Candidate for Michigan House of Representatives - District 71 in 2024 Michigan General Election.
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Get StartedI believe in the sanctity of voting rights as the bedrock foundation of American democracy. Election integrity is of course important, but voter fraud has been shown time and time again to be exceedingly rare. The drum beat of “fraud” is a red herring used by some politicians as a pretext to make it harder for people who don’t support them to vote. For the most part, these are younger people, older people, people of color, and people living in urban centers. Learn more
If the next generation is forced to go somewhere else to find opportunity, we will continue to watch our communities shrink, and the number of empty storefronts continue to grow. I’m working to reinvigorate our community for families in Shiawassee, Saginaw and Genesee Counties, with innovative economic approaches to create more good-paying jobs in growing industries like advanced manufacturing, agriculture, renewable energy, and healthcare. We need to build things in Michigan again, and we need a state government that’s going to provide the right incentives to do that. Learn more
Our students also need practical skills that will help them get jobs, so I’ll continue and expand the dedication established in this district to Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs, partnering with local institutions of higher education, like Baker College, the Regional Education Service District (RESD), and local unions and businesses. These are key to ensuring students can earn work experience in trades like welding, carpentry, millwork, plumbing and pipefitting, electrical trades, and manufacturing. Learn more
We need to continue to incentivize environmentally sound and sustainable farming practices, and we need to continue to avoid overburdening farmers with regulations. Learn more
We also now realize how major the issue of PFAS tainting our waters is, and the state government must focus resources on the areas of the 71st District that have PFAS contamination. The work must continue to study and fund PFAS cleanup, and to remove and replace lead pipe, to ensure all Michiganders have access to clean water. I would dedicate myself to continuing that work as your State Representative. Learn more
I believe there is no good reason we should allow private issues to strip us of our ability to have thoughtful government. I will work with anyone who is willing to collaborate thoughtfully on the problems that Michiganders face, and I won’t be bogged down by culture wars, which are little more than a pot-stirring distraction. Learn more
Government is how we organize ourselves to collaborate on achievements that no individual or corporation could achieve alone. The government is what we make it. It’s been said that people get the government that they deserve. In the 71st District, the people deserve good government, and we can get good government by electing people who want to make the government work well, for all of us, as it should. Learn more
Labor unions and our state government have a huge role to play in improving our quality of life, providing the skilled labor and incentives for companies to establish themselves in this district. Traditional manufacturing is important, but it’s only part of the puzzle. The tech industry should also be a focus, and we need a voice in the State Legislature that will advocate for the policies that will make it easier for entrepreneurs and existing tech companies to make use of what the 71st District has to offer. Learn more
I also support programs that empower startup, small, and minority farmers; although these are typically implemented at the federal level via the USDA, I’m interested in exploring the possibilities at the state level. Small, localized farms, especially in urban or remote rural areas, can provide solutions to the problem of “food deserts,” where people don’t have access to plentiful, healthy foods. Learn more
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