April 20, 2005
Proposal Creates Jobs, Deserves Urgent Action
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today called passage of her Jobs Today Initiative critical to putting thousands of Michigan residents to work this year and joined the legislative sponsors in calling for immediate legislative action on the Jobs Today package.
“The Jobs Today Initiative is designed to put thousands of Michigan residents to work…right now," said Granholm. “The infusion of public and private investment in Michigan over the next three years will jumpstart the state's economy and have dust flying at construction sites all across the state. This legislation cannot wait."
Today, legislation was introduced to:
• amend the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Tax Increment Expansion Zone (DEZ) to the existing district and to use tax increment revenues from captured state and local property taxes to pay for improvements in the DEZ. Improvements can be used to attract or retain business, improve housing, halt property deterioration or enhance economic development.
• convert the School Bond Loan Fund (SBLF) to a self-sustaining, revolving fund. School districts that have long overdue construction and renovation projects could obtain zero interest loans for five years from the SBLF to help finance these projects. School districts can also obtain loans to fund the creation of small high schools and enjoy the same five-year interest free deferment. A total of $500 million in qualified bonds would be available for these projects. Six bills were introduced in both the House and Senate to make these changes.
• amend the State Building Authority Act to allow financing of special maintenance projects at Michigan’s universities and community colleges, which will create thousands of jobs and improve campus facilities.
In addition, SB 235, which authorizes accelerated construction projects, has been adopted by the Legislature and is awaiting the Governor’s signature.
Several components of the Jobs Today Initiative, which required only administrative action or new incentives to spur private investment, are already at work creating jobs in several key areas:
• renovating higher education and state facilities;
• accelerating road and bridge repairs;
• cleaning up polluted sites;
• building additional affordable housing projects in communities;
• renovating aging long-term care facilities.
"Every piece of Jobs Today offers a win-win scenario,” said Granholm. "Not only will each put people to work, these projects also make Michigan more attractive to current and future job providers. The Legislature needs to act on these items with the same sense of urgency that every man and woman searching for a job feels today."
Sponsors for these bills include Senators Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor), Irma Clark-Coleman (D-Detroit), Deb Cherry (D-Burton), Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit), Geopr Burton Leland (D-Detroit), Dennis Olshove (D-Warren), Mike Prusi (D-Ishpeming), Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) and Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville); and Representatives Brenda Clack (D-Flint), Ed Clemente (D-Lincoln Park), Paul Condino (D-Southfield), George Cushingberry, Jr. (D-Detroit), Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor), Lamar Lemmons, III (D-Detroit), Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City), Fred Miller (D-Mt. Clemens), and Mary Waters (D-Detroit).
For more on the Jobs Today Initiative, log onto
www.michigan.gov.
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