October 11, 2005
October 11, 2005
LANSING – In the first of a series of community conversations on the economy, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today met with workers and parents in Saginaw and Mt. Pleasant to discuss Michigan’s economy and her five-point plan to create jobs.
“This week’s economic news should serve as another reminder that we cannot wait to create jobs, to diversify our economic base, or to send more of our children to college,” said Granholm. “Our economy – and our citizens – demand urgency.”
The Governor’s economic proposal will ensure that Michigan businesses and workers can compete and win in the new global marketplace. Granholm has proposed legislation to restructure business taxes in Michigan in order to keep jobs here, fast-forward public infrastructure projects to create thousands of jobs today, match unemployed citizens with businesses that need workers right now, make college accessible to all, and invest up to $2 billon in Michigan’s 21st century economy.
Specifically, the Governor’s economic plan includes:
restructuring business taxes in Michigan to keep jobs here.
The Michigan Jobs and Investment Act would provide a job-creating tax cut for business taxpayers, new tax credits for manufacturers and R&D companies and a rate cut for small businesses.
creating thousands of new jobs right now through needed infrastructure improvements.
The Governor’s Jobs Today Initiative accelerates $800 million in pollution cleanup and university and road upgrade projects. The Initiative also creates new tools that will upgrade schools, downtowns, and nursing homes.
matching out-of-work citizens with employers who need workers right now.
The MI Opportunity Partnership is a worker placement and training initiative that can place as many as 30,000 unemployed citizens in high-demand job vacancies this year. Since May, the Partnership has already identified 21,513 vacancies and matched 8,418 unemployed citizens with new jobs.
making college accessible to all.
Governor Granholm’s proposed new Merit Scholarship award makes Michigan the first state to guarantee every Michigan student the opportunity to attend college. Every child who graduates from high school and completes two years of college, community college or apprenticeship training will be guaranteed a $4,000 scholarship.
investing up to $2 billon in Michigan’s 21st century economy.
The Jobs for Michigan Fund will allow the state to invest up to $2 billion in Michigan’s economy over the next decade. This investment will create tens of thousands of good high-paying jobs of the future in high-growth industries such as advanced manufacturing, the life sciences, and alternative energy development – jobs that will keep our kids in Michigan and that will make our economy less reliant on the automotive industry.
The Governor announced her comprehensive proposal to restructure Michigan’s economy and create jobs last February. More than eight months later, the Legislature has not yet passed any of the key provisions her economic plan.
“While legislators in Lansing are debating the merits of my economic plan, our citizens are continuing to struggle with the affects of a global economy,” said Granholm. “Families in Michigan are feeling a major economic squeeze right now. They are crying out for action, and I want their voices to be heard in Lansing.”
The Governor met with concerned parents, students, and unemployed citizens at the Bringer Inn in Saginaw and on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant. She will hold similar community conversations in five other cities later this week and plans to continue her discussions with citizens across the state this month.
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