Patterson Optimistic and Upbeat in 2008 State of the County Address

Troy, MI, February 7, 2008 - Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was in a positive frame of mind tonight as he told the more than 450 invited guests who attended his annual State of the County Address that Oakland County was "ready" to lead the state and the region back to prosperity.

In his nearly 60 minute speech to an overflow audience at the Michigan State University Management Education Center in Troy, Patterson said Oakland County is ready to lead because of the innovative programs implemented over the past 15 years such as Automation Alley, Emerging Sectors, Main Street Oakland, Wireless Oakland and the new Mandarin Chinese language curriculum which is now being taught in half of the county's school districts.

A highlight of the evening was a presentation by preschool youngsters from Lessenger Elementary School in the Lamphere School District who demonstrated their proficiency in speaking Mandarin Chinese.  The three and four year olds counted in Mandarin, identified objects in Mandarin and then sang a song in the Mandarin Chinese language.

During his speech, Patterson noted that his Emerging Sectors initiative, designed to transition Oakland County from a manufacturing-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, had created nearly $1 billion in new investment during its first three and a half years along with 9,000 new jobs and $24 million in new tax revenue.

Another of the success stories the County Executive discussed was Automation Alley which has grown from 42 companies nine years ago to more than 867 companies today and will eclipse the 900 mark sometime in 2008. 

Patterson cited an "uncooperative economy" as the reason why Wireless Oakland - his program to blanket the entire county with free wireless Internet service - will not be fully operational until at least the end of 2008. 

"I truly believe Wireless Oakland is coming, friends.  It's just going to take a few months longer we thought to get here," said Patterson.

As for the Main Street Oakland program, which the county launched in 2001 to preserve historic downtown areas, Patterson recounted that over $45 million of public and private investment has occurred in 16 downtowns, creating 25 new businesses and 300 new jobs.

Patterson also touched on the County's $150 million investment in technology to improve service to residents and local units of government, cross boundary collaboration to encourage the sharing of services between communities in a time of dwindling incentives and regional cooperation.

Noting that he has been "excoriated" in the media from time to time for not being "regional enough" despite his protestations to the contrary, Patterson fulminated that finally someone in the media appears to be listening.

"After an article critical of me and Oakland County appeared in the Detroit Free Press, I invited its author, Steve Henderson, the deputy editorial page editor, to come up to my office for a presentation on Oakland County's regional efforts," Patterson told his audience.

A few weeks later Henderson wrote a column entitled: "Surprise! Oakland Leads on Regionalism."  Patterson quoted a sentence from Henderson's column: "If you want to talk about which county is investing heavily in the regional efforts that makes the things that help make government more efficient and business more successful - you won't find anyone doing more than Oakland."

Patterson also revisited the thorny issue of Cobo expansion and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano's latest proposal. 

Patterson said Oakland County is hesitant to sign on to the Ficano plan until certain important questions are answered such as:

• Why isn't the City of Detroit at the bargaining table since it owns the facility?
• Why aren't the other counties in the region participating?
• Will the construction jobs and operating vendors be selected through competitive bidding without preferences?

All of Patterson's questions about the Cobo project are contained in an appendix to his speech available on the website at www.oakgov.com.

On other topics Patterson said:

• Oakland County is facing a 0.5% decline in property values which will create a budget shortfall of $5.1 million in 2008; $14.8 million in 2009 and $33.5 million in 2010, if nothing is done to remedy the situation which he said will not happen
• By issuing $567 million in Trust Certificates in 2007, Oakland County became the first county in America to fully fund retiree healthcare while saving taxpayers $150 million
• The State of Michigan could learn from Oakland County by using a two-year budgeting process, privatizing certain services when it makes sense to do so, reducing employee pay raises, encouraging more inter-governmental cooperation and being more innovative in the use technology
• Several new quality of life events will be occurring for the first time this year including the Fire & Ice Festival in Rochester (held the last weekend of January); the Oakland Edge hockey tournament set for April 10-13 and The Brooksie Way half marathon and 5k run scheduled for October 5th.

In closing, Patterson asked for support in 2008 so he can continue in the job the voters of Oakland County gave him more than 15 years ago.

"Great progress has been made over the past decade and a half, a lot of new programs have been initiated, but there's still more work to be done.  And I'd like the opportunity to finish the job," Patterson said in closing out his 14th Annual State of the County Address.

For media inquiries only, please contact Bob Dustman, Media and Communications Officer at (248) 858-1048.

Watch or listen to the 2008 State of the County speach.