Barreling in from the opposite direction are three-dozen outside advisors to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, including many from the business community. They call for at least $6 billion a year in new government spending. Their reasoning: That’s the responsible price tag to fix Michigan’s laggard public school system and repair aging roads, bridges, and water infrastructure.

This tug of war between cutting taxes and spending and even more public investment is Michigan’s defining question now, and well into the future. To navigate it, here are 11 things every Michigan taxpayer should know: