In Partnership With

Michigan Business Network: HR Collaborative MBN-Banner-Ads-950x90-01

DRC: While the State Budget Stalemate Lingers…

August 22, 2025

Michigan Business Network

While the state budget stalemate lingers, the Detroit Regional Chamber continues to use its voice to transform Michigan’s education system.

Last week, the Chamber, with other statewide business groups, sent a letter to the Capitol, urging lawmakers to pass a results-centered education budget to ensure that Michigan employers have the workforce they need to compete in the high-tech, knowledge-based economy of today and the future.

Additionally, in an op-ed for Crain’s Business Detroit, Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah further emphasized the requests and concerns included in the letter.

New Bureau of Labor Statistics Head Could Impact Your Business

The recent appointment of E.J. Antoni as the new head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a development that the Chamber will continue to monitor closely. The BLS produces critical economic data, including inflation and employment numbers that directly impact federal tax provisions.

Given that both the new BLS head and the Trump administration have questioned the Bureau’s inflation calculation methods, there is concern within the tax community about the potential for changes in how this data is reported, underscoring the critical need for impartial economic data.

Learn More About the Potential Impact

Small business owners can leverage the Chamber’s advocacy connections on Friday, Sept. 12, 8:30-10 a.m.

In a moderated discussion with the Chamber’s Vice President of Public Policy and Business Advocacy, Brian J. Shoaf, attendees will discover tips on how to engage with representatives, learn about funding and resource opportunities from a representative of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and more.

Register Now

Blue Cross Value Partnerships Program Prevents $6.3B in Health Care Expenses in Michigan Over 20 Years

Twenty years ago, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and a small group of physician leaders gathered to devise a way to slow the exponential rise in health care costs, while improving health care quality and outcomes for patients.

Now, 20 years of Value Partnerships initiatives has led to lifesaving and life-changing care across the state, along with substantially preventing $6.3 billion in health care costs.