MIRS kicks things off with Vice President Stephanie Van Koevering of Resch Strategies and Mario Morrow, the Southfield-based public relations professional. Together, they discuss the future of budget-making transparency, as well as the state of not-so-competitive Democratic primaries (3:00). 

Michigan Budget Director Jen Flood talks about the recently signed $82.5 billion state budget, and if more spending is on the horizon (30:00).

Also, MIRS meets with a coalition of Traverse City area education and economic leaders, who are hoping to secure more teachers in Northern Michigan with a planned housing incentive project (41:40).