Thursday,
July 23, 2009
Governor
Urges Senate to Pass Legislation Expanding Number of MEGA Tax
Credits
In her radio address this week, the
governor says tax credits approved by the Michigan Economic Growth Authority
board are a crucial economic development tool, and urged the state Senate to
pass legislation expanding the annual number of MEGA tax
credits.
MEGA tax credits were key in
Tuesday’s announcement by the governor that the Michigan Economic Development
Corporation is helping seven companies grow in
Talking
points:
•
Up to nearly 62,000 direct jobs will be created or retained in
•
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has been so successful in
persuading businesses to locate or expand in
•
The governor said if
•
Virtually every other state is out there fighting for companies with
incentives. For
•
The governor urges the state Senate to quickly pass House Bill 4922 which
increases the number of MEGA tax credits that can be issued in one year.
With the competition for jobs so fierce,
Governor
Says Focus Must Be on Budget Deficit
The buzz in
Talking
points:
•
The governor is open to change and new ideas on health
care:
She state governments to buy prescriptionestablished a money-saving pool
among drugs.
Local using the state’s health care plan forgovernments now have the
option of their employees.
In promoting competitive bidding for2007, the governor signed legislation
teacher health care.
•
As a result of new collective bargaining agreements between the state and the
majority of its employee unions, state employees last October began paying
higher health care premiums, deductibles and co-pays. The changes will
save the state more than $300 million over the three-year contract
period.
•
According to a November 2008 House Fiscal Agency report, the average monthly
health care premium paid by a state employee is now slightly higher than the
average premium paid by a private sector employee.
•
Any health care proposal being discussed today could be profoundly changed by
action on a national health care plan.
•
Again, the immediate focus must be on how to resolve the state’s $1.7 billion
budget deficit by Oct. 1.
PROGRAMMING
NOTE:
Governor
to Discuss Health Care on CNBC’s “Meeting of the
Minds”
On Wednesday the governor
participated in a roundtable discussion of national health care for CNBC titled
“Meeting of the Minds: The Future of Health Care.” Some of her fellow
panelists include Angela Braly, president and CEO of Wellpoint; Dr. William
Frist, former U.S. senator from Tennessee and former Senate Republican majority
leader; and John C. Lechleiter, president and CEO of Eli
Lilly.
“Meeting of the Minds” will premiere
on CNBC at 9 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 27. The show will replay throughout
the week as the national health care debate heats up.
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WEYI-TV:
Gov. announces over 14,000 jobs created
WLAJ-TV /
CRAIN'S
WZZM-TV:
Video: New, diverse jobs coming to
The following is a message from the
Governor: . . . “Our aggressive economic strategy – combined with our
competitive business climate and outstanding workforce – continues to generate
new corporate investment and new expansion projects in
http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=327188
http://www.wlaj.com/news/thousands-16396-bring-incentives.html
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090722/NEWS03/907220319/1004/NEWS03
http://www.freep.com/article/20090722/BUSINESS01/907220348/Continental--Magna-get-Mich.-tax-credits
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090721/FREE/907219993
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/most_popular_story.aspx?storyid=111580&provider=top
"Every single state has got tools
that they are using to compete for these projects," says Granholm, "We have very
robust tools, and so we have got to be in the game slugging away for jobs in
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michigan/news.newsmain/article/5/0/1532761/Business/Governor.Says.State.Has.Run.Out.Of.Business.Tax.Credits
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/michigan/State_running_out_of_some_tax_credits
"Everybody knows that with the
highest unemployment rate in the nation, that we have been focused on adding new
sectors to
http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=6924137
http://www.nilesstar.com/2009/07/22/15-million-available-to-create-jobs/
SOLAR
INDUSTRY MAGAZINE: Granholm Administration Helping Small
NORTH
AMERICAN WINDPOWER: Granholm Making Funds Available To Help
Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, D-Mich.,
says her administration will make $15 million in American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds available to small manufacturing companies in
http://www.solarindustrymag.com/e107_plugins/content/content_lt.php?content.3587
http://www.nawindpower.com/naw/e107_plugins/content/content_lt.php?content.4325
OBSERVER-ECCENTRIC:
Buy
OBSERVER-ECCENTRIC:
Editorial: Buy
Downtown Northville and Buy Michigan
Now are proud to be hosting a week-long
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090723/SPECIAL-NONE/907230304
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090723/OPINION/907230337
We think some kudos are in order for
the Michigan Department of Transportation and the road crews that cleaned up the
mess and repaved the badly damaged portions of the highway in such a timely
manner. . . . “Despite tight budgets, the cooperation between agencies at the
state, county and local level was paramount,” Morosi said. “There was no
politics, no agenda. It was do what you have to do to secure the area and get it
back open for people to use.” We commend MDOT for its efficient and
well-executed emergency response plan.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/07/23/opinion/doc4a682ced24ba8451336697.txt
The governor has said she welcomes
all discussion on how to save money. The governor has been relentless in cutting
the cost of state government, even when those cuts are painful. On the
governor's watch, state employees and retirees have given up more than $300
million in health care benefits. . . . Gov. Granholm has shepherded state
government through some of the toughest economic times in its history and has
won praise from independent sources for having one of the best-managed states in
the nation. She couldn't agree more that her primary fidelity must be to the
state's fiscal health; being open to long-term savings while forcing the tough
actions to get an immediate solution is critical to that
work.
http://www.freep.com/article/20090723/OPINION04/907230404/Governor-fights-for-change
# # #