding blighted neighborhoods, ensuring renters and homeowners are protected from hidden costs, taking on health insurance agencies that perhaps are making unfair decisions that take healthcare away from our citizens, in funding Medicaid and other types of programs to the best that we can in the state, to ensure that no one has to choose between paying a medical bill and buying their groceries. Affordability, making sure our schools are the best in the nation, our housing is affordable and our health care system is accessible and affordable. Those are what's top of mind for me as I seek to be the next governor of the state.
Richard Helppie
We cover a lot of healthcare on The Common Bridge because of the my background and the background of many of our guests, and it's almost an intractable problem without a complete revision. I hope that our next governor, whether it's you or someone else, will be a voice in leading us out of this crazy way that we're involved in today. Children born next year, 2026, they're going to graduate high school in 2044, and as you mentioned, it's very close to home for you. What type of life should they expect? And are there specific policies that would be put in place under a Benson administration to give them a great future in 2044 as they come of age?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, number one, we have to make sure that they can afford to live and thrive here. I have talked to seniors on the west side of Michigan, and these folks have called Michigan home since they were born, and they've raised their children here, and now they're watching their grandchildren growing up. And a lot of them have said to me, this is not the Michigan that they grew up with. This isn't the Michigan, or, frankly, the country, where you can easily graduate college with a high paying job and then be able to buy a house with the money you saved up in service jobs like waiting tables. Those grandparents biggest concern for their kids is how we can ensure their grandchildren stay in Michigan, because we all want our families to be happy and healthy and safe and also choose to live nearby. So it'll be my job as governor to lay the groundwork for that by making sure every student has a world class education that prepares them for the jobs of tomorrow, for the real world, not just through studying, but with paid apprenticeships and dual enrollment opportunities that meet people where they are and then give them the opportunity to thrive in whatever their chosen career path is. And certainly knowing that manufacturing jobs power Michigan's economy, expanding our interest in those industries, as well as others coming into Michigan, like energy, tourism, marketing, services, arts, entertainment, climate, tech, biotech, a lot of other ways that are going to be the economy of tomorrow, the jobs of tomorrow. I want to ensure that we are investing in opportunities for our young people to take and lead in those jobs as well. Certainly, AI and tech is a big area of focus in many states, in many countries, and I think Michigan, with our educational institutions, is uniquely able to lead the way there as well. And then I also want to ensure we're investing not just in those opportunities and in our people, but in places too. For example, building high speed light rail that can take the financial burden of a car off of young people entering the workforce and ensure they can travel the state with ease, while also enabling employers to recruit from all across our state, even if they're headquartered in Kalamazoo or Battle Creek or Detroit or Grand Rapids, so that through that recruitment, through that expansion of the talent pool, we can provide more opportunities for employers to find that talent and make it easier for those talented folks to build a life right here in our state.
Richard Helppie
And part and parcel of what's going on with Michigan is that we have a declining population, and several candidates - and I believe our own governor, Governor Whitmer - have said that a declining population is a top priority. We have birth rates falling, out migration of college educated, retirees heading to the Sun Belt, and we haven't really replaced it with immigrant populations or become a great place for inbound immigration. What could we do to make Michigan a growth state for population, if that is something that would be important?
