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Pontiac Promise Zone Donation to be Discussed

The Pontiac School board is slated to discuss the extension of a tax increment financing authority (TIFA) agreement with the city of Auburn Hills on Tuesday, June 1, at 5:30 p.m. at the Pontiac Schools Odell Nails Administration Building, 47200 Woodward Ave. In short, this agreement will essentially give the Pontiac Promise Zone an additional $400,000 donation over the next two years. This is an incredible opportunity to boost the Pontiac Promise Zone and get a jumpstart on offering free college education to students in Pontiac. On top of the existing money raised, the Promise Zone will have close to $750,000 to pay for college for our students.

I am sending this message to you to ensure that our community is aware of the progress being made towards the Promise Zone, and this tremendous opportunity to accept a very large donation for our students. Leaders from all of Pontiac and our surrounding communities have come together to support the Promise Zone because they recognize the benefits it will bring to everyone. Education breeds opportunity and leads to more jobs and a higher quality of life.

Please tell everyone you know about the Pontiac Promise, and join me Tuesday evening in urging the School Board to adopt this agreement. I hope to see you there!

Pontiac Film Studio Clears Last Hurdle

The Oakland County Economic Development Corp. this week approved financing for the Michigan Motor City Pictures Studios. The final hurdle has been cleared in getting the project underway. This project is expected to be a $60 million investment at the old GM Centerpoint campus in Pontiac. This signals a new phase for the film industry in Michigan. Major infrastructure investments in Michigan indicate that the film industry is here to stay.

This news comes on the heels of last week's announcement that $800 million in federal funds is being redirected for remediation of idle plants throughout the country. This is especially important to Pontiac, as 12 plants around the city are slated for cleanup and redevelopment.

Restoring Millions in School Funding

As Chair of the House Education Committee, I am fighting every day to ensure that our schools have funding they need to give our children a top-notch education. I voted on Wednesday to restore much of the funding cut from our schools earlier this year and to protect early childhood education for children around the state.

The plan restores $65 per pupil of the $165-per-pupil state funding cut that schools saw earlier this year. The restoration applies to this school year and next. The plan also increases funding for early childhood grants and programs that prepare Michigan's children to succeed in school. By giving our schools adequate funding we are making sure our children can compete against the rest of the world for good-paying jobs, and we're ensuring the success of our young people, our businesses and our state.

Remembering Our Veterans' Sacrifices

This weekend, I encourage members of our community to join me in taking part in Memorial Day events to honor and remember those who fought and died for our freedoms. Our country would not be the great nation it is today without their service and the sacrifices they and their families made.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the men and women who have served our nation in the armed forces and who are serving today. Your dedication and sacrifice has been an inspiration and an example to millions. We owe you a debt of gratitude we can never repay.

Contact Me

I am truly honored to serve you. Feel free to contact me at any time to share your ideas or concerns by calling my office toll-free at (888) MELTON-4 (635-8664) or e-mailing me at timmelton@house.mi.gov.