Economy

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Economy
Rebekah knows that Michigan faces daunting economic challenges due to an evolving manufacturing sector and global economy, but she believes that if we are to compete in the market of tomorrow, we need to see these current challenges as an opportunity to reinvent and transform our economy. In her first term as state representative, Rebekah prioritized efforts to cultivate entrepreneurship, diversify our economy, and grow the creative and high-tech industries that will re-establish Michigan as a center for innovation and prosperity, and she will continue to work toward these goals in her next term.

	To equip Michigan’s workers with the tools they need to be successful in our changing economy, Rebekah supported the No Worker Left Behind program, which provides unemployed Michiganders free tuition for training in emerging industries and entrepreneurship. She also promoted legislation that supports Michigan’s growing health care industry by providing more opportunities for nursing education.
	As Co-Chair of the bi-partisan Bio-Tech Caucus, Rebekah has advanced innovative approaches to encouraging life science and bio-tech companies, and despite difficult budgetary times, maintained her strong support for Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) grants to support entrepreneurship and start-ups. At the same time, she has co-sponsored House Bills 4616, 4617, and 4618 to lift the ban on embryonic stem cell research and create opportunities for economic growth within our world-renowned medical community.
	As a member of the Tax Policy Committee, Rebekah worked to replace the revenue lost from the recently repealed Single Business Tax (SBT) with the new Michigan Business Tax (MBT), which better rewards investments in capital and Michigan job creation and research and development. Committed to preserving a high quality of life in our state, she has also held strong to her belief that we must not cut our way out of budgetary challenges, but rather continue to build those programs that invest in our people and diversify our economy. Read two of Rebekah’s no vote explanations related to 2007 budget cuts.

Looking Ahead

Rebekah believes that we can no longer afford to wait to prioritize the funding of policies that both help our citizens today and also ensure our fiscal health into the future. As state representative, she has worked hard to transition Michigan’s economy while putting people first. In her second term, she will continue to support innovation and development that will revitalize our state:

	Protecting workers’ rights to organize and strike.
	Developing and enforcing work-safety standards and expanding workplace right-to-know laws.
	Penalizing corporations that are repeat offenders of workers’ rights, consumer protections laws, and environmental standards.
	Investing in education and job training programs, prioritizing job creation.
	Expanding the Emerging Business Fund, which will provide critical assistance to high-tech firms working to turn research conducted at Michigan universities into commercial products.
	Expanding the Venture Michigan Fund to give technology start-ups in the Technology Tri-Corridor access to the venture capital they need to become successful job producing businesses.
	Partnering with labor and business to move Michigan forward.
	Increasing the Small Business Growth Fund to give our small and medium-sized firms—the engines of so much of Michigan’s job growth—access to the capital they need to create new business and employment opportunities.

Paid for by Rebekah Warren for State Representative, 234 8th St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Christine Green, Treasurer.