LANSING, Mich. – State Representative Dudley Spade (D-Tipton) tonight applauded Governor Jennifer Granholm's
bipartisan focus on investing in Michigan workers and solving the
immediate problems faced by Michigan residents while moving
Michigan forward. In her sixth State of the State address, Governor
Granholm called on the legislature to take bipartisan action to diversify the state's economy by investing in renewable
energy programs that utilize Michigan's historic agricultural and
manufacturing strengths. She also called for state and local government to prefer
Michigan business and hire
Michigan citizens and pushed the legislature to take action to address the
expanding mortgage crisis faced by homeowners in the state.
"Lenawee County has already
taken the lead in moving Michigan toward being a world leader in the
production of renewable energy and I am pleased to see that the rest of the state is now following our initiative," Rep.
Spade said. "The Governor made the point that Michigan gave birth to
the auto industry, and now we can pave the way for the renewable energy economy. I whole-heartedly agree. We
must act now to attract emerging industries to our communities. Investing in renewable energy production
technologies--like ethanol, bio-diesel, and wind energy--that utilize our historic strengths will make
Michigan a leader in the global economy and create thousands of
good-paying jobs for our workers. Just as importantly, it will move our state and our country forward. By
reducing and eventually eliminating our dependence on foreign oil we will help save money and provide economic stability
for Michigan's citizens. By greatly reducing our level of harmful
greenhouse gas emissions, we will help improve the health of our citizens and the environment."
In August of last year, NextDiesel in Adrian opened its doors as the
largest bio-diesel producing facility in the State of Michigan and was the
first business to take advantage of Michigan's renewable energy
renaissance zones. In her speech, Governor Granholm pointed out that it was crucial that the state take advantage
of this type of opportunity and called for action to preserve jobs for
Michigan residents by giving companies incentives to hire
Michigan workers first. Continuing with that theme Rep. Spade went
on to point out that, particularly in border communities like Lenawee County, state and local government entities also
needed to focus their resources on contracting with local businesses when such decisions make sense.
"We must also take immediate steps to preserve and expand job opportunities for
Michigan's citizens, by hiring
Michigan workers and buying Michigan-made products first," Rep. Spade
continued. "The Governor called tonight for the state to 'Hire Michigan First,' and I think she is moving in the
right direction. Getting the best value when spending taxpayer's money is important, but we must recognize that
the public's interest can sometimes be better served by promoting the local economy and supporting
Michigan jobs rather than outsourcing them to other states. I fully
support a plan that gives priority for economic development projects to companies that employ 100 percent
Michigan workers. State funds earmarked for economic development are
designed to diversify the state economy and attract business. We need to use these dollars to reward companies
that hire Michigan workers by giving these companies priority in the
awarding of grants, loans and tax abatements from economic development programs. This is the same type of thinking
embodied in my legislation that empowers local school districts to buy and hire
Michigan first."
Rep. Spade also emphasized that the financial and personal security of
Michigan's families was crucial to a healthy
Michigan, noting that displacing families from their homes was harmful to
Michigan's citizens in both the short and long term.
"It is not in anyone's interest for thousands of Michigan homeowners
to lose their shirts because of ever expanding interest rates," Rep. Spade said. "This is not a proposal for the
state to spend taxpayer dollars to bail out individuals who made poor choices. By helping homeowners secure a
mortgage with a fair interest rate, we can take steps to bolster those individuals who are serious about taking the
necessary steps to keep their homes and focusing our resources where they will do the most good. The epidemic of
foreclosures hurts entire neighborhoods because when homes are left abandoned, property values go down. Our plan
strengthens communities, and by doing that, we will attract businesses and jobs to our state. In this way, we are
fighting to protect Michigan's hard-working men and women from losing
their piece of the American Dream."
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