October 19, 2005
October 19, 2005
Governor Asks Legislature to Pass Remainder of Economic Plan
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today applauded the State Senate for passing her 21st Century Jobs for Michigan Fund. The Fund will allow the state and private sector to invest up to $2 billion in Michigan’s economy to create thousands of new, high-paying jobs.
“This is a significant day for Michigan’s future,” Granholm said. “Today, the State Senate has given bipartisan approval to our plan for investing up to $2 billion to create tens of thousands of good high-paying jobs – jobs that will keep our kids in Michigan and help us diversify our economy.”
Granholm called on Republican leaders in the House of Representatives to follow the action of their Senate colleagues in giving approval to the plan.
“Michigan’s future needs high-growth industries, such as advanced manufacturing, the life sciences, and alternative energy development to compete in a global economy,” Granholm said. “Michigan families need the House of Representatives to do the right thing by passing the jobs plan quickly.”
The Governor also said that with securitization and the Jobs for Michigan Fund nearing final passage, state lawmakers need to pass the rest of the economic plan before them. That includes action on:
restructuring business taxes in Michigan by providing a job-creating tax cut for business taxpayers, new tax credits for manufacturers and R&D companies, and a rate cut for small businesses;
legislation needed to complete the Jobs Today Initiative, providing new tools that will facilitate the upgrading of schools, downtowns, and nursing homes;
making college accessible to all by guaranteeing 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.
“Education is the key to Michigan’s future as well as the nation’s,” Granholm said. “Now that we are a step closer to creating the types of knowledge-based jobs that can’t be outsourced, we need to ensure that Michigan citizens have the education and training needed to fill those jobs.”
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