What to expect and what people are hoping to hear...
IRON MOUNTAIN -- Michigan's unemployment rate has more than doubled since Governor Granholm took office in 2003. Wednesday evening, she'll deliver her final State of the State Address in Lansing, and you can bet that jobs will be high on her priority list.
I posed the same question to both Tony Retaskie, Executive Director of the U.P. Construction Council and Tom Casperson, Deputy Chair of the Republican Party: In one word, what is the state of the state?
Retaskie: "Crisis."
Casperson: "Hope."
Michigan's 14.6 percent unemployment rate is the highest in the nation. When the Governor delivers her upcoming State of the State Address, both men are hopeful that she has a plan to bring some jobs back to Michigan.
"Well, I'm hoping that we have some job growth and industry growth. Again, I have to refer back to construction, because that's my forte, and I certainly hope that we have more jobs for our construction workers. Right now in the construction industry, across the state of Michigan, we're at a 30 to 60 percent unemployment rate," said Retaskie.
"At the end of the day, if we can clear this deficit up, we certainly can then, from there, start reforming and rebuilding the state of Michigan and its whole business environment and drawing people here, back to Michigan," agreed Casperson.
The Governor has, of course, reached her term limit. I asked both gentlemen which political party will best lead Michigan in the next administration?
"I don't have a formed opinion. I just hope that the next governor has some insight into bringing back business and job creation to Michigan," Retaskie said.
"I believe the Republican philosophy is to limit government, limit the scope of government, and leave the people make more decisions for themselves," Casperson said.
Which approach will Governor Granholm take Wednesday evening? Will she express that Michigan is in a crisis situation or one of hope?
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