LANSING – In a move to reward companies that hire Michigan workers, State Representatives Kate Ebli (D-Monroe) and Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee) 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.
"Michigan's working families have been hit hard by outsourcing and the loss of our manufacturing base," Ebli said. "Taxpayer dollars should go toward creating jobs for workers in our state, not elsewhere. When companies take advantage of economic development incentives funded by the state, they have a responsibility to hire locally."
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.
"Our residents have the training and expertise that companies need in our 21st century global economy," Angerer said. "State tax dollars should not be supporting businesses that bypass our highly qualified workers to instead bring in people from other states and countries. We invest in the future of our state when we invest in Michigan workers."