LANSING, Mich. - State Senators Deb Cherry (D-Burton) and John Gleason (D-Flushing) voted to pass the Capital Outlay budget today, which includes more than $4 million toward a project to renovate Mott Community Colleges library. This project will create numerous construction and related jobs in Flint and renovates more than 81,000 square feet of space in the main library. As a Mott Community College Alumni, Im very pleased to help my school receive funding to improve their library, said Sen. Gleason. This construction project is a great way to enhance Motts campus and help turn around Michigans economy through attracting hundreds of jobs and putting local people to work. Mott Community College is one of only a few schools throughout the state to receive funding for construction projects. Many colleges and universities have been waiting for several years for their projects to be approved and the Capital Outlay budget has helped make some of these projects a reality. The Capital Outlay budget accelerates construction, expansion and improvement projects at airports, colleges, universities, military facilities and state parks, creating thousands of new jobs across Michigan. Budget negotiations earlier this summer left Mott and other schools waiting with baited breath for the approval of these projects, said Sen. Cherry. With todays budget passage, they can break ground and cut ribbons and get to work expanding our college and university campuses and putting more Michigan men and women to work. Due to federal funding deadlines, the airport projects in the original Capitol Outlay budget were already approved earlier this year. The budget passed today includes $275 million in state funding, with $220 million going toward projects at colleges and universities, updating campuses and creating thousands of new jobs across Michigan. # # # |