By Staff
LANSING – Signaling a new direction designed to move Michigan forward, House Democrats Wednesday elected Rep. Andy Dillon, D-Redford, as the new Speaker of the House.
Dillon pledged to get to work immediately to move Michigan in a new, positive direction.
"The voters of Michigan sent a clear message that they want change and a Legislature that puts working families ahead of the wealthy special interests," Dillon said.
"As the next speaker, I'm committed to working with all my colleagues in the 94th Legislature to get Michigan back on track.
"I'm honored to have this responsibility, and we will work very hard to make sure Michigan is a great place to live, work, do business and raise our families."
Dillon is the chief architect of the 21st-Century Jobs Plan, which invests $2 billion – at no cost to taxpayers – to create good-paying jobs in emerging high-tech fields such as advanced manufacturing, alternative fuels and homeland security.
Before he was elected to the House in 2004, Dillon was president of DSC Ltd.
A former practicing attorney, Dillon and his wife, Carol, have four young children.
Fresh from their historic retaking of the Michigan House with a six-seat pick-up on Nov. 7, Democrats elected Dillon as speaker, a position that allows him to set the legislative agenda.
Dillon will take the gavel when the 94th Legislature convenes in January 2007.
Democrats will command a 58-52 majority in the House when the 94th Legislature starts session on Jan. 7.
Dillon will take over leadership of the House Democrats from House Democratic Leader Dianne Byrum, D-Onondaga, who led the caucus from 2002-2006.
Byrum is term-limited.
Dillon said House Democrats are committed to creating jobs, fighting outsourcing, strengthening schools, protecting the Great Lakes from water bottlers and reducing the flood of Canadian and out-of-state trash.
They also support repealing a 1996 Michigan law they feel unfairly gives drug companies total immunity.
"Speaker-elect Dillon is committed to putting the working families and consumers of Michigan ahead of the powerful special interests," Byrum said.
"He has a tremendous work ethic and a record of reaching out across the state to get the job done. Working families will start seeing some real positive changes under Speaker-elect Dillon's leadership."