Granholm says economic recovery package will create jobs today, jobs tomorrow

LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today met with local officials in Jackson to discuss transportation infrastructure projects in their community that are eligible for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  In her meeting, the governor highlighted the statewide impact stimulus funding will bring by creating new jobs and allowingMichigan to make needed investments in its infrastructure.

"Michigan will use this federal recovery funding to create all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people," Granholm said.  "That means creating jobs today to build infrastructure, fix roads and bridges, and repair sewers all across the state.  And jobs tomorrow by creating demand for new alternative energy products and projects.  We'll be investing in a new energy infrastructure and weatherizing homes and businesses from one end of the state to the other."

Speaking before the Jackson Area Comprehensive Transportation Study (JACTS) that prioritizes regional transportation projects, the governor said Michigan is expected to receive $853 million in additional funds for road and bridge construction under the plan within a matter of weeks.  As in the past, the federal funds will be prioritized in urban areas by the local MPOs in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation.  The amount of funding awarded to the regions will be based on population. 

Granholm noted that many other recovery funds that will be sent to the state also will be distributed based on existing formulas, including Medicaid, unemployment insurance and at-risk and special education funds for K-12 schools.

In addition to the formula programs, the state is expected to have discretion in spending a portion of the recovery funds and will aggressively pursue competitive grants under the program as well.  The priorities for those discretionary funds will be job creation, training and educating citizens, and investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to create jobs, save money, and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

Granholm is expected to outline her specific priorities for those discretionary dollars next month.

Federal economic recovery funds will require legislative authorization, and the governor called on lawmakers to move quickly to approve bills that will pave the way for the federal dollars to be spent in Michigan.

"This past year has been brutal, like few others in our history," Granholm said.  "And any honest assessment of our state's economy has to recognize that things are likely to get worse before they get better - but they will get better.  Every day we wait to spend our recovery funds is a day we're not creating jobs and investing in our economy." 

The governor said that the administration has been working for some time on the implementation of the recovery program, an effort she recently formalized with the establishment of a Michigan Economic Recovery Office.  Leslee Fritz, a member of the governor's executive office communications' team, has been tapped to spearhead that effort.

Up-to-date information on the state's economic recovery plan is available online at www.michigan.gov/recovery

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