To those who gave so much of themselves – their time, their financial support, their ideas – thank you.  I could not have done it without you.

Thank you as well to families across this district who welcomed me into their homes when I showed up on their doorsteps.  Many of the ideas on which this campaign was based, as well as the motivation for the work I did in Lansing, came out of these conversations.  The connections I formed with strangers willing to take a few minutes out of their busy lives to share their ideas on how to make Michigan a state they can be proud to pass on to their children and grandchildren was a constant source of inspiration, and a reminder that it takes all of us to make our democracy work.

Finally, thank you to the voters of this district for putting their your in me as your State Representative.  Over the past two years I’ve worked hard to make sure your voices were heard in Lansing, to deliver results on the issues that matter most, and to make state government  more efficient, more effective, and more accountable to the people it serves.  While there is always more work to be done, I think we moved the ball forward on each of these challenges. 

Thank you for allowing me the great privilege to serve as your representative in the Michigan House.  It’s an honor I’ll never forget.

As the region’s only House candidate to receive their endorsement, the Record-Eagle praised my “ability to work across the aisle in the bitterly partisan Legislature.”

The Ludington Daily News said I have made myself “more accessible than any state rep in this district in the past two decades. That’s commendable.”

Five out of six local newspapers have made endorsements so far, and all five have endorsed this campaign as they did during the last election.

I’m honored to earn the support of district editorial boards who understand our communities so well. Their support gives us a great boost of momentum as we enter the final days of the campaign.

On to November 2!

I’ve long been a strong supporter of our local wine industry, and as a State Representative I have worked to help continue the growth of Northwest Michigan as a premier wine region. Just yesterday, I was able to bring the chair of the House committee responsible for the budgets for both MSU Extension and the Horticultural Research Station up to Leelanau County to hear first-hand how important the research done at the Station and made available through Extension is to the growth of the industry. And last week, the State House passed a plan I sponsored to allow local wineries that are turning their world-class wines into world-class brandies to offer tastings of these spirits at all of their tasting rooms. This plan will provide much greater access to market for these small distributors, and help grow our local wine and spirits industry.

In addition, I’ve worked to make sure the concerns of our local wine industry are addressed in the debate over wine distribution (a process that is on-going), and I’m working with local and statewide wine makers to develop a long-term strategic plan to ensure the continued health and growth of Michigan wines. Finally, I have been a leader in the effort to encourage our residents to ‘Buy Michigan First,’ including launching an interactive website to help connect small businesses selling Michigan-made products with customers eager to buy them.  (Not coincidentally, one of the highlights of this website is a video with photos of local wines and local tasting rooms!)  There is nobody who is more committed to the success of our local wineries and small businesses than I am, and I will continue to be a strong advocate for their interests moving forward.

We’re fortunate in Northwest Michigan to have a great and growing local wine industry. It’s one of the things that makes this area so special. And I look forward to maintaining my push for policies that will help this home-grown industry continue to grow!

While there is no question that this devastating recession has hit Michigan’s working families hard, there is solid evidence that our efforts to make Michigan a global center for clean energy production and innovation are starting to pay off.

Last year, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth released the state’s first-ever Green Jobs Report, which showed that more than 100,000 of our state’s residents are already in working in Michigan’s Green Economy.

And just yesterday, Business Facilities Magazine ranked Michigan No. 3 in the country as an alternative energy leader, noting that “hardly a week goes by without a major piece of ‘green’ news from the Wolverine State.”

In a sign of the changing Michigan economy, Michigan is actually ranked higher as an alternative energy leader than our ranking for automotive manufacturing strength! Now there is no question that we need a stronger automotive sector for our state to get back on its feet and for Michigan’s working families to have more economic security (and there has recently been some good news on that front), but these examples underscore the fact that our efforts to diversify Michigan’s economy are working.

A recent report on wind manufacturing in America shows that manufacturing jobs in the wind industry have grown from 2,500 jobs in 2004 to 18,500 jobs in 2009 – and the American Wind Energy Association has labeled Michigan “a manufacturing powerhouse” in wind energy.

These studies are backed up by the conclusions from the Green Jobs Report. From 2005 to 2008, when the overall Michigan economy shrank by a rate of 5.4%, job creation in Michigan’s Green Economy actually increased by 7.7%, and job creation in the renewable energy sector grew by an incredible 30% during that time!

And that’s true here in Northwest Michigan as well. It was only a few years ago that MasTech Manufacturing in Manistee was facing an uncertain future. Now, as a result of a partnership with Windspire Energy, it’s a recognized leader in residential-scale wind installation. And the success of the MasTech/ Windspire partnership has helped bring laid-off workers at Ludington’s Whitehall Industries back to work. What’s more, MasTech attracted Amptech into the Manistee Industrial Park, helping to create a critical mass of local businesses working together on this project – and creating jobs for local workers in the process. And companies like Contractors Building Supply in Copemish have taken advantage of increased demand for these “Made in Michigan” clean energy devices to grow their business as well. Add to that the Consumers Energy wind project in Mason County and Duke Energy’s interest in Manistee and Benzie counties, and it’s clear that clean energy is already playing a major role in building Michigan’s economy of the future – and creating good-paying jobs for Michigan workers today!

