LANSING ? Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Tuesday made a pitch for homeland security and defense contractors to build new facilities in Michigan. The governor also said the $1 billion tobacco securitization package now awaiting final approval in the legislature could become a source of state assistance to woo these job generating companies to Michigan.
Granholm met privately with six contractors after speaking to the 2005 Michigan Defense and Innovation Conference where she said Michigan’s talent pool in technological innovation as well as research and development will help the companies grow.
“Our unique combination of world-class research universities, R&D expertise and high-tech innovation makes Michigan a natural home for these companies, their investment and their products,” Granholm said.
None of the companies who met with the governor have immediate plans to build facilities, but aides said the governor wanted to emphasize the provisions of the securitization plan that specifically allow loans and grants to homeland security projects. The companies included General Dynamics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and SAIC.
The two-day conference was hosted by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
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