10 point Jobs Plan for the Muskegon Area

Marcia Hovey-Wright, Candidate for State Representative 92nd District

  1. Encourage and facilitate the diversification of local companies into the production of:

    • Wind Turbines
    • Medical devices
    • Defense equipment
    • Aerospace manufacturing

    These diversification opportunities were recommended by the Diversification Summit held in Muskegon in October 2009. Homeland security could be added since the recent bomb threats in Detriot.

  2. Support research and production of alternative and renewable power such as wind turbines for Lake Michigan, sensitive to area tourism, fishing, wildlife, boating, bird migration and shipping.
  3. Expand the use of the bio fuel digesters, utilizing area farm waste for energy production and support the efforts of Fortu advanced battery manufacturing.
  4. Explore and promote the area potential for increases in service related jobs in healthcare, communication, social networking and other growing fields.
  5. Continue the successful Pure Michigan advertising campaign nationwide, promoting tourism in Western Michigan and linking local efforts to the state efforts.
  6. Support a worldwide advertising campaign promoting the location of companies to Western Michigan. We need to promote the access to Lake Michigan for recreation, Michigan Adventure, area festivals, cultural opportunities, local sports teams, the availability of skilled labor, access to shipping and water treatment, and the low cost of housing, to name a few attractions.
  7. Build on the existing retail hub, manufacturing base, tourism and regional leadership in healthcare on the lakeshore and take advantage of the Michigan film production tax breaks by promoting Western Michigan as a site for film production.
  8. Coordinate with MCC and Baker to offer technical courses in film production skills, battery technology, wind turbines, entrepreneurial endeavors and other specialized skills for new area job growth potential. Aggressively pursue training grants for new industries.
  9. Support the transition of the redeveloped SAPPI site as soon as possible to become another industrial or commercial site to restore the jobs lost when they closed.
  10. Provide incentives and/or facilitate local banks lending money to small start-up or expansion of area businesses.