We’re at a crossroads – a defining moment. Clean energy represents a bright spot in our troubled economy, and over the last two years we’ve made progress. But there is much, much more work to be done. We’ve got to get Michigan back to work, and I look forward to working with people across Northwest Michigan and across the state to make that happen.

Today’s election – where Michigan voters will choose nominees for State Representative and a number of other races – gives us an opportunity to make our voices heard.  Polls are open today from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

You can find more information about today’s election, including the location of your polling place, at the Michigan Voter Information Center.
 
See you at the polls!

In response, I joined my colleagues in the House more than a year ago in voting for legislation that would extend unemployment benefits to Michigan workers enrolled in training and education programs, helping to make sure that these workers don’t have to choose between taking care of their families today and getting the skills they’ll need to build a better future.

Importantly in this era of tight budgets, no state money would be used to pay for this extension. Instead, we would be able to use $138 million in federal money to provide our unemployed workers with temporary assistance while they’re getting the new skills they need to reenter the workforce and build a new career.

Unfortunately, more than a year later, the Michigan Senate still hasn’t moved on this important legislation. That’s right: with one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation and 641,000 Michigan residents without work, our State Senate has failed to act while Michigan workers are struggling. Worse, because this is federal funding used to pay for these benefits in states that have taken action, we’re actually sending our tax dollars to train workers in other states.

It’s hard to justify the Senate’s refusal to take advantage of this opportunity on any level, but one thing stands out. We hear a lot of talk about the need to diversify Michigan’s economy. For too long, we as a state have put all our eggs in one basket, and the fact that two of the Big Three went through the bankruptcy process last year should serve as a wake-up call, a blaring reminder that we can’t afford to continue down the same path. Worker retraining represents a golden opportunity to diversify Michigan’s outstanding workforce and give them the skills they need to lead the world in emerging economic sectors like renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and advanced battery technologies. The fact we can use $138 million in federal money to help our working families make this transition is even better.

I’ll continue to stand up for the hard-working families that make Michigan great. It’s time for the Michigan Senate to do the same.

In addition, you can also take the Ten Buck Pledge, where local residents commit to putting $10 of their weekly budget toward buying Michigan-made goods and services. If we each spent just $10 a week on Michigan products – instead of those from other states and countries – we would inject tens of millions of dollars back into Michigan’s economy every week.

Efforts like this, where each of us commits to doing our part, can have a major impact in turning our economy around and creating jobs for Michigan workers. Whether it’s a game from Carrom Games in Ludington, some cider from Douglas Valley Winery in Manistee, delicious local jams and preserves from Benzie County’s Food for Thought, or a great bottle of wine from the Leelanau Peninsula, spending your hard-earned money on local goods and services has never been so fun – or so tasty!

So join me in taking the Ten Buck Pledge at BuyMichFirst.com. Together, we can get Michigan moving again!

Where can the clean-energy economy take root fastest?

From where I sit as head of a multibillion-dollar green investment fund, the answer is in places like Michigan thanks to its advanced industrial capacity and smart moves by state lawmakers.

This comes on top of recent indications that our efforts are bearing fruit when it comes to creating jobs for Michigan workers and turning our economy around. Last year, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth released the state’s first-ever Green Jobs Report, which showed that more than 100,000 of our state’s residents are already employed in Michigan’s emerging green economy. And just this month, the American Wind Energy Association said that Michigan was fast becoming a manufacturing powerhouse in wind energy, with this fast-growing economic sector already supporting as many as 4000 good-paying manufacturing jobs for Michigan workers.

Perhaps even more important than these numbers is the rate of growth, and what these trends mean for our future. From 2005-2008, during a time when the overall Michigan economy shrank by a rate of 5.4%, job creation in Michigan’s Green Economy actually increased by 7.7%, and job creation in the renewable energy sector grew by an incredible 30% during that time.

So how did we get here? Well it wasn’t on accident. Deutsche Bank’s Kevin Parker:

In Michigan, lawmakers have enacted a slew of critically important mandates and incentives to spur renewable energy, including a robust renewable portfolio standard that requires 10 percent of the state’s power to be green by 2015; strong preferences for solar power; so-called “feed-in tariffs” that encourage production of wind power by giving its producers easy access to the electricity grid with competitive prices; a net-metering law that pays customers who generate their own electricity; rebates, loans and tax credits for renewables; and efficiency requirements for utilities.

Lawmakers’ actions have begun to make Michigan an attractive place for climate-change investors. Indeed, the state earned a top rating in a recent study by DB Climate Change Advisors, an investment arm of the Deutsche Bank Group.

While we have a long, long way to go to erase the lost automotive jobs and others of the last decade, reports like this show the rest of the world is taking note of our success in creating jobs and attracting investment in emerging sectors of our economy. And on Earth Day, that’s reason for hope.

Dear Friends,

Just a reminder that you are all invited to come join me this coming Monday, January 4th at my monthly coffee hours. As a service to my constituents, I hold these public office hours in each of the four counties that I represent so that I can update you on the things going on in Lansing, answer your questions, and give you helpful information.

Please find a coffee hour that is nearest you:

•    Silvertree Deli in Suttons Bay from 9-10AM
•    Darcy Public Library in Beulah from 11-12NOON
•    Goody’s Juice & Java in Manistee from 1-2PM
•    House of Flavors in Ludington from 3-4PM

See you soon!

Dan