Jocelyn Benson
As I said, my goal as governor is to make Michigan the best place to be a kid, to raise a kid and to call home. That's how we keep our talent here, by investing in our people, by investing in opportunities for them and investing in changes that will make life affordable for everyone. So whether it comes to ensuring access to homes that everyone can afford to buy in the communities they want to live in and and making sure healthcare is accessible and quality healthcare is affordable for everyone in the state, that's how we invest in communities that enable people to choose to be here, as opposed to elsewhere. And then we also have to diversify our industries, so that we are making sure we're supporting our farmers and our manufacturing industry and others that are at the heart of the state. But in addition to that, making sure we're expanding opportunities for other industries to thrive, for growing industries to thrive, industries like climate tech and clean energy industries, and making sure we're building out opportunities for every student and every young person to choose to stay in Michigan, because in part, they want to choose to to work in those growing industries that are on the forefront of our economy. Then also, as I've talked to business leaders around the country who are investing in the places where people are moving to and starting businesses there, it's also our job to make sure that every student has that world class education, that Michigan leads the country in a world class public education that truly prepares our young people and those choosing to stay in our state for the real world, and enables their kids to have those same opportunities. So it all gets back to making Michigan the best place in the in the country to call home, to build a family, to be a kid. That means excellent public education, quality, affordable health care, homes that people can afford to live in, and communities where people want to live. And I do believe it also requires us to think big and invest in transformational ideas. One of the things I want to bring to our state, finally - after Republican and Democratic governors on both sides of the aisle have tried but not brought us there - is high speed rail that makes it so you can get from Detroit to Traverse City in less time than it takes to drive, or from Detroit to the airport, to Ann Arbor, to Kalamazoo, to Chicago, in less time than it takes to drive by doing that. That's what creating spaces for talent requires us to do. Those types of big, transformational ideas that we can help promote and make happen, will help make Michigan a state where people, not just stay, but others around the country choose to live in.
Richard Helppie
I would applaud being able to get some kind of transportation infrastructure whether it's driverless cars or whether it's light rail. I think there's some trepidation, though, when people look to California and what's going on out there with the rail system that is, by all objective measures, a very expensive failure. And then you can look to Atlanta, where MARTA does a pretty decent job getting people from the airport to downtown and even to the far reaches of the perimeter. How could Michigan go after some kind of light rail or more mass transportation?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, I'll say two things. My approach to leadership is collaboration and data driven solutions. That oftentimes means you look at the data and and see what best practices are working elsewhere and what's not working elsewhere. That gives us an opportunity to build on what's working and avoid missteps that other states have perhaps encountered along the way. And whether it's the Brightline in Florida or other types of new and innovative ways in which high speed rail has been built in a way that's efficient and user friendly and accessible to all, there are a lot of best practices we can build on across the nation, but it does require collaboration, which is the second piece; partnerships, perhaps public- private partnerships. I believe we can build those public-private partnerships to invest in transformational ideas that will ensure our employers can recruit from the best talent in the country, right here in Michigan. And so identifying ways to involve partners from private industry and helping us build out this more efficient way of getting around our state, that's going to be critical as well to our success. But we're poised to do it, and I've seen enormous enthusiasm from young people and people from all sides, and business leaders, young people, union leaders, everyone alike. And the idea that we can do big things in this state, and by making big statements about how we're going to invest in our people and make Michigan the best place to call home, we can together, collectively, collaboratively, get ahead of those other states that maybe seem more attractive to folks in this moment, and become that attractive state that everyone wants to move to. In addition to that, I think we can improve how our economic development programs in the state are operating, so that Michigan is not just the best place to call home, but it's also the best place to start and grow a new business. I would love for Michigan to be the small business capital of the nation, where it's easy and affordable to start and grow your own business, whether you're moving here from another state or homegrown or growing it from your own community here in Michigan. That's the type of thing that I would like to see our state do more of, to invest in that high, again, transformational goal of being the best state in the country, to start and grow a small business.
Richard Helppie
For the listeners, readers and viewers of The Common Bridge, the Brightline in Florida has been a success. It's a public- private partnership. The company is actually a private company running a rail service against all odds and doing pretty well with it, and they are expanding their route system. Maybe those are the people to partner up with to get that long promised line between Ann Arbor and Traverse City and on to Petoskey. Secretary, looking at the political landscape here, there's a lot going on, and we've got the impact of Governor Whitmer's legacy, and her performance in office. President Trump has brought change in almost every policy area in a very unique way. He's had some successes, some headwinds. Congressional midterms are going to be going on. Michigan's going to be voting for a new senator as Gary Peters retires. Got the party polarization and the rise of Independents, including in our state, Mike Duggan running as an Independent, leaving the Democratic party. So when you think about this, the political landscape, with Governor Whitmer's coattails, with President Trump being such a force, with the congressional midterms and our senatorial race and the rise of the Independents, talk to me just a little bit about your thinking about how those factors might play into our election next year.
