Gov. Snyder Reacts To U.S. Census Data

LANSING (WWJ) - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said his administration is combing through the latest U.S. Census numbers for the state.  Those figures show, among other things, a 25-percent population plunge in the city of Detroit. 

Snyder was asked about the prospect of Grand Rapids area communities consolidating to possibly dethrone Detroit as Michigan's largest city. But Snyder said it's not a competition.

"I don't use a win-lose scenario in our state. One of the things I feel very strongly about is we need to step back and one of the problems we've had in our state is too much of the east side versus west side, other geography issues in our state, and we're one big state. We need to really be supporting one another regardless of where  we live, about being Michiganders," he said.

The Governor said the population drop lends support to his plan to reinvent Michigan.

"I think this decline in population for the state really just re-emphasises the issue that we've been facing. We are in a crisis in this state and we need to take an approach and attitude to say it's time to reinvent Michigan. It's not time to say lets keep doing things the same old way. It's time to step up. It's  time for bold action, thoughtful action, and that's the message that we're on and the path we're on. And I just hope people join us in that effort," he said.