LANSING – Washtenaw County Democrats today blasted Senate Republicans for turning their backs on Michigan workers by gutting the state's 21st Century Jobs Fund amid an unprecedented fiscal and jobs crisis, cutting nearly 2,500 jobs in WashtenawCounty – more than any other area in the state.
"Michigan has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation," said State Representative Pam Byrnes (D-LyndonTownship). "It makes absolutely no sense to cut job-creation efforts and still expect to attract investment in our state. This misguided plan will cut the high-tech jobs fueling growth in Michigan. We can afford to lose the highly talented WashtenawCounty workforce needed to move Michigan forward."
The Senate Republican plan passed Wednesday slashes almost $300 million from the 21st Century Jobs Fund – a critical tool that helps diversify Michigan's economy by sparking new investment that creates high-tech, good-paying jobs for our workers. The 21st Century Jobs Fund and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation played a major role in luring Google to move part of its company to Ann Arbor earlier this year.
"Investing in job creation is key to jumpstarting Michigan's economy and making our state a magnet for 21st century jobs," said State Representative Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee). "I will fight for our residents to have the kind of economic opportunities they deserve."
The Senate plan eliminates funding for approximately 2,437 jobs in WashtenawCounty. The projects cut in WashtenawCounty include:
· Ann Arbor SPARK, which is an high-tech development firm that would create 390 new jobs through a 21st Century Jobs Fund grant of $8 million.
· Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc., an alternative energy firm that would create 738 new jobs through a grant of $974,999.
· Michigan Venture Capital Association, which would create 600 jobs through a grant of $2.1 million.
"These cuts affect numerous projects at the University of Michigan, including a homeland security initiative that would add 200 jobs," Byrnes said. "Companies locate in areas with pools of highly educated workers. These cuts will damage Ann Arbor's reputation as a first-class hub for research and development."
"Decimating our state's job-creation investment will send Michigan backwards," said State Representative Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem). "The purpose of the 21st Century Jobs Fund is to invest in the future of our workers, and I will fight to make sure funding for these projects is restored."