Criticism of 21st Century Jobs Fund is Simply Premature

by: MSURyanJ

Mon May 24, 2010 at 15:05:04 PM EDT

The Detroit Free Press ran an in-depth article yesterday (link) taking a look at the impact of the 21st Century Jobs Plan, a program that is likely to come under further scrutiny this election year as it's chief architect was House Speaker and current Gubernatorial Candidate Andy Dillon and was championed by Governor Granholm. 

The 21st Century Jobs Plan was put together in 2006 to invest money through loans to businesses looking to invest in Michigan and create good paying jobs in the emerging fields of life sciences, advanced manufacturing, alternative energy, and homeland security.

Now, only 4 years after being implemented, the Free Press criticizes the plan for not generating the jobs that its supporters claimed would be coming. It notes, for example, that only 1,147 jobs have been directly created by the fund, and three companies that received loans under the program have gone under.

Unfortunately, that criticism is exactly what is paralyzing Michigan's government at many levels today.

Perhaps in the era of term-limits it isn't surprising that so many elected officials limit their idea of success or failure to what they see happening right now, but the reality is that an economy cannot be transformed overnight, or likely even within an elected term of office. 

The 21st Century Jobs Fund is the type of long term investment that simply cannot be judged in only 4 years, as it was intended to sow the seeds of new economic development in Michigan over the course of a decade or more. Declaring it a success or failure now is akin to declaring a first round draft pick a bust after one game in the NFL, or saying NBC should have cancelled Seinfeld after its dismal ratings early on in it's run.  Some things simply take time to know whether they're working or not.

In today's world, however, nobody has the time or patience to wait that long,  so we see politicians racing to judge the success and failures of the 21st Century Jobs Fund, all while our state awaits a new group of legislators that will come into office next year claiming to know the magic cure-all to our economic woes.

I don't claim to know for sure whether the 21st Century Jobs Fund will ultimately produce the type or number of jobs it's creators envisioned, but I'm also not foolish enough to judge an ambitious plan like that so early on.  Michigan's leaders cannot be focused only on short-term gains if we are to ever rebuild our economy, but must also be willing to invest for the long term.

In our current political climate, however, it's easier to criticize than lead, and the fund's creators, including Andy Dillon, will no doubt be criticized this election year.  I for one think that they instead deserve credit for being among the few willing to champion a project like this whose success will likely only be measured after they leave offic.

Maybe it will work, maybe it won't, but if nothing else, it shows real leadership at work, and that's something we definitely need more of in the short-term.