The Economy and Jobs
The Economy: Making Michigan Open for Business and Rebuilding Our Middle-Class
My first priority for Michigan is job creation. We must create an economic environment that is attractive to new businesses and supports our existing businesses. As a small business owner, I know what it takes to create jobs and make a payroll. I understand the ways government can help businesses, and they ways government can hamper business. Small businesses are the engine that will power our economic recovery and job creation. I will work tirelessly to make sure our entrepreneurs have the support they need to create good-paying jobs so our middle-class thrives again. Michigan families are struggling, but with the right leadership, our best days are ahead.
As your State Senator, I will:
* Reform our business tax system to create an environment that encourages business growth and job creation.
- * I will work to eliminate the 21.99% surcharge on the Michigan Business Tax (MBT).
- * I will work to simplify our business tax system that is competitive, coherent, predictable, easy to comply with and fair for all businesses: small, medium and large as well as manufacturing, retail and service.
- * I will insist on outcome-tested tax incentives for entrepreneurs to launch business start-ups.
- * However, business tax reform is not enough to turn our economy around. We must do more.
- Cut through the bureaucratic red-tape that hampers business development. I have worked with local and state regulatory agencies and they do important work to protect citizens. But they should always be treating businesses as partners, not opponents. We need to streamline licensing programs so businesses can quickly open and create jobs. I believe we can do this while continuing to protect workers, consumers, and the environment.
- * I will make sure government agencies are doing everything they can to promote job creation. Job providers have to know that they have a business-friendly government in Michigan.
- Help entrepreneurs diversify our economy, and encourage growth in the rising industries of advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and alternative energy. At the same time, I will support our traditional sectors such as automotive and furniture manufacturing as well as agriculture and tourism.
- * Tax incentives can be useful tools in competing with other states and helping diversify our economy. However, tax abatements must be performance-based and outcome-tested. As a business owner, I promise that I will always strive to ensure that any incentives are a good business investment for the tax payers of Michigan.
- * Michigan has an incredible research and development sector at our university and corporate labs. We need to support our scientists and encourage them to spinoff their inventions into private sector business ventures.
- * I will always work with our business community to make sure that job providers locate in Kent County.
- * Open up the credit market so Michigan entrepreneurs can have the investment capital to grow. Michigan businesses have been red-lined by Wall Street banks.
- * I will work to develop innovative policies so our businesses can get the loans they need to create jobs.
- Rebuild Michigan’s crumbling transportation infrastructure. Economic development specialists understand that businesses want to locate in a state with high-quality roads, rail and ports.
- * Michigan’s roads and bridges are literally falling apart because Lansing is chronically underfunding our transit systems. Unless we can find a stable funding solution, the money that we all pay in gas taxes will leave Michigan to pay for roads in other states.
- Support Michigan workers.
- * I believe Michigan workers have the work ethic, talent and experience to rebuild Michigan.
- * I will make sure that companies that receive money from the state ought to hire Michigan workers first if they have the necessary skills and are cost-competitive. This will guarantee that our tax dollars go to work for us. Let’s not outsource our jobs. Let’s keep them right here in Michigan.
- * I will make sure we continue our success in lifelong learning and retraining so that our people can rapidly adapt to our ever-changing economy.
- * Illegal Immigration: Our federal government needs to protect and secure our borders and enforce our laws, and we need to do everything we can in state government to address the problem of illegal immigration. That’s why I support legislation that will crack down on hiring illegal workers and stealing Michigan jobs by revoking the business licenses of companies who hire illegal workers. We must punish businesses that break the law and help protect valuable Michigan jobs. I also support the Hire Michigan First plan, which gives businesses tax incentives to hire Michigan residents and would take away state tax credits and end state contracts for companies that outsource jobs or hire illegal workers.
- Ensure that our children receive a high quality education so they can be productive citizens and have the skills necessary for the modern economy.
- * I will make our children are prepared to land the jobs of today and the future. Lansing must stop cutting k-12 and higher education. Economic development specialists understand that businesses want to locate in places that have a skilled workforce and a good quality of life. Michigan workers are some of the best and most talented in America.
- * I will work to expand early childhood education.
- * I will work to make a college education affordable and restore the Michigan Promise scholarships.
- * I will work so that we educate our citizens to be the best and the brightest and then give them the tools to stay here in Michigan.
- Reform Lansing.
- * Our state has been in an economic and fiscal crisis for several years. Yet, year after year legislators in Lansing fight partisan fights, gut important investments in our future, use gimmicks to balance the state budget, and fail to do their job. We need a comprehensive, bipartisan, long-term solution to our budget crisis so the rest of the country and world knows our house is in order and Michigan is open for business.