Jocelyn Benson
Well, I am the only candidate in this race who has run and won statewide multiple times. This is my fourth statewide campaign, and in 2022 I led the Democratic ticket, defeating a Republican opponent by 14 points in a year when several congressional districts flipped red. So while Michigan's 4th and 10th districts went Republican at the federal level, I actually won them and carried counties that no other Democrat carried, like Van Buren and Calhoun counties. I did that by actually building a campaign that hears all voices across the state and listening to those voices. I traveled to every corner, every county, and heard what people needed from their state government, and then I got to work and actually delivered results. We modernized services in our Department of State, we eliminated wait times in our branch offices, we brought transparency and trust back to our elections. And to me, that's the type of common sense leadership that it takes to win tough races statewide in battleground states like ours. It means building a cross partisan coalition where everyone has a seat at the table, everyone is heard, and that we together make decisions about how to move our state forward by identifying all the things we agree on and things that bring us together. And that's exactly what we need to do to win Michigan in 2026, not just for us, but I think, to show the country that it is possible for leaders to bring people together in this moment and build coalitions that can identify things like a thriving economy and an affordable one where everyone can thrive, that can actually unite people from various different backgrounds behind an agenda that ensures that we lift all boats and that everyone can thrive. So this campaign, just like my other statewide campaigns, will be focused on building bridges, bringing people together, hearing everyone and then investing in people success. It's why I haven't taken any money from corporate PACs. I'm focused on meeting with people, communities, that power our state, and I'm proud to have the support of leaders across the state, in every region of Michigan, including Michigan laborers, the UFCW, the mayor of Grand Rapids, of Ann Arbor, of Cadillac, Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy, and many more. And that's the type of coalition that we're building that has been successful in my past statewide elections, and will, I hope, be successful and poised to win next November.
Richard Helppie
In 2022 - speaking of elections - the governor race was, frankly, obscured from the public. The debates were not held in the big population centers. They were held really late in the cycle. Some had to be streamed versus broadcast. I'm a person that does this for a main occupation and I had to go find it. How would you like to see the 2026 race be available to the public in an ideal situation?
Jocelyn Benson
Oh, yeah, ideal, I mean, I think a lot of my work on the democracy side, as secretary of state, as the chief election officer, has been trying to ensure all voters - no matter who they vote for, where they live in this state - have access to reliable information about our elections, that democracy thrives just like our economy thrives, frankly, when people are informed and engaged. And so I'm committed to making sure the citizens of Michigan are informed about what's at stake in this election, what candidates are going to do to ensure their quality of life is improved, that government is showing up for them and making their lives easier. And I'll be continuing to travel the state in places all across our lower and upper peninsula to have these conversations and hope that I contribute to doing everything I can to ensure the voters in November of 2026 are fully informed and fully engaged to weigh in on these critical things that they'll be asked to weigh in on in this election.
Richard Helppie
Should there be an early on broadcast with the Republican nominee, no matter who it is, and perhaps with Mayor Duggan, if he can demonstrate that he has enough support statewide and the Democratic nominee all on the same stage in a, hopefully, professional and peaceful and respectful way, discussing the various approaches toward the issues that face us?
