This Week in Government: Leadership Detroit and MichAuto Investors Visit the Capitol in Lansing 

On Tuesday, April 21, MichAuto hosted its annual Automobility Day at the Capitol, bringing together MichAuto investors and Michigan legislators to discuss priorities for the year ahead. A group of 25 regional stakeholders attended 20 meetings with legislative offices, highlighting the following 2026 MichAuto Policy Priorities to drive Michigan’s automotive and mobility industry forward and remain globally competitive:  

• Economic Development: Encouraging a long-term, accessible, and transparent economic development plan for Michigan, while championing for increased funding for the R&D tax credit. 

• Tax and Regulatory Environment: support a low-tax, sensible regulatory environment to encourage investment and job retention.  

• Trade: Promote stable trade relations with North American partners to ensure competitive supply chains.  

• Roads and Infrastructure: Support grid infrastructure updates across the state and continue to advocate for long-term sustainable road funding.  

• Talent: Restore the Going PRO Talent Fund as well as strengthen the school-to-industry pipeline programming.  

MichAuto and its Government Affairs Director, Paul Corbett, also awarded the annual Legislator of the Year award to Michigan Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs) for his unwavering support for Michigan’s signature industry and his consistent bipartisanship in and out of legislative sessions. 

As elections will usher in a new leadership across a number of critically important offices, 2026 promises to be another year filled with both challenges and opportunities for Michigan’s automotive and mobility industry. To prepare elected officials, MichAuto has been facilitating the Automobility Policy Roadmap, a forward-looking policy roadmap that will strengthen Michigan’s role as America’s center of automotive and mobility innovation. Learn more. 

This week, participants of Leadership Detroit Class 46, the Chamber’s flagship leadership enrichment program that engages current and emerging cross-sector leaders, hosted its annual “Day at the Capitol.” There, the cohort toured the Capitol and spoke with state government officials and local leaders in Lansing, including: 

• Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs) 

• Sarah Hubbard, Regent, University of Michigan  

• Rachel Kuntzsch, President, Public Sector Consultants 

• Quentin Messer, Chief Executive and Economic Competitiveness Officer, Michigan Economic Development Corporation 

• Shaquila Myers, Commissioner, Michigan Public Service Commission 

• Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit) 

Class 46 focused their one-on-one time with speakers on discussing:  

• What it means to be a leader in Michigan, and how we can bring more thoughtful leaders into state and local government. 

• How relationship building is essential for creating a better collective Michigan, and how all Michigan leaders need to do more of it.  

• The inner workings of government and how legislators receive and balance input from constituents and advocates.  

• Policies and ideas the cohort had for lawmakers and decision makers as their constituents and leaders of tomorrow. 

Applications to join the upcoming cohort of Leadership Detroit Class are now open. Learn more about the program and apply now.