Governor Rick Snyder says Kalamazoo is a role model for the state in economic development. Snyder spoke in Kalamazoo Thursday, January 20, to participants in the "Catalyst University" leadership program sponsored by Southwest Michigan First.

Snyder says Kalamazoo will be involved in his effort to create an "open source" model for economic development in Michigan. That was one of the themes Snyder sounded during his first "State of the State" address on Wednesday, January 19. He says "open source" means finding development programs around the state that are successful and sharing the elements of their success with other communities. The governor also says he wants the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to work more closely with local and regional agencies like Southwest Michigan First.

Snyder says leaders in the Kalamazoo area should consider following the lead of the "Fifteen by '15" project in the City of Detroit. It's an effort to attract 15,000 young adults to live and work in downtown Detroit by 2015.

The governor also highlighted other proposals he outlined in the "State of the State". They include his plan to deliver several "special messages" on issues like government and education reform to the legislature beginning in March. Snyder also spoke about the new Web-based "Michigan Dashboard" that he says will allow people to track progress - or lack of it - in those areas as well as poverty reduction, crime rates, and the performance of all state government departments and agencies.