Lieutenant Governor Talks Jobs with Livingston County Republicans

According to Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Michigan has $5.6 billion less debt than it did a year ago, thanks to tightening the belt in state spending.

This was just one of the topics that Calley addressed at the Livingston County Republicans' 52nd Annual Lincoln Dinner on Wednesday night. About 160 elected officials, candidates and Republican Party supporters gathered at Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Howell.

The night included dinner, drinks, introductions for 2012 Republican candidates seeking office and remarks from keynote speaker, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley.

Spirits were high, with rounds of applause and cheering interrupting Calley's remarks on Michigan's spending reduction and job creation several times.

Calley said that in order to make jobs, you should know where jobs come from. He cited the Edward Lowe Foundation, which tracks economic activity across the state and country.

According to the Edward Lowe Foundation, the only job growth in Michigan in the 2000s was from the growth and expansion of companies already here - a fact Calley stated in his speech.

"And yet, all of our economic development strategies since 1997 have been focused on trying to get somebody to relocate here," he said. "We've spent literally billions of dollars on special deals using incentives to try and get somebody to come in. I think after 15 years, it's safe to say that it was a spectacular failure. We were chasing gimmicks in our economic development efforts."

Calley said the government abandoned that strategy in favor of creating a level, simple and fair playing field for everybody.

Calley said according to the Tax Foundation, Michigan has jumped from the 49th ranking for best corporate tax system in the nation to seventh best in the last year.

"Everybody talks about cutting regulations, nobody ever does it," Calley said. "Except as we stand here today, the State of Michigan has over 400 fewer regulations than it did a year ago. We won't be satisfied until that number is measured in the thousands. And as we move forward, what is this going to do? It's going to get us out of the way of the entrepreneur."

Livingston County Republican Chair and Brighton Township Treasurer Lana Theis said Calley's remarks about job growth really struck home with her.

"The growth that Michigan has made - the reduction in debt, the growth in jobs - it's incredible that we're making such huge strides while the rest of the country is faltering," Theis said.

Rep. Bill Rogers (R-Brighton) agreed.

"I just had somebody that was visiting California, and they were actually beating up on this Michigander because of all the publicity out there saying Michigan has done this, done that, they've gone from 49th to seventh in taxation," Rogers said. "California is truly struggling and they want to know what we're doing. Those are just positive signs that we're having an effect."

Rogers said the big banks in New York are sitting up and taking notice of Michigan and its trending policies such as a structural balanced budget, low gimmicks, putting aside money in a rainy day fund and paying down debt.

Rogers said he was happy to hear Calley talk about allowing businesses to grow instead of chasing the next big company from overseas and spending time, money and effort to convince them to relocate.

"That theme was encouraging to hear," he said. "Because coming from the governor's office down, and from our area up, then we can get a lot of support."

Money raised at the Lincoln Dinner goes to fund the Livingston County Republican's efforts in the campaign. For more information, visit www.livingstonrepublicans.com.

Editor's Note: This article has been changed to correct Brighton Township Treasurer Lana Theis' position.