THE 2010 ELECTION
The Race For Governor from page 17
The overall workforce lacks sufficient
education and new economy skills.
How will you address these problems?
Bernero: Strengthening education in
Lansing has always been one of my top
priorities as mayor. We have launched
numerous collaborations between the
city and our schools, including assign-
ing school resource officers from our
police department to help improve
school safety, partnerships to promote
green energy and teach students about
environmental issues, a new shared com-
munity center in an underserved area
of south Lansing and our innovative
Information Technology Empowerment
Center (ITEC), which is a public-private
partnership to engage young people in
learning the technology skills they need
to succeed.
I have always believed that educa-
tion is economic development, and it
must be a top priority in our effort to
return Michigan back to greatness. I
believe in investing in our young people
to ensure they are prepared to succeed
in a new and global economy — which
amounts to a renewed effort to invest in
our human capital. Michigan is only as
strong as its ability to train, educate and
innovate.
Failure is not an option. Lansing was
recently named one of Kiplinger's top
10 Best Places for Young People to Live
In. We must help similarly transform
Michigan cities in order to compete with
places like Chicago, D.C. and New York
and ensure our kids and grandkids can
stay in Michigan.
Snyder: The first priority for state gov-
ernment to help keep youth in Michigan
is to create a business friendly and glob-
ally competitive Michigan, which will
provide the career opportunities young
workers desire. We must also restore our
central cities, especially Detroit, to pro-
vide the quality urban environment that
our youth is seeking.
Retaining our youth is a problem of
special significance for the Detroit Jewish
community since the community's medi-
an age is 49 years old. In order to maintain
the vibrancy of the Jewish community in
Detroit, a community that has produced
so many of our finest leaders and innova-
tors, we need to adopt the right policies to
enable our youth to pursue their careers of
choice, right here in Michigan.
Concerning the preparation of an edu-
cated workforce, I have laid out a detailed
plan for reforming our education system
and ensuring that students are given
the best possible preparation for today's
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October 28 2010
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economy. Michigan's education system
is in need of key reforms. It is vital we
establish a standard set of measurements
to properly evaluate students and ensure
that they receive a full year of education
each and every year.
wide network of Michigan
International Business
Investment Zones (MIBIZ).
Snyder: The top three chal-
lenges facing Michigan are
creating more and better jobs,
fixing Michigan's broken gov-
IN: Some emphasize the
ernment and retaining our
importance of attracting
youth.
and retaining immigrants
Michigan needs to culti-
IN: In 2008, one-third of the world's
to repopulate the region
vate a thriving and globally
venture capital flowed into Israel.
and stimulate entre-
competitive economy with a
While Ohio and other states have built preneurship and small
diverse business base to enable
successful partnerships with Israeli
business. Others argue
job growth and prosperity. I
Snyder's running
companies and established trade
immigrants contribute to mate, State Rep.
have created jobs, built suc-
offices there, the Michigan Economic
Michigan's unemployed
cessful companies and found-
Brian Calley
Development Corporation (MEDC) has and underemployed by
ed economic development
not done so. What, if anything, would
taking jobs they could
programs.
you do to attract Israeli entrepreneurs
have. How big a "welcome
I do not believe it is the
to invest in Michigan?
mat" would you put out
government's responsibility
for immigrants?
to create jobs, but rather to
Snyder: I have been to Israel and actively
create an environment that
worked on strengthening our relation-
Bernero: My father was
allows businesses to start,
ships in venture capital and entrepre-
an Italian immigrant who
grow and thrive. I have a
neurship. I have met with Israeli compa-
came to America looking for
detailed 10-point plan on my
nies and given them advice on how to do
economic opportunity. In
website, www.rickformichigan.
business here. I have relationships with
our house, a strong connec-
com, which details my plans
the leadership of the Michigan Israel
tion to our roots and a love
to eliminate the job-killing
Business Bridge.
for America were instilled in Bernero's running
Michigan Business Tax, enact
As a state, I am certainly in favor of
my brothers and sisters and mate, Southfield
regulatory reforms and create
doing more to promote trade and coop-
me at the same time.
Mayor Brenda
an environment conducive
eration with America's most loyal part-
The generations of
Lawrence
to entrepreneurship and eco-
ners in the Middle East. I have also been
immigrants who came
nomic growth.
a proponent of cultural exchanges, and I
here during the 20th century sought
To reinvent Michigan, we must reinvent
understand that our state's diversity is a
economic opportunity for their families,
state government so that it runs efficient-
strength we need to capitalize on.
but they also made America the most
ly and serves its citizens as customers. I
prosperous nation in the world. Today's
believe we need a new approach to gov-
Bernero: Michigan is blessed with orga-
legal immigrants continue to contribute
erning that is not politically motivated,
nizations, corporations and institutions
to all aspects of American life and our
but solution oriented. As governor, I will
that have extensive contacts with their
economy.
implement "Value for Money" budgeting,
counterparts in Israel. I believe Michigan
Michigan's governor must understand
which provides the citizens of Michigan
can and should have a special relation-
that legal immigrants will help and not
first say in how their tax dollars are spent
ship with Israel, working on two-way
hinder Michigan's economic recovery.
and sets tangible metrics to measure the
trade agreements to spark investments
Michigan is already a multi-ethnic and
success of every state program.
here.
multi-faith society — and we are a richer
Reinventing Michigan is going to
As governor, my MEDC will work with
culturally as a result. I strongly support
require a change of culture and mindset.
organizations like the Michigan Israel
enforcing existing laws to fight illegal
Michigan needs to take action and move
Business Bridge, with companies like
immigration, a path to citizenship and
beyond empty promises and divisiveness.
Guardian Industries and with institu-
bringing the underground economy into
By taking these bold steps, we will create
tions like the Taubman Medical Research the light so we can gain revenue.
a Michigan where are youth are eager to
Institute at the University of Michigan
stay.
to further develop ties with Israeli com-
Snyder: Immigration is important to
panies and researchers and to promote
repopulating and revitalizing Michigan's
Bernero: 1. Obviously, the economy
investment in Michigan by them.
cities. Immigrants play an important role is our biggest challenge. But I will say
As mayor of Lansing, I convinced fed-
in stimulating economic activity and
more specifically, the fact that Wall Street
eral officials to make Michigan's capital
Michigan should make efforts to attract
banks have redlined our small business-
city one of just three EB-5 Regional
immigrants. Nevertheless, immigration
es, and our entrepreneurs do not have
Centers in the state. Also known as an
is primarily a federal matter and not a
access to capital is the biggest obstacle to
International Business Investment Zone
focus of my agenda for Michigan.
job creation in Michigan. I would create
(IBIZ), the EB-5 Regional Center desig-
In order to revitalize our economy,
a Michigan Main Street Bank that would
nation creates a powerful magnet for new Michigan needs to take steps to create
partner with small, Michigan-based
foreign investment in Lansing by offer-
more and better jobs by establishing
lenders to help them extend more private
ing permanent U.S. residency to foreign
an environment that incentivizes job
sector small business loans. This one act
nationals who invest at least $500,000
growth.
could break the credit crunch logjam and
in a new venture that creates at least 10
unleash our entrepreneurs to create hun-
Michigan jobs. As governor, I will work
IN: What are the top three challenges
dreds of thousands of new jobs.
to make every major city in Michigan an
facing Michigan and what will you do
2. To strengthen the economy, we also
EB-5 Regional Center as part of a state-
about them?
need to strengthen education. These
The Race For Governor on page
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