What the Governor’s Talking about
Today
Friday, March 12,
2010
Lt. Governor Says
Everyone in Michigan Needs to be Counted in 2010
Census
Lt. Governor John D. Cherry Jr. today said Census Day is
April 1, and it’s time for everyone in Michigan to be counted. Cherry made his
remarks in delivering this week’s radio address on behalf of Governor
Granholm.
“Next week, you should receive in the mail your 2010
census form,” Cherry said. “Please take 10 minutes to answer the 10
questions. Then mail it in promptly. When you fill out and return
the census form, you’re helping your country, your state and your community.
So be counted.”
Key
messages:
- Census information
is used to determine the number of seats that Michigan and every other state gets in the
U.S. House of Representatives, and in drawing the district lines for seats in
the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House of
Representatives.
- One of the most
important uses of census information is for the distribution of federal
funds. The census helps determine how more than $400 billion in federal
funds each year is allocated to states and local communities for important
services and infrastructure projects. This includes things like health
care, schools, roads, job training centers and water and sewer
systems.
- For every person
in Michigan
who isn’t counted in the census, our state loses $10,000 in federal
funds. During these tough economic times in Michigan, we can’t
afford to be shortchanged during the next 10 years when it comes to our fair
share of federal funding. So it’s crucial that everyone be counted in
the census.
Michigan Economic Development Projects among Top 30 in
North America for 2009
The governor today announced that seven projects
supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) have been
recognized in the fifth annual Trade & Industry Development magazine
economic development awards competition (http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=33565).
These are seven of the key projects that propelled Michigan to third place
in Site Selection magazine’s annual Governor’s Cup competition for major new
corporate investments in 2009 announced last week.
The CiCi Awards competition recognizes the top 30
projects in North America for 2009 in two
categories: Corporate Investment and Community Impact, honoring the company
investing in the community as well as the economic developers who played a role
in securing those investments.
In the Corporate Investment category, Michigan led the field
with six awards out of a possible 15, four of them in the clean energy sector.
The projects recognized were:
- Xtreme Power and
Clairvoyant Energy anchoring what will be the nation’s largest renewable
energy center on the site of the former Ford Motor Wixom assembly
plant;
- Advanced-battery
development and manufacturing firms A123 Systems (Livonia) and Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power
Solutions (Holland), and solar manufacturer
Suniva (Thomas Township, Saginaw);
- Nexteer
Automotive, the former steering division of Delphi Corporation, now focused on
development of advanced steering and driveline systems technology;
and,
- Quicken Loans, the
nation’s largest online lender, is undertaking a $240 million expansion and
headquarters relocation to Detroit.
The Community Impact award honored MEDC’s success in
winning the new General Electric advanced technology and training center in Van
Buren Township in western Wayne County which will become GE’s largest
single-site IT operation.
Key
messages:
- For the second
week in a row, our economic development efforts have been recognized by a
global site selection publication. We will continue going anywhere and
doing anything to further diversify the state’s economy and create new jobs in
Michigan.
- These awards are a
tribute to the economic development talent and professionalism in communities
throughout the state. Perfecting these deals requires the highest degree
of collaboration and cooperation in generating new investment from inside and
outside of the state. Our local partners are a major reason why
Michigan is
a leader in attracting and nurturing growing companies.
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