With Your Help, We Almost Made History

Despite a final-hour setback, we’re still energized to bring a new incentive to Michigan. Join us next Thursday to celebrate our progress and plan for what’s next.

December 13, 2024

Friends - 

We are disappointed to report that this year’s legislative clock has expired to get the Multimedia Jobs Act (MJA) through the Michigan Legislature. Despite hard-earned bipartisan support, thousands of hours of effort, expert lobbying, and generous assistance and participation from supporters like you, we will have to work a bit longer to bring a new multimedia incentive to Michigan.

Despite this tremendous effort, we faced political resistance outside our control in the final hour. We all know that the MJA is about good-paying jobs, economic development, and giving young people opportunities to pursue creative careers in Michigan. But our state's political landscape chose an ill-informed narrative, which prevented a vote.

Good legislation can take years to become law. The tremendous effort undertaken by MiFIA brought us from nothing just a few years ago to standing just shy of victory. We created a vibe where a bipartisan coalition rightly felt that our multimedia incentive would bring prosperity to Michigan.

But let me be clear. Falling short this year only fuels our spirits to continue pursuing this game-changing effort. We will continue fighting because we know this community and this state have much to offer. There are 41 other states and cities with incentives, and there isn’t a good reason why Michigan can’t be the 42nd. With another effort and some political will from our state leaders, we will get it done!

We thank our bill sponsors, Rep. Roth and Rep. Hoskins, Sen. Polehanki and Sen. Moss, our lobbyist Brendan Ringlever and his team at Michigan Legislative Consultants, our association executive Lorri Rishar and her team at Edge Partnerships, and especially our all-volunteer board of more than two dozen industry professionals for their time, talents, and funding which gave us a real fighting chance and will continue to do so.

THANK YOU for your continued support, donations, and willingness to travel to Lansing, attend our parties and town halls, and help spread the word. We’re all in this together, and we appreciate you.

Please join us at Gilly’s Clubhouse in downtown Detroit next Thursday, December 19, for the MiFIA Holiday Party in association with the 36th Annual Freelancers Ball. We will refortify, celebrate our progress, and prepare for greatness next time. Many MiFIA Board Members will be there. We hope you will join us, too.

Thanks again for your support!