Proposed border crossing authority would seek to expand trade, logistics

State Representative Steve Tobocman has introduced legislation that he believes will grow the local economy in the realms of trade and logistics and will protect residents from negative impacts associated with hosting a border crossing.

Excerpt:

Tobocman believes trade is "the untold story of Michigan's economy. The Detroit River International Crossing study showed that one in four Michigan jobs are directly or indirectly related to international commerce. We've been oblivious to the potential that exists."

Tobocman has done extensive research on Michigan's position in global trade. He has discovered that the state trades twice as much with Canada ($160 billion per year) as does the entire United States with Japan and that Michigan is Mexico's third-largest trading partner, after California and Texas. He says, "We're doing a lot of trade, but we don't have a regional or state-wide strategy to build on that. We need a strategy to grow these businesses directly related to this trade."

Read the entire article here.