Pure Michigan left in the cold, leaders to talk tourism program in January

Pure Michigan didn’t make the cut in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget supplemental spending plan finally negotiated by state leaders. But state House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) said he, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) will talk about the tourism program after the New Year.

“That was that was one of the issues we decided to have a conversation on in January,” Chatfield told reporters on Thursday.

His comments came after Shirkey was asked during a scrum with reporters on the other side of the Capitol if he would be “OK” with Pure Michigan going away.

“No, I’m not good with Pure Michigan going away,” Shirkey said. “I believe that those who benefit the most from Pure Michigan should be the ones that primarily fund it.”

He was then asked if he wanted the tourism industry to pay for it.

“It’s one man’s opinion. One man’s opinion. But I think taxpayers — OK, I’ll get on my soapbox for a moment,” Shirkey said. “Taxpayers did a great service to businesses in Michigan that enjoy tourism. We came up with a research development project, a test to see if this would work. The taxpayers funded it and proved that it would work, so it took all the risk out of that risky investment. And now I believe the industry should own most of it.”

After Whitmer vetoed the funding on Sept. 30, the Michigan Senate Republican Twitter account blasted her for it.

"It feels like a veto of our state."@GovWhitmer's veto of #PureMichigan funding will end one of the nation's most successful tourism campaigns.

Tell us what you think of the governor's vetoes at https://t.co/bla13mYp2G. #WhitmerCutMiFunding #mileg #mibudget #migov https://t.co/YwfpnWRCup

— MI Senate GOP (@MISenate) October 3, 2019

Chatfield was asked on Tuesday about Shirkey’s suggestion for the tourism industry to primarily foot the bill for Pure Michigan.

“I’m committed to having the conversation on how we can ensure that that campaign is done wisely,” he said. “It’s been something that I think has been incredibly helpful for our state, certainly northern Michigan. But I’m looking forward to being at the table with the governor and the majority leader and ensuring that if it’s restored, it’s done so in a proper and wise way. But I can speak for my district [that] it’s been a benefit to northern Michigan.”

Shirkey agreed that Pure Michigan would be in the next round of negotiations and said he expected it would be in Whitmer’s FY 2021 budget proposal.