Granholm calls for more jobs, end to partisan divide in state Legislature

In the annual State of the State Address before the Michigan Legislature, Gov. Jennifer Granholm tonight called for an end to the bitter partisan divisions that marred the last session, and said the lawmakers instead should focus on four areas.

Those areas were: jobs for every worker, health care for all families, safe spaces for citizens and education for all — both children and adults.

“If we focus on these four things — if we say no to distractions and divisions, and if we commit to urgent action — we will emerge from this challenging decade with a leaner, smarter, stronger and more entrepreneurial Michigan,” the governor said.

She went on to lay out a comprehensive set of plans.

First, she offered tax cuts or the elimination of taxes for businesses in the 50 fastest-growing segments of the economy, if they relocate or are operating in Michigan.

Continued -“Whether your business is in Michigan today or you’ll come here tomorrow, if you grow jobs in Michigan, we’ll cut or altogether eliminate your taxes,” she said. “Along with a new Michigan Business Tax, this is the first time in Michigan history where businesses will be broadly rewarded for hiring people.”

Second, she proposed the creation of a Michigan Invests Fund, which would be used to keep jobs coming into the state.

“Michigan gets cutting-edge businesses and jobs. Michigan will now be in the top three states in the nation for making investment capital available to successful entrepreneurs who create jobs here,” she said.

Granholm also said she would invest nearly a billion dollars in an economic stimulus package that would include vital construction work and create 28,000 jobs.

Granholm also called on Michigan to lead the way on alternative energy.

“Any time you pick up a newspaper from here on out and see the terms ‘climate change’ or ‘global warming,’ just think: ‘jobs for Michigan,’” she said. “Because of the need to reduce global warming and end our dependence on expensive foreign oil, the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries will create millions of good-paying jobs.”

To address public safety, the governor called on the Legislature to fund 100 new state trooper positions.

On health care, she said, “We have asked for federal support for our Michigan First Health Care Plan to expand coverage to the uninsured in Michigan and haven’t gotten it. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that as the administration in Washington prepares to leave office, they are unwilling to support states, including Michigan, in providing care for those who need it,” she said.

“We won’t stop fighting for fair treatment in Washington this year. And when a new president takes office next January, I guarantee we’ll be first in line to provide affordable, accessible health care for all Michigan citizens.”

The call for more affordable and accessible health care options brought praise from the Service Employees International health care union.

“The members of SEIU Healthcare Michigan intimately understand the issue of Michigan’s uninsured, because our members are at their bedsides every day,” said the group’s president, Rickman Jackson. “We’ve seen people needlessly suffer because they did not have access to affordable, quality health care coverage. The time has come for Michigan to fix its health care system.”

For the full text of the speech, visit the  Governor’s website.