MichiganRadio

Borrowing To Pay For 'Pure Michigan' LANSING, MI (MPRN) -
The state House has approved a measure to allow the state to borrow up to $20 million to pay for the Pure Michigan tourism promotional campaign.

The loan would be secured by future revenue from Governor Granholm's proposed tax on airport rental cars. The Senate Republican majority opposes the tax, and the issue will likely have to settled by a joint House and Senate conference committee next week.

"We've had a long time to get this right and to make sure that we've got a permanent funding source so that we can start running these ads as soon as possible," says Democratic state Representive Dan Scripps, "but, we still don't have a funding source and we need to make sure that we have one in place."

The House also linked the funding to legislation that would require the state's economic development agency to conduct a background check before awarding business tax breaks. The Michigan Economic Growth Authority this week approved a nine $9 million tax credit to a company with a convicted embezzler as its chief executive. © Copyright 2012, MPRN