Tag: Public-Private Partnerships (page 3)

A state fund intended to create 390 Michigan jobs has loaned $7.7 million to 35 companies and created 79 jobs - only 20 percent of the number initially promised.

Ann Arbor SPARK received an $8 million grant in 2006 to create the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, which used $7.7 million of that amount. The grant was awarded as part of the Competitive Edge Technology Grants and Loans program, which exists "to encourage the development of competitive edge technologies to create jobs in the state."

Skip Simms, manager of the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, said in an email, "We saw a need for early stage capital for start-up technology based companies, which the private sector wasn't providing at the time."

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via The Detroit News

Despite a big grin on his face, Gov. Rick Snyder sidestepped questions Tuesday morning about a possible announcement this week on an agreement to build a new bridge to Canada.

Snyder fielded questions about the New International Trade Crossing after speaking at a transportation summit at the Motor City Casino in Detroit.

"There's supposed to be announcement on Friday? I hadn't heard that," teased Snyder. "All I will say is that I'm fully committed to building the NITC because of its importance to the economy of Michigan and Canada."

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Bull. Sh!t!  It's more than obvious that this shady Canadian schemed Public Private Partnership, Chicom and NAFTA entwined goonion labor payola boondoggle Bridge deal being foisted upon U.S. taxpayers by the Governerd, Prince William Clay II, and LaHood just has to reek to high heaven.  Frankly, I'm not so sure anymore that if we all ended up with a Gov Bernero instead of the Ann Arbor Nerd, that 'ol Virg would've been as brazen and as slimy in this unnecessary bridge as Ricky Ardesta is.  As much as I hate to say it, even a lame-duck Jenny the now Wartless wasn't this devious and clandestine when pursuing it as the DRIC.

Lansing- The University of Michigan and Michigan State University could lose millions in state aid next year if they don't  comply with legislative dictates that some view as ideological micromanaging of the state's largest universities.

The Republican-run House higher education appropriations subcommittee approved a plan Friday to withhold $4.78 million in state aid from U-M next year if it fails to report how many human embryonic stem cell lines it has in its research labs.

MSU could lose out on $6.79 million for requiring students to have health insurance, the committee said. Under the label of "performance measures," the panel attached the restrictions to a pool of $36 million in new money for universities.

It is very important to note the following.

Voters authorized a constitutional amendment in 2008 to allow Michigan scientists to create embryonic stem cell lines. But lawmakers included a requirement in the 2012 budget to have researchers file an annual report with a handful of figures, including how many stem cell lines it has created.

The Senate and Gov. Rick Snyder did not include such restrictions in their recommended university spending plans, Boulus said.

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Mr. Snyder acknowledged that the new bridge remains a tough sell in Michigan, where relatively few people understand the vital role the bridge plays in getting U.S. exports to markets in Canada and beyond. The project was first proposed more than five years ago.

The perception in many parts of the state is that the project is a political payoff for the heavily Democratic Detroit area, offering jobs and construction contracts to an economically depressed part of the state.

"This is a very tough project," said Mr. Snyder, who is in Ottawa to speak at a cross-border innovation conference organized by the U.S. embassy and Canada 2020. "I wouldn't underestimate the challenges. But we will get this to happen."

He blamed "special interest politics" for poisoning the debate on the U.S. side.

Certainly that has nothing to do with the $500 million gesture that you begged the Canadians for or your PAC.

"I understand why they're spending the money," he said of the Morouns. "It's economic self-interest. The troubling part is the lack of accuracy in what they represent."

Well, that inaccuracy has always been on the governments behalf, GoverNerd.  It's well documented here.  Simply hit any of the 'Tags'.

Minutes earlier, a substitute bill supported by Democrats, which provided community benefits for the Delray area of southwest Detroit, where the bridge would be located, was voted down, 5-2, on a party-line vote.

On the main bill, Sens. Judy Emmons, R-Sheridan, and Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell, were the only "yes" votes, with Sens. Mike Kowall, R-White Lake Township, Goeff Hansen, R-Hart, and Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek, voting "no."

The vote is also a blow to Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe (YES!), who backs the bridge and pledged to secure the votes to get the bridge bill out of committee.

Thank you to all the No votes that killed this unwanted boondoggle.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is meeting with business representatives in Shanghai today on the third day of his trade mission to China.

Snyder and a delegation of government, university and business officials, who are on an eight-day Asian trade trip with stops in Japan, China and South Korea, flew to Shanghai from Beijing, Snyder spokeswoman Geralyn Lasher said Wednesday in a telephone interview from China.

What?  No Jinhua City?!?!

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce has ended months of neutrality and come out in favor of a new public bridge to Canada backed by Gov. Rick Snyder, chamber President and CEO Rich Studley said Wednesday.

Yessiree.  From the same fine folks at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce that brought you the endorsement of SEIU payola Jason Allen and Randy Richardville, and the same folks that endorsed the five entrenched incumbents on the Wall of Shame that just gave Obama another trillion dollars to campaign with on the left side of the page.