G4G Talking points for 8/31

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31 (68 Days until Victory 2006)

Governing for All of Michigan, Not Just the Powerful Few: Governor Granholm will sign Michigan’s first-ever earned income tax credit into law next week, providing credits to low-income workers worth up to $900 by 2009. Read more below…


Protecting Michigan Families: The campaign released a new television ad this morning in which Governor Granholm talks about her efforts to protect Michigan families by putting dangerous criminals behind bars and requiring background checks on all childcare and nursing home workers. Click here to watch the ad…http://www.granholmforgov.com/site/PageServer?pagename=protecting_families


Fighting for Michigan Citizens: The Governor has spent her career -- as Federal Prosecutor, then as Attorney General, and now as Governor -- putting Michigan citizens first and making sure that the people of Michigan are safe.


But DeVos Continues to Distort and Deceive: Dick DeVos continues to use his fortune to misrepresent the Governor’s record with negative ads that distort and avoid the truth. For an archive of ad responses that set the record straight, click here…http://www.granholmforgov.com/site/PageServer?pagename=truthsquad_archive


Headlines from Around the State

Booth Newspapers: Low-wage workers, business both get what they wanted
More than 600,000 low-income Michigan families would be eligible for refundable tax credits worth up to $900 by 2009 under a compromise that lawmakers in both parties said was timely given stagnant wages in Michigan and rising poverty. The Senate unanimously approved Michigan's first earned income tax credit Wednesday. The measure, which takes effect in 2008, piggybacks a federal tax credit that for three decades has been hailed for rewarding work and helping families pay the bills. Gov. Jennifer Granholm will sign it into law once the House provides final approval next week. For a governor seeking re-election, the credit represents the second major piece of legislation this year to provide direct economic benefit to low-income workers who are a key Democratic Party constituency. She called the credit a "victory on their behalf" that rewards hard work and "strengthens families by giving them more disposable income." … Earlier this year she signed into law an increase in the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.95 an hour effective Oct. 1. The wage rate tops out at $7.40 an hour on July 1, 2008. Wednesday's compromise alters that minimum wage bill by reinstating overtime exemptions for certain classes of workers, such as car dealer sales staff, but extends overtime to some day care and home health care workers.
Click here to read the full article...http://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1156981203216710.xml&coll=1&thispage=1

Lansing State Journal Letter: No to DeVos
As a woman, I am deeply concerned about how my rights will be affected if Dick DeVos is elected. As a worker, I am deeply concerned about how my pocketbook will be affected if Betsy DeVos' husband is elected. Remember Betsy? She thinks Michigan workers are overpaid! The wife of a multimillionaire thinks I'm overpaid. What an insult! As a baseball fan, I resent how DeVos jinxed the Detroit Tigers. Dick "the jinx" DeVos is bad news for Michigan. Gov. Jennifer Granholm hits a home run in my book.
Click here to read the full letter...http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060830/OPINION02/608300312/1087/opinion