Snyder said more help may especially be needed in the areas of brownfield credits for environmentally contaminated sites and tax credits for heritage properties. He said there may be a need for pots of money specifically targeted at those areas, inside the larger pot of incentive money.

Bing camp encouraged

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero have criticized Snyder's plan to kill the brownfield program, saying the move will make it tougher for their cities to bounce back. They applauded the apparent change of heart.

"I'm delighted to hear that the governor has obviously heard from the folks on the ground … and is willing to consider making adjustments," Bernero said.

"These are two key tools that are absolutely vital to aging cities. We don't want our epitaphs written."