Jocelyn Benson
The type of conversations that actually help voters make a decision and weigh all of the visions that are perhaps competing for their vote - I think that to those types of conversations, civil conversations, where we can make our case to the voters about what we're going to do and why we're in this for them, why I'm in this for them - those conversations will be critical as voters seek to make decisions. I've always been a big supporter of debates that are fair, that are open, that are accessible, that are focused on informing and educating citizens about the decisions they'll be making in choosing the next leader of the state and the next leader in many other offices as well. So I'm going to continue to be committed to making sure voters have access to that information and appreciate conversations that will enable us to to have that dialog, so that voters have access to to the candidates, and also opportunities to ask questions and hear from them about their positions on things. And I have been, to underscore that, engaged in conversations like that all across the state, really over the last year; town halls,community conversations, showing up in meetings where people are already talking about issues that matter to them, because I do think getting out there and having those conversations with the residents of their state is important for anyone seeking to build a vision for the future of Michigan.
Richard Helppie
Well, I like the way you frame that about choosing a leader based on making a choice, and that is what we're doing as voters. We're picking a chief executive for the state, we're hiring someone to do a job. There's so much demonization and name calling across the aisle and trying to take down the other person. That's what I was trying to get to; a good forum, not only going out on your town hall meetings but - presuming that you become the Democratic nominee, or maybe even during the primary process - getting on the stage with some of the other candidates and letting folks talk, and then everybody speaking respectfully about how they might be the best choice. To me, that's the way to do it. But it seems like too much of the policy differences are obscured by the electoral games and the demonization. And I don't know if we want to tread into this area at all, but we've just lost another person to political violence with the murder of Charlie Kirk. Can we pull back from that brink and get back to talking about our future and policy?
Jocelyn Benson
What happened to Kirk is unimaginable and horrifying. It doesn't matter who you voted for, what your beliefs are, no one's life should be threatened because of the beliefs that they hold and choose to express, and there's no justification for that violence of any kind. And yet, here we are in an era of political violence in our country that is oftentimes stoked by violent rhetoric and lies. It's terrifying, it's unacceptable, and we cannot accept it as normal. It's not lost on me as a parent, the implications of this environment that we're in, on the people who will be asked to serve this country in the future are too quick to attack each other and not quick enough to find solutions together. So all that is not lost on me, and I very much want to be a part of showing that leadership can bring people together, that we can invest in our people, and that we can actually make politics and public service a noble profession once again. That starts with with, as we've been talking about, focusing more on talking about issues and and finding places we can agree on, or disagreeing without being disagreeable, but return civility to our politics and to our discourse. I think we owe it to everyone in this country, in the state, in our democracy, to all return and center ourselves around that type of leadership and communications.
Richard Helppie
I pray that we get that kind of an environment restored. It's going to take real leadership, and yet here we are, less than a week after the tragedy in Utah, that people are lining up to blame their favorite villain from all corners, and it's just disgusting. We have to be better as human beings. My personal experience is that when I meet people like yourself and other candidates or office holders, if you’ve gotten to this level, you’re a pro and you’re accomplished. You don’t make it through the process otherwise, and you’re not just the sound bite an opponent wants to tag you with. I think we just need to grow up as a country and realize that we're hiring an executive here. In this case, it is the governor, and who it is that we want to sit in that chair and lead us for four, and presumably eight, years. Generally, the governor has an opportunity to do it in eight years, and it's a quick eight years. Before we go into other policy areas... election integrity. I know you've done a lot of work on this - and I know there's been some controversy that I haven't actually gone into - about some of the instructions to some of the local electors. What do you want to tell the listeners and the readers and the viewers of The Common Bridge about election integrity and what specifically perhaps you've been able to achieve in this area?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, I'm committed to ensuring our elections are accessible, secure, and that election transparency and integrity rules the day, so that every citizen in the state, no matter who they vote for in any election, can have the rightly placed faith and confidence that they deserve to have, that their voice is heard, that every eligible vote is counted, and only ballot votes are counted, and that we collectively have access to information that can help us understand and build that faith, build that trust in our elections. There's always a balance of transparency and election security, but I'm really, really proud of the fact that we've made so many strides on those fronts over the last several years as I've been in this position. As Michigan's chief election officer, we've had the highest back to back turnout elections in our state's history. In 2020, in 2022, and again in 2024 when I took office, we were ranked 31st in the country for secure, accessible election administration. We're now ranked number two, behind only New Mexico, and I'm really proud of that. It's also the result of the hard work of the Democratic, Republican and Independent clerks all across the state, 1600 of them, who show up every day in this increased threat environment, and have shown up, to ensure that the citizens in their districts, in their communities, can similarly have access to their ballots, access to the vote and be a part of the process and have faith in the process. One of the things I've said to to folks around the state [when] they've had questions about the process, is be a part of it. Serve as an election worker. That's your best way to restore and ensure your questions are answered and that you can have that rightly placed faith in our elections and in the professionals who carry them out at every level. We've also, of course, conducted hundreds of audits statewide, and local audits, of our elections after the fact and throughout my tenure. It's the first time we've done anything that comprehensive to ensure, again, we're checking, we're affirming, we're ensuring our procedures and the tabulation of those paper ballots are affirmed and reaffirmed as accurate, so that people can have that faith in our elections and in the results.
