December 18, 2007
December 18, 2007
LANSING - During her traditional end-of-year discussion with reporters, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said that 2007 was a year marked by progress despite the state's economic and budget challenges. The governor said that the Administration continued to make progress in four key priority areas: creating jobs, affordable health care, quality education and safe places for families to live and play.
"2007 was a year marked by challenge and opportunity," Granholm said. "At the end of this year, we can look ahead knowing that a comprehensive budget solution is in place, and we can focus solely on the work of growing our economy and creating jobs."
Granholm highlighted several key steps that her administration took this year to continue her efforts to diversify the economy and create jobs, including: replacement of the state's Single Business Tax with the Michigan Business Tax that includes incentives for research and job creation, two more international investment missions that have created or retained more than 1,000 jobs so far, and a clear focus on the alternative energy sector and its potential for job creation.
"Michigan has the potential to be a world leader in alternative energy, and this year we made significant progress to attract the jobs that this growing industry will create," Granholm said.
Granholm outlined additional successes in 2007, including:
1. Working her comprehensive economic plan by continuing to go anywhere and do anything to attract and retain job providers.
- Helped 163 job-creating high-tech and alternative energy companies start and expand through the 21st Century Jobs Fund and other economic development tools. Made more than $50 million in critical start-up capital available through the Capital Access Program.
- The second year of Granholm's Local Jobs Today program provided $282 million in state and federal funds for 267 local road and bridge projects, creating more than 5,000 jobs.
- The governor's No Worker Left Behind initiative and MI Opportunity Partnership helped more than 7,800 displaced workers get into training for new careers and placed more than 48,500 citizens in jobs.
- Granholm succeeded in getting the state's onerous Single Business Tax replaced by the Michigan Business Tax, which is more competitive, provides significant personal property tax relief and creates incentives for companies to locate and create jobs here.
- On two international investment missions and eight trips throughout the United States, the governor fought to bring jobs to Michigan, including Mascoma who will build the nation's first cellulosic ethanol plant here.
- Sixteen companies announced they would locate or expand their headquarters in Michigan in 2007.
2. Preparing all students for success.
- This fall, more than 119,000 students started college or technical training with Governor Granholm's $4,000 Michigan Promise scholarship to help them pay the cost.
- Five revolutionary new "early college" high schools opened this year, giving students the opportunity to prepare for a career in health care. These schools, which the governor fought to fund, create relevancy for students looking for hands-on experience.
- Despite severe budgetary challenges, Granholm was able to push spending for public education to an all-time high.
- In September, the first class of high school freshmen started school knowing they will fully benefit from the new rigorous graduation requirements.
- Announced the creation of the Michigan Transfer Network, an online system that eases the transfer of credits from one post-secondary institution to another.
- In November, legislation to help other communities create Kalamazoo Promise-like scholarship opportunities passed the state House.
3. Making health care affordable and accessible.
- In 2007, Governor Granholm continued her fight to make health care affordable and accessible to every citizen, and thanks to her efforts, Michigan now has the lowest rate of uninsured children in the country (tied with Hawaii).
- The governor fought for additional funding for the MI Choice program which allows seniors to receive the care they need and remain in their own homes.
- The Michigan Health Information Network offered more than $5 million in grants this year to create a statewide infrastructure for health information, making Michigan a national leader in this effort.
- The governor proposed and received partial funding, for the Michigan Nursing Corps to train more nurses to meet rising demand.
4. Protecting our families and our quality of life
- Governor Granholm fought for and won funding for more than 300 additional workers to provide services to vulnerable families and help keep our children safe. Funding was also increased for foster parent recruitment and training to ensure that the state has enough safe, stable homes for children.
- The Granholm administration increased gas pump inspections to the highest level since 1996 to ensure that motorists are protected at the pump.
- The Michigan State Police continued their efforts to track down fugitives and sex offenders not in compliance with the law. Through ongoing Project SAFE Streets and Operation Verify sweeps, more than 700 fugitives and 400 sex offenders were arrested in 2007.
- The Granholm administration's Safe Routes to School program, which received national recognition this year, has more than 250 elementary schools participating to make sure students are safe as they travel to and from school.
"2007 will long be remembered as a watershed year in Michigan…the year when we made the hard decisions to put our fiscal house on the road to stability while choosing to invest in our citizens and our economy," Granholm said.
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