Michigan Governor: A Job Creator Or Job Killer
I often talk about how state politicians can either create a climate in which jobs can be created and hurt or destroy jobs being created by their policies and attitudes towards businesses.
I believe I have found an example in which I can point out my theory.
Governor Snyder and the Republicans tried to do their best in creating an environment in Michigan in which business can thrive and be attracted to come to Michigan. One of those attempts to bring business and jobs to Michigan had to do with an immigrant detention center operator named Immigration Centers of America who had planned to purchase a 46 acre property from the state land bank in Ionia for $785,100. They were going to build a 600-bed detention center for immigrants apprehended on suspicion of entering the country illegally. That company stated it would directly create approximately 225 jobs paying an average $68,000 a year.
The Detroit News has reported that Governor Whitmer has stopped that business from coming here due to 28 new stipulations she has made. One of those stipulations was that she demanded a guarantee from the company that they would only house single adults, and no one could be separated from other family members after they arrived in the United States and Michigan.
The company agreed to most of Governor Whitmer’s demands but they told state officials it has “no operational control or influence over” who is taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement. Thus they could not in good faith agree to that demand. Because of that demand they will no longer be buying the land and building that detention center.
The company was quoted in the article stating:
Further, ICA is not privy to the details of a detainee’s personal life or their immigration proceedings and processes.
Michigan and specifically Ionia can now say good bye to those 225 jobs paying an average salary of $68,000.
This is a situation where a Governor does have an impact on the creation of new businesses in their state as well as the new jobs that would come with that business. I can guarantee you that other companies around the country and world will take note of the attitude that our Governor has when it comes to businesses and the demands and influence that she wants to put on them.
A top aide to Governor Whiter, Jay Rising was quoted in the article stating:
The initial thought would be to assure that the facility is not used to house families or children who have been separated from a family member (or alleged family members) who also were considered or alleged to have unlawfully entered or remained in the country
A spokeswomen for Governor Whitmer told the Detroit News:
The governor believes that building more detention facilities won’t solve our immigration crisis, and she also believes that separating families doesn’t reflect Michigan values
Michigan values, Michigan police officials arrest and separate families every single day in this state, how the Governor squares that with her feelings that separating families does not reflect Michigan values I do not know or can understand.
An Ionia city councilmen, Gordon Kelley, told the news:
I’m disappointed that we weren’t allowed to make the decision…It was taken out of our hands as far as whether or not we had an interest in it
Interesting that Governor Whitmer wants to dictate her terms when it comes to Federal issues but not allow a city in the state of Michigan to have a say about what they want.
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