Richard Helppie
Yeah. There was a bad parameter file loaded up in Antrim County. I think it was like 6000 votes, right? It was quickly corrected, but it became a big cause. You peel the layer back one level, it's like, it's nonsense. It's, they looked at it, said this doesn't look right. Oh, we put the wrong parameter file in, went in and changed it. We've long had in Michigan that there's no politicking within... is it 150 feet of the polling place? (Jocelyn Benson: Yeah. ) Yeah, that. And other states have gone to adopt it. They [said] the world's going to end if somebody can't give somebody a gift within 150 feet. We've had a pretty good system of absentee ballots and it's trackable. You can find out, did my ballot go in? Did it get tabulated yet? There are still people calling for voter ID. And so maybe I should ask that; what are the requirements in Michigan for voter ID, and is there any need for change?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, we do identify every voter before they vote, and we do that either, in most cases, through a government issued photo ID, although other IDs are acceptable, tribal IDs, for example. And then secondly, if you don't have that photo ID, you can use a signature, and the signature is then matched. We have your signature on file. Everyone has their signature on their license and the like. We have your signature on file. When you register to vote, that signature is then matched to affirm your identity. So those checks are in place to ensure that we can identify every voter, but also that we're not deterring anyone from voting. We have had, particularly sometimes young people, 18-19 year olds, who are voting for the first time, ask, Do I need a photo ID, or can I identify myself with a signature? And it's important that we ensure that everyone has access to that legal right to vote. I think the more we can do to also get people photo IDs, which we've really tried to do in my office, that's important too. And so we've actually launched mobile offices. In fact, later today, I'll be meeting with one of our events in Wayne County, where we'll actually go to communities and get people IDs and get licenses so that it's accessible, it's cost effective, and that we're helping people get the tools they need to participate, not just in our elections, but in our economy, which we know is an important pathway to workforce development and all the rest.
Richard Helppie
Let's talk a little bit about some other areas; taxation. At least one candidate in this race has said we should eliminate our state income tax, and there's data that potentially could support that with the growth rates and the attractiveness of the ten or 11 states that don't have a state income tax. Talk about programs like affordability, child care, light rail, etc. These are going to be obligations, at least in part, on the taxpayer. How do we go about taxing so taxes are fair and adequate for what we want to do as a state?
