Dear Colleagues:

As we stand at the threshold of the holiday season, we should pause to take stock of all that we have to be thankful for. As I look forward to Thanksgiving and spending the day with family and friends, I want to take this time to express my deepest thanks to all of you for all that you have done to provide the best service anywhere to the citizens of the state of Michigan.

Earlier this year, Michigan was honored by Governing magazine as the third best-managed state in the nation. Our great state was selected as an honoree because we excelled in the areas of managing money, people, infrastructure, and information management. In a nutshell, we excel because of you and the work that you do.

In my remarks at the annual Governing Conference on Managing Performance 2005 in New York, I told the audience that for three consecutive budgets, my colleagues and I have "resolved nearly 4 billion dollars in deficits by tightening the belt of government. We've done everything from selling off state-owned cars and planes to calling in state cell phones to turning off the lights at night in state buildings. And of course, all this means that we are now operating state government with the fewest number of employees since 1974 and the lowest inflation adjusted tax revenues since 1970. But that doesn't mean we are doing less for citizens." Actually, it is quite the opposite.

We are running a leaner government, and we're still achieving our goals because of your commitment to practicing our shared values - excellence, teamwork, integrity, and inclusion - in everything that we do. Thank you all.

Let's also not forget to thank our veterans and active service men and women for the sacrifices they have made and the roles they have played in defending and preserving the freedoms that we hold so dear and enjoy today. We owe them our lives and our way of life.

I also want to say a special word of thanks to all of you who so selflessly volunteered to help out during a couple of special volunteer projects this past year. For me personally, working alongside some of you processing Hurricane Katrina evacuees at Fort Custer or wielding hammers in southeast Michigan during Habitat for Humanity's Jimmy Carter Work Project were some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Your efforts - our efforts - made the difference between the darkness of despair and the glimmer of hope in people's lives.

Thank you for your service to the citizens of the state of Michigan, and my very best wishes as you gather around the dinner table with your families and friends for a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Jennifer M. Granholm

Governor

P.S. Marshall Field's is honoring State of Michigan employees November 20-21 with a 15 percent off coupon to kick off the holiday shopping season. Click here for the coupon: http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-24295-130348--,00.html

The Marshall Field's discount coupon can also be found by visiting my Website at http://www.michigan.gov/gov. Click on 'State Employees' from the menu on the left for this and other state employee discounts.