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'Jobs Today' bill features many jobs aimed at construction

Date Posted: April 29 2005

LANSING - Gov. Jennifer Granholm last week called for immediate legislative action on a new jobs package which is expected to be a boon to the building trades.

"The Jobs Today Initiative is designed to put thousands of Michigan residents to work right now," said Granholm. "The infusion of public and private investment in Michigan over the next three years will jump-start the state's economy and have dust flying at construction sites all across the state. This legislation cannot wait."

Specifically, the legislation would:

  • Allow expanded use of local Downtown Development Authorities and Tax Increment Expansion Zones to make physical improvements or enhance economic developments.
  • Convert the School Bond Loan Fund to a self-sustaining, revolving fund. School districts that have long overdue construction and renovation projects could obtain zero interest loans for five years from the fund to help finance construction projects. A total of $500 million in qualified bonds would be available to districts for these projects.
  • Amend the State Building Authority Act to allow financing of special maintenance projects at Michigan's universities and community colleges, which will create thousands of jobs and improve campus facilities.
  • The 2005 budget agreement between Granholm and lawmakers paved the way for many of the accelerated projects to begin this construction season. As part of the agreement, legislative approval was given to the $38 million in pollution cleanup projects as well as $220 million in projects to upgrade universities and community colleges. In addition, Granholm said $400 million in accelerated road projects will also begin this year.

Senate Bill 235, which authorizes accelerated construction projects, has been adopted by the Legislature and is awaiting the Governor's signature.

The governor said several components of the Jobs Today Initiative, which required only administrative action or new incentives to spur private investment, are already in place in several areas:

  • Renovating higher education and state facilities;
  • Building additional affordable housing projects;
  • Renovating aging long-term care facilities.

Construction workers may take exception with the rebuttal to Granholm's plan offered by Nate Bailey, spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party, who told The Detroit News: "A lot of these jobs are short-term. Does anyone think road construction projects are the long-term solution to Michigan's economy? This only proves she does not have any idea to get us back on track."

Granholm said: "Every piece of Jobs Today offers a win-win scenario. Not only will each put people to work, these projects also make Michigan more attractive to current and future job providers. The Legislature needs to act on these items with the same sense of urgency that every man and woman searching for a job feels today."

A bevy of Democratic legislators co-sponsored the bills.