Rick Snyder in 2013 Governor's State of the State speeches
On Corporations:
Pure Michigan Business Connect: match-making for purchasing
On the jobs front, I want to mention a program that many people don't know about. It's called Pure Michigan Business Connect. It was an idea that I just viewed as common sense.What's the concept? It's not about the government spending money, it's
about asking Michiganders to do more business with Michiganders. Simply doing match-making. Getting people signed up and working together.
We started it a couple years ago, on the buying side, in terms of purchasing more with our two big utilities.
Happened on the lending side with two banks. Since 2010, there has been over $800 million more purchasing done in the state of Michigan than was otherwise done and there has been almost $2 billion of additional loans made in the last two years because
of these programs.
It's going so well and so exciting that I was proud yesterday to announce that Ford and Chrysler are also joining the program. Let's keep this going; let's get Michiganders buying more from Michiganders, because that's more jobs.
Source: 2013 State of the State Speech to Michigan Legislature
Jan 16, 2013
On Families & Children:
Healthy Kids Dental: coverage for 440,000 kids in need
One area we did that I am really proud of is Healthy Kids Dental. It's about giving kids in need better dental coverage. We now have over 440,000 people in Michigan in this program. But, I am proud to say in this current budget year we are adding another
90,000 and we should just continue until we get all the kids in Michigan covered in some fashion, because materially, it affects their life. But, thank you for adding those extra 90 thousand kids. It will make a difference in their lives.
Source: 2013 State of the State Speech to Michigan Legislature
Jan 16, 2013
On Free Trade:
Took 24 attempts to get New International Trade Crossing
Huge infrastructure projects are only beginning. The first one, it's a bridge. We are moving forward with the New International Trade Crossing. We are awaiting on a Presidential permit, but it's a great opportunity. There are no taxpayer dollars
involved. A huge accomplishment of something that had been 40 years in the making, this was attempt 24, and success happened. It is known as the Regional Transit Authority for Southeastern Michigan and it was a great effort of people working together
Source: 2013 State of the State Speech to Michigan Legislature
Jan 16, 2013
On Health Care:
Get communities more involved in mental health courts;
On Mental Health: We need to do better. We started investing in that and we've done some good work with mental health courts. But, the issue is, we should be doing more to help people before they show up before a judge.
So what I am saying, we need to work together in partnership.
We'll put additional budget resources towards, but we need to partner on coming up with great demonstration budgets on how to engage mental health issues more effectively.
And get communities more involved creating more public/private partnerships and take care of people that deserve better attention that will benefit all of us. So, let's work on mental health.
Source: 2013 State of the State Speech to Michigan Legislature
Jan 16, 2013
On Homeland Security:
There is a cost to sending our military into harm's way
In April of last year, I made a trip to Kuwait and Afghanistan. On that trip, it was one of the most moving trips of my entire life. It was special to see the service that these fine people give our country. One special thing happened: I was on Forward
Operating Base, Kunduz, in Afghanistan. It was with the 125th Infantry, a Michigan National Guard Unit. When I arrived they asked me to do a re-enlistment ceremony. So, I had the opportunity to swear people in to re-enlist in the
United States Military, in the Michigan National Guard on the Forwarding Operating Base in harm's way. To give you some perspective, we had well over 1,000 Michiganders serve and come back this year, and there is a cost and we need to understand that.
This last year we lost nine service people that were Michiganders. So, I think it is only fitting that we send out thoughts and prayers at anyone in the Armed Services and all their families.
Source: 2013 State of the State Speech to Michigan Legislature
Jan 16, 2013
On Local Issues:
Reform no-fault auto insurance: We have largest claims in US
About auto insurance. In terms of no-fault, in terms of claims coming in, the severity of claims, we far exceed every other state in how expensive our claims are. The average claim in Michigan is $44,000. The next two states are $17,000 and $10,000.
That leads to high auto insurance costs for our citizens.It's time for some reforms, folks. And, the two reforms I am talking about are first we should reform no-fault. It is time to do that in a thoughtful way.
The second one is in the area of insurance fraud. We should create an Insurance Fraud Authority to address issues there, so that we can bring benefits to our citizens.
The insurance industry and the financial service industries continue to be
more and more important in Michigan. Because of that, I have signed an Executive Order to create the Department of Insurance and Financial Services and I think it's a great opportunity.
Source: 2013 State of the State Speech to Michigan Legislature
Jan 16, 2013
Page last updated: Dec 05, 2018