Posted on 02/27/2008 5:52:26 AM PST by absolootezer0
House Dems' Plan Protects Jobs, Puts Michigan Workers First 'Hire Michigan First' plan rewards businesses that hire Michigan workers, cracks down on companies that exploit illegal workers
— August 13, 2007 LANSING –
In a move to reward companies that hire Michigan workers, State Representative Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) today announced an aggressive job-creation plan that gives priority for economic development projects to companies that employ 100 percent Michigan workers. The "Hire Michigan First" initiative also cracks down on the practice of hiring illegal immigrants and prohibits businesses that violate these guidelines from receiving tax breaks or future state contracts.
"When companies take advantage of tax breaks or state economic development programs, Michigan workers deserve the first crack at those jobs," Miller said. "Michigan tax dollars should not fund grants or tax incentives for businesses that hire people from other states and countries when Michigan residents have the training and expertise and need those jobs. Michigan families have been hit hard by outsourcing and downsizing, and every scarce state dollar should be used to create jobs here in Michigan."
The "Hire Michigan First" plan:
Gives companies that hire 100 percent Michigan workers priority in the awarding of tax breaks and other economic development tools. This rule would apply to projects handled by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and certain state-funded programs, including the Strategic Fund Act, Transportation Economic Development Fund, Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act and the 21st Century Jobs Fund.
Requires companies that take economic development incentives to report on who they are hiring to ensure that Michigan workers are put first, encouraging transparency and accountability.
Requires businesses with contracts for construction of state buildings to hire 100 percent of their workers from Michigan, strengthening the current requirement of 50 percent.
Cracks down on companies that exploit illegal immigrant workers by canceling their state contracts and tax incentives. The plan would require them to pay back incentives already received and bar them from future contracts.
"Michigan has the best workers in the nation," Miller said. "Michigan middle class families are being squeezed from every direction, and we need to stand by them during rough economic times. We must do everything we can to ensure that taxpayer money rewards the hiring of Michigan workers, not people from out of state or illegal immigrants. By investing in Michigan workers, we're investing in the future of our state."
So, opinions? I don't immediately see anything really bad about this plan.
MI Ping
I don’t see anything wrong either but I’m sure some Neo-con will be along shortly to tell you how bad it is. I don’t know the reason yet but I’m sure we’ll find out shortly.
This is a "Pay not attention to the man behind the curtain" program.
If the Dems were serious about reviving Detroit, they should allow the car makers declare for bankruptcy. Until that happens, Detroit is going to be a drag on the Michigan economy...
For example, think of what kind of mischief they can do by using this as a targeted program to "help" well-connected cronies loot the taxpayers' money. It is not a proposal for a tax break that applies equally to all employers who hire only Michigan residents. Rather, the government will decide who gets the benefits, as they have stated:
This rule would apply to projects handled by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and certain state-funded programs, including the Strategic Fund Act, Transportation Economic Development Fund, Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act and the 21st Century Jobs Fund.
In that respect, it is exactly like the "Minority and Woman-owned" business subsidy and set-aside scam...
The potential problem I see is with the interstate commerce clause. If a worker from Indiana or Wisconsin is barred from competing for the jobs of a Michigan based company, it might not pass constitutional muster. I don’t have any problem with the penalties for hiring illegals, but unless Michigan seceded from the Union and didn’t tell anybody, I doubt the exclusion of workers from other states is going to hold up.
Giving small business an incentive to follow the law, simply requires someone else to pay for it!
Nothing for free.
No, it sounds good, just like protective tariffs sound good, unless you understand the long term negative effects of messing with the free market.
For example, pro-union people say that unions are why wages are higher (than they would be otherwise). Studies have shown, however, that unions have been such a drag on our economy that, had it been allowed to grow unencumbered, wages would be about 10% higher than union scale.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Since it is clear that tax breaks, et al are going to be used by states/municipalities anyway, this seems like a good way to use them.
Neoconservatism is a political philosophy that emerged in the United States from the rejection of social liberalism, being the idea that society must protect liberty and opportunity for all citizens, and the New Left counterculture of the 1960s. It influenced the Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and the George W. Bush presidential administrations, representing a re-alignment in American politics, and the defection of liberals to the right-hand side of the political spectrum.[1] One accomplishment was "to make criticism from the Right acceptable in the intellectual, artistic, and journalistic circles where conservatives had long been regarded with suspicion."[1] Neoconservatism emphasizes foreign policy as paramount responsibility of government, seeing the need for the U.S. acting as the world's sole superpower as indispensable to establishing and maintaining global order.[2]
Have a nice day sir
It will add billions to the cost of everything.
A friend of mine owns a construction company that does nothing but tunnel under roadways. Based in MI but he has employees in half a dozen states that all travel to the jobs.
He can’t just hire new MI workers to do all the MI jobs every time he is in this state. Its a moron sponsored law!
Michigan's problem is a lack of jobs all across their economy, outside of the Medical field. This has come about from businesses fleeing the state because of taxes and regulation. Anything that reinforces that image of Michigan is an impediment to business growth. Restaurant's, movie theaters, fast food and convenience stores don't care if Acme manufacturing employs Michigan workers first. They need "people" working and ready to spend in their facilities.
This is another example of the Democrats not getting basic economics. If a business comes in and brings 100 employees with it, that business is going to provide the economic stimulus to support 300 or more employees in businesses already there.
Michigan is being run by economic idiots and their decline over the past 50 years shows it.
It’s not a simple enough plan. I don’t think much of it because I’m suspicious of it. It’s probably just for appearances sake. The idea being to show that they’re trying.
Interesting that you would quote E. J. Dionne, a far-left NPR commentator and Washington Post writer who is on the staff of the leftist Brookings Institution, for your definition of "Neoconservatism".
Would you also quote Josef Stalin or Karl Marx for your definition of capitalism?
i think it’d pass interstate commerce muster because it doesn’t “ban” out of state business, just gives preference to in-state.
He answered your question rather well I thought and you don’t have the cajones to comment? If you don’t see anything wrong with a state compelling a business to hire 100% of its employees from there I hope you don’t have an illness that requires the services of a doctor who resides in another state.
But I can see you’re just here to troll, how you lasted on FR for this long is a puzzle.
i think the retro-active penalty is only for hiring illegals.
that’s my favourite part of the plan.
That was actually Wikipedia but nice try
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