This week, host Ryan Coonerty speaks with Lansing, MI, Mayor Andy Schor whose community and state are at the center of national politics and the current debates around manufacturing, jobs, and tariffs. Mayor Schor discusses the disconnect between President Trump’s campaign promises versus the actual impacts his policies are having on the lives of the everyday Michiganders who elected him. He digs into the specific impacts of tariffs, including how they threaten mid-Michigan’s auto industry, as well as small businesses through the Lansing region, and speaks more broadly about how mayors across the country are navigating the uncertainty of the second Trump administration, including threats to Biden-era federal funds. The mayor also reflects on his career in politics, detailing the pros and cons of serving both in the state legislature and as mayor, and how he views the changing political landscape. Tune in to hear how Mayor Schor is championing equitable growth across Michigan’s capital city.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• [01:04] Mayor Andy Schor’s key position at ground zero of American politics in Michigan today.

• [02:12] An overview of life in Lansing, Michigan, following the 2020 pandemic.

• [04:28] How Lansing created the conditions for growth and what the response has been.

• [07:06] Mayor Schor’s experience of serving at different levels of government.

• [12:50] How Michigan citizens are feeling about the political climate in 2025.

• [15:43] The impact of tariffs on manufacturing jobs and the car industry.

• [20:58] Threats and impacts to cities across the country.

• [23:35] How the change in status of tax-exempt municipal bonds will affect Lansing.

• [25:22] What it’s truly like to be Mayor of Lansing, Michigan.

• [28:00] How the world of politics has changed since Mayor Schor’s early involvement.