The Recovery Act...Hits Some in Michigan...Friday 20 Nov. up date...

In Michigan there is no shortage in governmental stimulus fund awards--to SOME
agencies / areas.

however...as seen in the first Section 1512 reports due on October 10, 2009
we discover that stimulus funds saved of created 19,500 jobs through the end of
September.

Just WHERE was the money spent:

...74% of jobs were at schools or related to education
...17% of jobs were related to work force development [summer / fall jobs for under age 24.
...06% of jobs tied to road, sewer & other construction jobs

As of Sept. 30, Michigan had spent approximately $620 M. of the $3.7 B allocated in Fed. Stimulus Funds.

Al well and good, as far as it has gone.  BUT, the big question is still; WHERE are the jobs for laid-off
workers.A recent article in the Detroit Free Press 11 Nov. 2009, a startling analysis was printed on pg. 1A:
...found that the majority of the 1,834 stimulus awards made to MI. recipients created 1 or fewer JOBS
     what is fewer than 1; right 0. pretty sad for our state workers needing jobs.
...only Prime recipients report [sec. 1512] growth> created or retained reported, but NOT explained

   a. $3.6  B. award > $920 M received > 22,316.66 Jobs created / retained. 
   b. $190 M.award > $8.6 M  received >     197.2   Jobs created / retained
   c. $1.4  B award  > $318 M received >         0     Jobs created / retained.

Can anyone fault those looking for & needing jobs questioning our State Legislature?
Some of the "job estimates" actually were job "projections" rather than jobs created / retained.

The fact that most of the funds [stimulus awards] went to Education or related fields does not help
our workers and family Bread-winners unless they are in those fields; Nor does that help all the small
Business owners who are struggling to stay in business as well as trying to retain their workers.

Education is Important--as an ex-teacher, I would hardly state anything different, BUT--as important as those positions are, Research can also be funded through the Endowment and Alumni Funds; Teachers are quite capable of handling larger class sizes than some are willing to admit ; however, the MEA & MFT do
NOT agree; Learning is vital to all of us no matter the age; the Younger the learner, the Greater NEED for the Best Teacher. But, again, how well can these students learn when their families are torn apart by the unemployment woes; or the imminent loss of a Business, or the, sometimes, resultant Divorce within their individual family life.

Housing is greatly affected by all of this:
...unemployment
...under-employment
...loss of Personal Business
...separation of Spouses
...divorce of spouses

Sellers cannot Sell their Homes easily; or worse, they find themselves in the position of SS or Foreclosure
Buyers, even in this Buyer's Market, either do not have the needed financial solvency to fulfill their Mortgage Responsibility, or have NOT planned for all the expenses of Home Ownership.

We as REALTORS see many if not all of the situations; MI, among 6 Other States, sees MOST of the Bad, Ugly & Sad effect of this Economy.
Though a 'Jobs Summit" is planned for December in D.C.; what we need right now [ to quote the mantra of D.C.] is the stimulus funds to be utilized for those who supply Jobs for our Michigan workers. NOW.
What we don't need is another Discussion Group--Just look around Folks, save the car fare, air fare, or wear & tear of such a trip; Just LOOK at the "Sad 7 States" and all the others, and listen to the 'simple folk' who say: MI. remove the Small Business Tax [ for 2 years at least]; rescind or lessen the "tax promises / credits" offered / promised to other Country or State Companies to move to MI. ; use the stimulus funds already received for bolstering our Businesses already here.

Now, I would be remiss if I did not report that Michigan State University has reported that they will direct about $8 M in funds toward assisting more than 8,000 MSU students who lost state support.
...for this school year 2009-2010, MSU will grant $1,000 to more than 2,000 freshmen & sophomore students with the greatest need; the remaining 6,000 + qualifying underclassmen will receive one-time grants of $500.00.  Funds will also be used toward a reduction of spring semester tuition of $5.00 per credit hour on a one-time basis for all resident undergraduate students.

Let's hear it for MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.!      

Another Good for our State:
...the promoted "Community Conversations" gatherings sponsored by Ann Arbor-based Center for Michigan.
...these will be utilized to gather opinions / suggestions from residents to move Michigan forward.
...the Michigan Chamber of Commerce , The Michigan Chamber Foundation has a web site "Great Ideas for Michigan"  go to Michigan.gov to redirect.  Read, watch & when ready Give a suggestion. Who knows maybe one of your ideas will be implemented to 'move MI. forward'   

Things are Looking Up here at Home In Michigan; Many wishes that this is just the beginning of many more good things to come.


       
Friday 20 Nov. The Detroit News / front page article by Karen Bouffard [ Promise Scholarship cuts}
...she lists the following:
Saginaw Valley, Ferris join MSU in paying for Freshmen / Sophomore students = Fall Term; MSU as above
U Of M, U-M Dearborn, Central MI = cover cost for Fall term /highest needs / Pell grant students 
Lake Superior U. = pay 1/2 cost for all Promise students 
Western MI U, Grand Valley State U. & Oakland U = not covering the loss of Promise grant
Wayne St. U, Eastern U, & U-M Flint - considering options
Northern MI U = interest -free loans
Michigan Tech U = no response

Some help for some students in some other Universities !

STILL, where are the jobs for our displaced workers?