Plan to Create Grand Rapids Jobs Now Heads to House Floor

LANSING – State Representative Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) today announced that an aggressive plan to immediately create jobs for Michigan residents is moving forward, and now heads to the House floor for a vote. The “Hire Michigan First” plan will ensure that Michigan residents get the first crack at jobs created by companies benefiting from state economic development programs or tax breaks. The plan will also crack down on companies that hire undocumented workers by canceling their state contracts and tax incentives.

“In these difficult economic times, we have to stand up for our working families and protect every Michigan job we can,” said Dean, a lead sponsor of the plan. “We have thousands of well-trained, experienced workers who need jobs, and ‘Hire Michigan First’ will create good-paying jobs now for our residents.”

The comprehensive plan will:

• Give preference for tax breaks and other economic development tools to companies that hire the most Michigan residents. This rule would apply to projects handled by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and certain state-funded programs, including the Michigan Economic Growth Authority, the Renaissance Zone Act and several others.
• Require companies that take economic development incentives to report on who they hire to ensure that Michigan residents are put first, encouraging transparency and accountability.
• Crack down on companies that hire illegal immigrants by canceling their state contracts and tax incentives. The plan would also require them to pay back incentives already received and bar them from future contracts.

“This plan puts our highly qualified workers at the front of the line when it comes to getting hired by companies receiving state incentives,” Dean said. “When a company benefits from tax breaks and economic development grants, Michigan residents – not residents from other states – should reap the rewards of new jobs that are created.”