February 20, 2007
February 20, 2007
Governor shares plan to invest in people outlined in State of the State Address
LANSING - Just two weeks after delivering her State of the State address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today visited a local college to discuss her plan to make Michigan a national leader in the production and use of alternative energy. The governor talked about the challenges Michigan is facing and the need, now more than ever, to come together to diversify the economy and continue to invest in Michigan's people.
"In this moment of economic challenge, we will move forward by diversifying our economy and investing in our people," Granholm said. "We cannot successfully compete for the jobs of the 21st century by slashing funding for our schools, our health care, or our communities."
Granholm met with students and faculty at Calvin College, where students studying alternative energy production recently received a state grant to build a wind turbine. When complete, the turbine will help power lights and computers in an academic building on campus. The governor talked with the group about her plan to make Michigan a national leader in alternative energy by investing more than $100 million of public and private resources over the next three years in research and production of renewable energy sources. In addition, the governor has called for 10 percent of the state's power to come from renewable sources within the next eight years.
"Our economic plan has put us on the right course," Granholm said, "but to continue building on the progress we've made, we must continue our efforts to diversify the economy. Alternative energy companies are already choosing Michigan, and this new $100 million investment will do even more to make Michigan a national leader in this critical field."
In addition to expanding alternative energy production, the governor's plan calls for:
Continuing to go anywhere and do anything to bring good jobs to Michigan, including further jobs missions to bring more private investments and job opportunities back to the state.
Training the workers hardest hit by outsourcing. Granholm will offer a one-time opportunity for displaced workers to attend a Michigan community college for free to receive training in a high demand field.
Nurturing the growth of small businesses. The governor has made more capital and start-up funds available to small businesses. She called for passage of her plan to make 401(k) plans available to small business employees at little or no cost.
Requiring government to do business differently. Granholm proposed changes to the prison system that will make more efficient use of taxpayer dollars while protecting public safety. She proposed requiring local communities and school districts to share some services and save money, and she is increasing the number of workers protecting Michigan children, giving those workers new and better tools and requiring accountability for their work.
Investing in education. Governor Granholm called for additional investment in our schools to build on the positive steps already taken. The governor called on the Legislature to make kindergarten mandatory and raise the dropout age to 18, and for new investment to dramatically expand access to preschool. The governor also proposed creating Promise Zones to allow local communities to capture tax revenue to help fund college scholarships similar to the Kalamazoo Promise.
Granholm underscored that Michigan's ability to compete, attract jobs, and keep Michigan children here in the future is threatened by the state's financial crisis. Although the governor has cut nearly $3 billion in state spending, more than any previous governor, and the state government has fewer employees today than at any time since 1973, the state is facing a $3 billion shortfall. In her budget this week, Granholm proposed more than $400 million in spending cuts and a series of government reforms in addition to a plan to fix Michigan's broken tax system in a simple and fair way that enables further investment in Michigan's people.
While acknowledging that economic transition and the fiscal crisis that Michigan is facing are critical challenges to overcome, Granholm highlighted a number of promising developments:
This fall's college freshman will start school with a $4,000 Michigan Promise scholarship, which the governor signed into law at the end of last year. This will give every Michigan child access to a college education or job training.
The governor's jobs missions to Japan and Germany have resulted in more than $230 million in new investments and more than 1,100 new jobs.
Companies like Google and Whirlpool are growing jobs in Michigan, and 14 companies opened the doors of their world headquarters in Michigan last year.
Michigan's high school standards are now among the toughest in the nation, and Michigan MEAP scores are on the rise.
In addition to visiting Grand Rapids, the governor has also visited Flint and Warren to highlight key initiatives outlined in her State of the State address.
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