A Few Words with Governor Granholm

Nov. 1, 2006

Editors Note: Current Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm took 30 minutes off the campaign trail to answer questions.
Her opponent Dick DeVos declined to be interviewed or to respond to questions. Of note, DeVos also recently declined to answer questions from the Michigan Press Association on his stance on the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act.

Governor Jennifer Granholm has several firsts to her credit, including the first female elected as Michigan’s Attorney General. Four years ago she was elected as the first female Governor of Michigan. Now she is looking not to become the first Governor in Michigan in 45 years to win a second term of office.
Her challenger Dick DeVos, son of Amway co-founder Richard DeVos has mounted a campaign that has made this election tighter than most political pundits had predicted. Much of the campaign has been marred by negative commercials filled with personal attacks. While the tone of the political commercials is frustrating for Granholm, she has this advice for voters.
“I suggest turning off your television until after the campaign is over with. Yes I am frustrated by the negative ads and false statements as are the voters, but unfortunately, it is how the political game is played today. I believe Michigan voters are savvy enough to see through all of this. My suggestion is to take the time to research the facts. I have laid out in great detail on My Jobs Plan at my website.

THE BLAME GAME
When asked about her claims by her opponent and the Republican leadership that her “lack of leadership” is to blame for Michigan’s challenged economy, she suggests otherwise.
“It is no secret that our economy has been built around the automotive industry. The Governor has no control over international trade agreements or the changing global economy. I have taken a leadership role in economic development in this state and those efforts are starting to payoff. We have companies like Google and Toyota creating jobs here. Other companies have decided to stay here versus moving jobs away. There is a lot of work still to be done but there are several indicators to show that we are on the right track.
Granholm chooses her words carefully when prodded further about how cooperative the Republican state House and Senate have been in furthering an economic agenda. Asked if the Republican leadership ever came to her office after she was elected to discuss economic development strategies she responded:
“They were slow to respond and I had to go to them. They certainly sent me pieces of legislation to serve their political agenda in the early days. I think we are past that and I have worked diligently with both sides of the aisle to put forward my 21st Jobs Fund.
The $3.8 billion Jobs Today initiative is putting tens of thousands of Michigan citizens to work by accelerating 10 years of road and bridge construction work, nursing home improvement and pollution cleanup projects.
So I mean it when I say I will go anywhere and do anything to create jobs
and bring business to Michigan and that includes meeting with Honda executives when I was in Japan.”

YOUTH FLIGHT
NE: What about young professionals leaving the state?
Granholm: “It is a concern and we have been working hard on this. We started with the Cool Cities initiatives, because we know that quality of life is a driving factor in where young professionals choose to live. Now we have just awarded the first round the 21st Century Jobs Fund initiative to 61 companies including Tellurex in Traverse City. All of these companies are going to be hiring.”

NE: Northern Michigan’s economy has been reliant on tourism and agriculture -- two of the top three economic drivers in the state. Your website mention little about either of these two industry’s. Tourism in particular is hurting throughout the state has your administration overlooked this industry?
Granholm: “When I took office tourism promotion funding had already reached an all time low in this state. Having inherited a fiscal mess there just was not funding available in the first years of my administration to fund tourism promotion at a level that is necessary. I agree with the industry that we need 30 million dollars annually to promote it. So without money in the budget I went on the road personally each spring bringing the media with me to promote the hidden gems in Michigan. Then last year, I worked to get additional funding and we have launched a media campaign that has been working. I was in Chicago for meetings and riding up the freight elevator of the Sears Tower and the operator said to me: ‘So you are the Governor of Michigan.org,’ he told me the commercials made him want to come to Michigan.”

NE: What about agriculture?
Granholm: “Certainly the wine industry in Michigan is an example that new markets are opening for commodity crops. I am also pleased with the work we have been doing with alternative energy. In fact the vehicle I am driving around in during the campaign is promoting agri-energy. Several ethanol facilities are opening around the state, so I think it looks very promising for our agricultural industry as alternative energy markets open up, but also I see several opportunities in small family farm opportunities such as the wine industry, organic farming and agri-tourism.”

NE: You have talked a lot about health care and developing a plan to get all Michigan’s covered. How do you plan to accomplish this?
Granholm: “We are developing a plan modeled after the one in Massachusetts. It will be the first universal plan offered in Michigan. We are still working out the details with various federal agencies but I want to emphasize this will be a program administered through the private sector. Right now those that are insured are paying higher premiums to offset the costs for those that are not insured. By moving in the direction of insuring everyone premiums should lower. Also this type of plan will reward personal responsibility, those that make healthy choices and we need to work to encourage all residents to make healthy decisions.”

NE: One topic that has not been discussed is the corrections/prison system in Michigan. In some states the corrections budget has exceeded the education budget. In Michigan our prison population is nearing 60,000 of which 42,000 are classified as non-violent offenders. The corrections budget is the only one in the State that has not been cut has your administration looked at Corrections and programs to reduce the prison population and budget?
Granholm: “Last year for the first time 25 years the corrections budget didn’t increase. We have not seen an increase in the prison population and we have actually been able to close prisons. I am also pleased with the Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative we have developed. It is the best in the country.”

NE: Okay so do you have an IPod and if so what is on it and do you have a campaign theme song?
Granholm: “Yes I have an IPod and my song list is pretty eclectic with everything from Andrea Bocelli to Motown to the Black Eyed Peas. Our campaign theme song is ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot.’”



Family planning services expanded for low income women
A new state program called Plan First! will expand subsidized family planning services to about 200,000 more women statewide. The program is targeted at low-income women of childbearing age.
Plan First! will ensure that more women get an annual gynecological exam, a Pap smear to test for cervical cancer, and an effective birth control method that fits their needs.
Michigan sought a Medicaid waiver from the federal government in order to fund the program. The waiver covers family planning services for women ages 19-44 who are at or below 185% of poverty and not currently pregnant. Participants must reside in Michigan and meet Medicaid citizenship requirements.
Planned Parenthood is currently enrolling women in the preventive health care program.
“Successful contraception is essential,” says Karen Griggs, Planned Parenthood’s director of client services. “Through this Plan First! program, women may choose any FDA approved method of birth control, including intrauterine devices (IUD) and female sterilization.”
Planned Parenthood states that since every public dollar spent on family planning saves at least three dollars in Medicaid costs, this new program will save the state money. The Department of Community Health estimates it could save Michigan as much as $27 million a year if unintended pregnancies are reduced by just 10%. If all pregnancies were planned, the state would also see significant reductions in infant mortality, child abuse, child neglect, and abortion.
Planned Parenthood can provide information on enrolling in the program at their offices in Petoskey and Traverse City.