Jocelyn Benson
I've run institutions before, law schools and nonprofits and the like, so I look at it as revenue generation. How are we generating revenue in a way that enables us to meet the needs of the people of Michigan and how are we doing so in a way that's equitable? And I have to think... I think we have to revisit, soup to nuts, how we're generating revenue in the state. An example is education. We've been defunding our schools for far too long, in part because we have not revisited how we are generating revenue to fund those schools in decades. As I talk to educators and and school administrators and students and parents alike, it's very clear that re-examining how we're generating revenue for these critical programs that the state must be investing in - law enforcement, fire departments, schools, roads - we have to do so in a way that is thoughtful, that is comprehensive, that doesn't put the burden of bringing revenue to the state fully on people who are struggling to make ends meet, and too much on people who are struggling to make ends meet, and look at other ways that we can generate revenue that will be productive and help us meet our needs. One example of that; in our office, we have look-up fees where businesses, corporations - a lot of them are national and international - pay a fee to the state to look up information. That fee that they pay is actually lower in Michigan than in almost every other state in this country. We can increase that fee and find and generate revenue that way and bring in resources for other things in our state, which we've offered to do in various budget discussions. Those types of things, to me, are the type of soup to nuts approach I want to take to re-examine how we're generating revenue across the board with a focus on affordability and cutting costs for the people of Michigan so that wealth can grow in our state.
Richard Helppie
Yeah, and you've done some nice things as Secretary of State with the kiosk and speeding things up. The only [bad] thing you've done is you've sapped some of the material for the comics about the wait in lines [laughter] and that's an economic impact, they'll have to come up with new material. [Laughter.]
Jocelyn Benson
You have to make hard choices in leadership, and that was one I was reluctant to make, but proud to do it.
Richard Helppie
For those of you getting texts that say the DMV in Michigan is going to take your license away, we don't have a DMV, we have the secretary of state that handles that for us. Economic policies in general, and also, when you look at at labor, we have a proud history of organized labor in the state of Michigan, the birthplace of organized labor. When I bring people in from out of town, I ask them if they know who Walter Reuther was when they get on the freeway, and it's surprising how many people don't. I guess they don't know John Lodge either. But in terms of issues that are important, like right to work which is a big decision for a large company thinking about relocating here, what are your thoughts about economic development? What should we do to stimulate economic policies and what might a Benson administration do about labor?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, the number one thing I've heard actually, from meeting with employers and talking with labor leaders across the state, is the importance of talent. Companies are going to grow here and choose to come here when there's a talented workforce, whether it's the skilled trades, whether it's physicians, whether it's inventors, whether it's engineers; across the board, we need to be investing in talent. That means what? Good schools, strong K-12 education, as well as opportunities for apprenticeships. And if folks choose a four year or two year degree, we have to be preparing our talent to folks for the jobs of tomorrow. Then we have to invest in communities and places that will ensure that - for example, in a state where 60% of graduates from the University of Michigan leave after graduation - they choose to stay here. So our economic development plan is about investing in our people, investing in places, and then working to diversify our economy to attract high paying jobs from various different sectors, including those high paying jobs of tomorrow. That means working with business leaders, working with labor, working with our educators, and bringing everyone together to develop a path forward. But we don't get there without investing in our schools and making our schools the best in the nation, and then investing in our communities so that Michigan is the best place to choose to raise your family and to call home. The last thing I'll say on that, though, is it's important to me that state government runs well. It's been a cornerstone of my administration as Secretary of State. So when it comes to our statewide economic development agencies and strategy, we need to make sure those agencies are not driving up costs for employers who want to move here, and making it easier to start and grow a business or relocate to Michigan. And so I'm having a lot of conversations with folks, again, from all the communities involved in this, because we are all in this together. I'm looking to other states as well, like even, dare I say it, Ohio, that through its jobs program, Ohio has been able to develop a lot of economic growth in cities like Columbus that are leading the nation in that growth. So different things like that we're focused on. But my approach to leadership is bringing people together, trying to collaborate, recognizing that no one party has all the ideas and no one agenda needs to rule the day. It's important that we start from the presumption that we're all in this together, and that we work together with data and best practices and with an eye towards investing in our people to build that economy that will work for everyone.
Richard Helppie
Well, during this season... you had to mention that state, I think we let it go, you had to mention that town. [Laughter.]
