Bridge magazine recently did a story about how the Flint water crisis is having a negative impact on the state government's $33 million Pure Michigan campaign.
The article stated: “It is too early to tell how much impact the Flint water crisis will have on the state’s image. Certainly with our brand being Pure Michigan, it is more of an image problem,” said Doug Rothwell, president and CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan, the state’s business roundtable.
“We worked so hard to have Detroit not be a negative issue,” Rothwell said. “Now, Flint puts a damper on it.”
ForTheRecord says: Big Government is now so involved in every aspect of life that its priorities can be confused. Government should be making sure the water is safe to drink. Government should not be spending $33 million in taxpayers dollars to provide an annual marketing campaign for the state's travel and leisure industry.
Regretting that a failure to deliver safe drinking water compromised a corporate welfare program is a good example of priorities getting mixed up when government is everywhere.
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Case closed: Flint Water Crisis ends without a single prosecution
Michigan Legislature gives $1 million to mystery golf nonprofit
The supreme law: Getting to know Michigan’s Constitution