Free read, April 28-May 2: Pistons eliminated, Trump's first 100 days, corporate incentives examined
Here's what you missed this week
This free newsletter is made possible by your financial support. Please consider joining the hundreds of paying subscribers for $8/month.
Hey, subscribers!
It’s been six months since I first asked for your financial support in exchange for my reporting. Your support means so much to me, and I’m excited to keep growing Detroit one million.
In order to do that, I’m going to need your help. Let’s keep it going, subscriber gang!
Michiganders sound off on Trump’s first 100 days
One hundred Michiganders shared a one word description of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office as part of this package led by the Detroit Free Press.
As you would imagine, some say Trump’s presidency is invoking dread, while others are celebratory and joyous.
Journalists from the Lansing State Journal and Center for Community Journalism talked to residents in Macomb County, where Trump won by 13 percentage points in the 2024, who have been negatively impacted by the economic fallout from the president’s trade war.
Michael Coraci, 44, of Shelby Township, said he was laid off from an electric vehicle battery startup when President Donald Trump won the election because of an anticipated decline in demand.
“It’s chaos for business and the negotiation strategies seem to be ineffective,” Coraci told Jamie L. LaReau. “You have to unplug from the day-to-day and say 'where’s it going to go?' I don’t think we’ve had really too many bad effects from it and maybe we’ll get some good out of the policies, despite the poor taste it leaves in your mouth.”
Pistons eliminated in first round heartbreak
Well. That was fun.
The Detroit Pistons were eliminated by the New York Knicks Thursday night , 116-113, after a historic turn around from a season ago.
The Pistons were laughing stock of North American sports last season. They won just 14 games and set the longest losing streak in NBA history.
However, this season was much different. Led by rising star Cade Cunningham, Detroit came up just short in game 6 Thursday thanks to heroics from Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.
Brunson was voted the NBA’s clutch player of the year last week, and backed it up Thursday with a go-ahead three pointer over Ausar Thompson.
The home crowd at LCA was electric despite losing all three home games. And that’s what this year was really all about.
Getting fans engaged with the team was critical. For a year and a half, fans at LCA were chanting the name of a football quarterback.
The team did that this year, handing out awards to super fans on social media and even inviting one from Australia to galavant around the city during the playoff push.
They might not have made it past the first round, but energizing the fan base and winning their first playoff game since Chauncey Billups was one the roster, is a damn good start.
Detroit lawmakers call on Congress to maintain EV tax credits
A Detroit Democrat and electric vehicle advocates are calling on Michigan’s Congressional delegation to protect EV credits.
Advocates say vehicle tax credits and advanced manufacturing investments are creating good-paying jobs, reviving Michigan’s manufacturing legacy and strengthening our global competitiveness. They warn eliminating the incentives would undermine Detroit’s economic future, cost jobs, and allow China to dominate the auto and battery industries.
Supporters of eliminating the credits, including Tesla head and Trump advisor Elon Musk, argue doing so would generate hundreds of millions of federal revenue.
Michigan has led the nation in clean energy projects, securing more than $21 billion in investments and supporting more than 127,000 clean energy jobs. The economic risks of repealing clean energy and electric vehicle tax credits go beyond auto manufacturing, State Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, said at a press conference Friday.
“Eliminating these incentives could send shockwaves through industries like logistics, technology, and construction—sectors that have flourished thanks to the investment boom of recent years. Michigan has proven we can lead the future of clean energy manufacturing, and we can’t afford to let partisan rollbacks erase that progress.”
The state must reduce its dependence on foreign sources in supply chains with battery technology, components and critical minerals, said Glenn Stevens, executive director of MichAuto at the Detroit Regional Chamber.
“From mining to manufacturing Michigan has the resources to lead for the future,” Stevens said. “This must be driven by a spirit of collaboration, the right policy and funding between the federal and state governments, industry, and labor.”
Corporate subsidies under Whitmer examined
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration has spent almost $1 billion on corporate incentives, but a Bridge Michigan analysis published this week revealed the investments haven’t lived up to what was promised.
The analysis from Bridge Michigan’s Paula Gardner comes as public opposition against incentives for large corporations is growing.
The analysis reveals many deals don’t end up living up to the initial public statements from Whitmer announcing the creation of new jobs.
Michigan has doled out $995 million in taxpayer money to 102 companies since 2019. Those funds have created 13,079 jobs, a cost per job of $76,076, Gardner reports.
“That’s five times fewer the number of jobs Michigan was supposed to receive from 300-plus companies awarded incentives since Whitmer became governor. All told, the state has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into 54 projects that, so far, have yet to create a single job, according to the most recent state reports.”
Read the full story: Whitmer subsidy record: Companies get $1 billion; jobs fall short of promises