MichiganRadio

Head Of MEDC Predicts Job Growth In 2010 GRAND RAPIDS, MI (Michigan Radio) - The head of the state's economic development agency says he sees good signs for the Michigan economy in the coming year.

Perhaps it's not shocking that the person in charge of attracting jobs to the state says he's optimistic about doing just that.

Economists at the University of Michigan say they expect the state to lose jobs next year, with a slight improvement in late 2011.

But Greg Main, who heads the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, says he believes the jobs picture could improve sooner. One reason for optimism he says is advanced battery manufacturing. The state just approved incentives for another battery plant last week.

"So that's going to give us six," he says of the total number of announced plants. "No place else in the United States have more than one. And there's only two places that have any."

Main says he does still see ways to improve the state's business climate. The biggest way, he says, is to reform business taxes.

Contact Dustin Dwyer at dtdwyer@umich.edu.


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