By By ANDY HAMILTON / Dowagiac Daily News
NILES – Judy Truesdell didn't wait long.
Just hours after election results were made official in the Republican primary race for Michigan's 78th congressional district, Truesdell unveiled an economic plan in her new campaign headquarters in downtown Niles.
If elected, the same building at 207 N. Second St. would serve as the Niles Democrat's constituent services center, Truesdell said.
"Today I will unveil plans to help create jobs and jump-start Michigan's economy," Truesdell told a crowd of about 20 people.
Truesdell said middle class and working families continue to struggle while corporations outsource jobs and get "a free ride from tax breaks supported by our status quo Legislature."
At the same time Truesdell was announcing her plan, lawmakers in Lansing voted to repeal Michigan's Single Business Tax. According to a story in Tuesday's The Detroit News, the tax will now be eliminated at the end of 2007 instead of in 2009.
The measure to end the Single Business Tax was brought to the Legislature by petition. Gov. Jennifer Granholm does not have the authority to veto the decision because the repeal came in the form of a citizens initiative.
The Senate voted 22-16 along party lines and the House 64-36 to pass the proposal.
Michigan's Single Business Tax provides the state with $1.9 billion in revenue. Republicans did not offer plans on how to replace the income.
Some Republicans, including Truesdell's opponent, Neal Nitz, R-Baroda, have referred to the tax as a job killer.
Truesdell offered a job creation plan that would provide tax breaks to "companies that create good-paying jobs right here at home in the 78th District and elsewhere in our state."
To be eligible, businesses would have to pay above the industry standard and offer health care for their employees.
In return, Truesdell said her plan would provide qualified companies with a "credit for a new employee equal to half of the income tax generated by the new employee for one year."
Also part of the plan was reducing the personal property tax for businesses investing in new high tech equipment or adding new jobs, Truesdell said. A "broad view" needs to be taken in order to find a way for the personal property tax break to work alongside the single business tax, she said.
Truesdell's plan also called for adequately funding the Michigan Economic Development Corporation so the organization is able to support the state's unemployed. The economic development corporation was responsible for attracting Google to the state and could provide more jobs if properly funded, she said.
"MEDC is the main engine of job creation and economic growth in our state," Truesdell said. "We need to grow our existing businesses by working with MEDC offices, looking into State of Michigan contracts as they become available for bids."
The final part of Truesdell's economic plan proposed monetary incentives for students in Michigan majoring in "high growth, high tech fields." Students studying in fields such as biomedicine and computer science, and who accept their first job in Michigan and stay for five years, would pay zero interest on student loans, Truesdell said.
"They work there for five years and that interest goes away," she said.
Truesdell also said her plan would provide students who complete two years of college, community college or technical training with $4,000.
"These are critical investments in our workforce and our state and I will fight hard to make them happen," Truesdell said.
Truesdell ran unopposed in Tuesday's primary election. She will now face Nitz in the November 7 general election. Nitz defeated Bill Baber and Bruce Hipshear in the Republican primary.