| Michigan has some of the hardest-working residents in the country. Unfortunately, our state has fallen on hard times. Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the nation, and our state is struggling with the loss of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs. There are some things we cannot control. Global trade agreements, outsourcing and federal policies have all played a role in getting us where we are. But what we can - and must - do is control some of the local factors influencing Michigan's jobs picture. An example is in the awarding of state contracts and state tax breaks and incentives. When Michigan tax dollars are used to create jobs, Michigan workers should have first priority in getting those jobs. Our tax dollars should benefit our own working families - not out-of-state - workers or illegal immigrants. That is where the Hire Michigan First plan comes in. The Hire Michigan First plan gives companies that hire more workers from Michigan priority in getting state tax breaks and economic development incentives. The more Michigan workers a company hires, the more likely it is to receive a state contract or state tax incentives. Second, the plan requires companies that accept state economic development incentives to report who they are hiring. When the state gives incentives to businesses, we want to see that they are using those incentives to get our workers back on the job. The reporting requirement adds accountability and transparency to this state funding process. Third, Hire Michigan First requires that companies that build state buildings hire 100 percent of their workers from Michigan. Our workers are more than ready and able to do these jobs, and they should have the opportunity to do so. And fourth, the plan cracks down on companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. Those companies will have their tax incentives and state contracts cancelled. They will have to pay back any incentives they already received and they will be barred from getting future state contracts. My number one priority in Lansing is creating good-paying jobs for our workers. We must make sure Michigan tax dollars go into our workers' paychecks, not to workers from other states and countries. And by supporting our workers, we will strengthen our economy and get Michigan back on track. |
