Hard Times, Solid Policies to Renew American Communities, with Gov. Jennifer Granholm

Plant closings, natural disasters, and a sluggish recovery continue to inflict terrible economic tolls on the labor force in America’s cities and states. New ideas for reinvigorating some of the hardest-hit communities are needed as policymakers attempt to pave the way toward putting more people back to work.

On October 13, Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.) joined former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, New York City Deputy Mayor Steve Goldsmith and other experts in a Hamilton Project forum focused on policy solutions for renewing American communities.

The Hamilton Project released a strategy paper and three new proposals that provide a range of options for helping communities and workers recover from recent economic shocks. Following the presentation of papers, Hamilton Project Director and Brookings Senior Fellow Michael Greenstone moderated a discussion among the authors and Bruce Katz, vice president and director of the Metropolitan Studies Program at Brookings. A panel of corporate and community leaders provided their perspectives on the tools necessary for recovery, and Governor Granholm closed the event with keynote remarks.

Following the panels, speakers took questions from the audience.

Watch complete event video on C-SPAN »