Jocelyn Benson
I know, I know, my husband grew up in Ann Arbor. But I will say one of the things I want us to do more of is work together with other states in the Midwest. We used to be the Rust Belt, we should be the innovation belt. We should learn from what folks are doing in Indiana and Ohio that is causing so many folks to leave our state and go there. And we should not just replicate it, we should improve upon it. But we should also build, I think, a cohort of governors in all the Midwest states to figure out ways that we can collaborate and build economies of scale so that we lift all boats together.
Richard Helppie
And just specifically, right to work, yes or no?
Jocelyn Benson
I've been strongly opposed to right to work throughout my whole career.
Richard Helppie
One last topic, before we wrap up, that some other candidates have commented on, is about DEI/affirmative action. Clearly during my lifetime we had to pass the Civil Rights Act, had to pass the Voting Rights Act. Those were clearly things to correct injustices. As an employer, we were probably not only EEOC, but affirmative action, and made sure that everybody had an opportunity. But some of those programs, I think there's a perception that they've done too much, or maybe that they haven't done enough. As you were looking across the state, in places that get tax supported money, what would your recommendation be in terms of DEI policies and affirmative action and related matters?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, certainly I found as as an educator, as the daughter of special education teachers, as the former dean of a law school, it's really important to ensure everyone has a seat at the table, and that we're investing in programs that succeed in doing that, giving everyone an opportunity to thrive and succeed in our state, and it does start with building an economy that works for everyone and investing in programs that work for everyone, but also recognizing that one size fits all approaches don't necessarily work or rule the day. That's where it requires us to look deeper into the context of particular community situations, geographic locations in our state, and say, for example, what more does this school or education district need that another district doesn't need? And that holds true for rural areas in our state as well. Alpena, the Upper Peninsula, have unique needs in order to ensure the residents there have a seat at the table, just as residents in Detroit and Benton Harbor and Muskegon and Flint and Saginaw also have unique needs. So I think it... and this is again, where leading the state, statewide, and also leading diverse institutions, where every voice is heard in the past has enabled me to understand the importance of ensuring people are seen, people are heard, people have equal access to opportunity, and that we're developing a statewide agenda that lifts all boats and invests in what people truly need to ensure they have a seat at the table and that everyone can thrive.
Richard Helppie
Secretary Benson, you've been very generous with your time today and your candor, and we very much appreciate that on The Common Bridge. As we come to a close, what didn't we talk about that perhaps we should have discussed? Do you have any closing remarks for the listeners, the readers and the viewers of The Common Bridge?
Jocelyn Benson
Well, my call to action for everyone listening and a part of this conversation, is to be part of Michigan's future. I want to bring people together in the state to invest in transformational ideas that will make sure our economy is the best in the nation, that Michigan is the small business capital of the nation, that our schools are leading the nation in preparing our young people for tomorrow, that our health care institutions are funded, that we are investing in the health of our residents, so that no one has to worry about how to pay for or afford their healthcare, or whether they'll get access to quality healthcare. Above everything, I want Michigan to be the best place in the nation to be a kid, to raise a kid and to call home, and I'm in this fight because I'm a mom and I'm a mom who knows that everything we do over the next decade will define my child's future and will define the future of our loved ones all across the state. So I'm all in at working with anyone I can in every corner of the state to make sure that you can thrive, whether you choose to live in Iron Mountain or in Muskegon, that we are building and investing in our people in every corner of the state, and that's how we move Michigan forward.
Richard Helppie
We've been talking today with Michigan Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, a candidate for governor in 2026. Perhaps after the primaries, however they come out, we could get you back here, Secretary.
Jocelyn Benson
Sure, I'd love to be back anytime.
Richard Helppie
Great. It's a beautiful future for our country and for the great state of Michigan, provided we all come together on the common bridge and talk about what unites us versus what divides and polarizes us. With our guest, Michigan Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, this is your host, Rich Helppie, signing off on The Common Bridge.
