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Governor Jennifer Granholm
Accomplishments:
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Jennifer M. Granholm was elected the 47th governor of Michigan in November 2002, the first time a female served as the state’s chief executive. Since taking office, she has successfully resolved over $4 billion dollars in budget deficits, trimming more from state government than any governor in Michigan’s history. A fiscal hawk, Granholm has worked to ensure that state government spends every penny efficiently, while aggressively pursuing her top priorities: growing Michigan’s economy and maintaining the state’s high quality of life.
Granholm has focused on improving Michigan’s economy through a comprehensive Jobs Today, Jobs Tomorrow plan. Her economic agenda includes creating thousands of jobs for Michigan workers this year by accelerating infrastructure projects, training unemployed workers for high-demand jobs and diversifying Michigan’s economy through an unprecedented $2 billion dollar Jobs for Michigan Fund. Granholm has also reduced the red tape businesses face when seeking permits from the state.
And she’s gotten results. Michigan continues to attract new business, with small firms growing by 2,400 in 2004. Seven companies opened new headquarters here last year and direct action by the state helped create or retain 130,000 jobs. New business growth in 2005 shows great promise, and includes Toyota Motor Corporation’s plans to invest $150 million in a new, state-of-the-art research and development facility in York Township, which will create more than 670 new jobs for Michigan.
Michigan was cited by Governing magazine (February 2005) as an outstanding leader in its Government Performance Project (GPP) report titled, “Grading the States 2005.” The nationwide report card gives Michigan and the Granholm administration high marks in the areas of money, people, infrastructure and information management. Only Virginia and Utah scored higher than Michigan.
Granholm’s focus on families has meant expanded health care coverage for 300,000 uninsured Michiganians through new federally-qualified health care centers in Jackson and Detroit. Granholm saved the state nearly $40 million in 2003 when she introduced the nation’s first bulk-buying pool for prescription drugs; and in 2004, she extended those savings to citizens by introducing the MiRx Card, which provides discount prescription drugs to uninsured families. Since 2003, Granholm has also enrolled nearly 50,000 additional children for health insurance through the Healthy Kids and MiCHILD programs.
Despite tough fiscal times, Granholm has increased spending for Michigan’s public schools. In 2005, for the first time, classrooms in Michigan received record funding at levels promised by the previous administration. The first in her family to attend college, Granholm has championed universal access to higher education. She successfully challenged state universities to hold the line on tuition increases and has proposed a first-in-the-nation program that would award $4,000 to every Michigan student who completes two years of post-secondary education.
Granholm serves as Vice Chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association and Chair of the National Governors Association Health and Human Services Committee.
Preparation to serve:
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Granholm began her career in public service as a clerk for U.S. Judge Damon Keith on the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. She considers Judge Keith a mentor to this day. In 1990, Granholm became a federal prosecutor in Detroit, where she maintained a 98 percent conviction rate. In 1994, Granholm was appointed Wayne County Corporation Counsel. She worked to reduce taxpayer-funded lawsuit payouts by 87 percent.
Elected Michigan’s first female Attorney General in 1998, Granholm continued her fight to protect Michigan’s citizens and consumers. She established the state’s first High Tech Crime Unit to prosecute Internet crimes. Following the September 11th attacks on the United States, Granholm led a multi-agency effort to ensure that Michigan laws could effectively be used to fight terrorism at the state level. In the wake of the attacks, she also cracked down on gas stations gouging consumers at the pump. As Attorney General, Granholm also started a successful statewide mentoring initiative.
Granholm is an honors graduate of both the University of California at Berkeley and Harvard Law School.
