Don’t risk progress Michigan has made

Over the past generation, new investment in U.S. manufacturing has consistently focused on southern states, where unions are less prevalent and economic development and site improvements are easier to get done.

Michigan has made strides in changing the perception that it’s not friendly to such investment. e speed with which proposals have been put together to lure new plants to feed the EV industry is a feather in the state’s cap. However, we are also seeing risks of backsliding.

In the communities near Big Rapids and Marshall, local opposition to billion-dollar plant investments has grown, and not all of it has been pretty.

Whispers around Big Rapids about China-based Gotion Inc.’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party have turned into a dull roar, and have given rise to conspiracy theories and xenophobia.

Last week, a legislative panel pushed forward on monetary incentives for EV battery plants planned by Ford and Novi’s Our Next Energy, but those for Gotion are still on pause.

To be clear, asking questions and demanding answers of any new development is part and parcel of the process, and the right thing to do. But fomenting conspiracy theories does little to make Michigan a destination of choice for companies looking for locations. is is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make Michigan a center for a new industry. It’s driven by a profound shift toward electric vehicles that automakers have bet their futures on, and also driven by strategic spending by the federal government to make sure a substantial amount of that manufacturing base is in the U.S.

Drawing major plants like these, especially in Michigan’s smaller cities where jobs can be hard to come by, is a big win. Getting all stakeholders, from local residents to top executives, on the same page as quickly as possible, before that local opposition becomes a national story, is critical.

(And if you’re really worried about Chinese companies, remember the plant will be in the U.S. Should con ict ramp up with China, at least the assets will be here to be seized.)

Beyond the local opposition, moves by the Democrats who control Michigan’s government to repeal right-to-work laws that banned paying union dues as a condition of employment haven’t helped our reputation as a state that’s open for business.

New pushes by the party last week to expand labor protections are likely to raise bigger questions in the minds of site selectors. A “go slow” approach at such a critical time makes sense — when businesses are making big plans, they need a sense that the ground isn’t going to shift drastically beneath their feet.

If Michigan residents don’t want the jobs in their communities, there are any number of states that will happily line up to take them. Let’s not give them new arguments for why Michigan would be the wrong choice.

But when we say “everybody,” does that include people with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities? People with autism, like my daughter? Does it include the entire Michigan workforce and tens of thousands of Michiganders who are shut out of work because of a disability? e blunt answer is no.

Civil rights protection for people with disabilities came with the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. is law is designed to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. It prohibits discrimination in employment, education, transportation and other areas of public life. But like other elements of civil rights, the fact there is a law doesn’t mean people know it, understand it and live it in their hearts.

For children and adults on the autism spectrum in Michigan we are making progress, but there is so much work to do. Research shows that early diagnosis, access to evidence-based therapies and a world-class special education with a focus on vocational training can put many adults on the spectrum on a path to employment and independence.

Unfortunately, too many children are diag- nosed far too late and access to therapies takes too long, wasting valuable time. Delays in diagnosis and therapies is even greater for children of color.

Furthermore, special education in Michigan has been chronically underfunded by about $1 billion a year. About half of Michigan’s children in special education leave high school with deep academic de cits — and without a diploma. e results? About 90 percent of adults with autism in Michigan are unemployed, leading to a lifelong sentence of isolation and poverty.

If the civil rights laws are designed to protect all students, how can we continue to have these terrible outcomes in Michigan? When we say “all children” does that really mean all children or just some? If it meant all children, we would be funding special education properly and training teachers in evidence-based methods. e graduation rates would be 90 percent, with many landing jobs after high school.

We also encourage businesses to expand their lens on diversity, equity and inclusion to include people with disabilities and establish aggressive hiring goals. Tapping into a workforce with tremendous potential is good for business. It creates a love and brand loyalty from your customers which will set you apart from your competition.

Michigan is making progress, but we have to accelerate the momentum. Special education funding increased last year, but there still is a massive gap. is year’s proposed budget provides 35 percent more sta ng for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights to enhance disability compliance and training and reduce the large number of discrimination complaints related to ADA. is is real progress.

Let’s not lose sight of the spirit and intent of the ADA and that all people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else, including education and employment.

Please join the Autism Alliance of Michigan in ghting for the civil rights of people with disabilities for better lives.