Voter Guide - Rochester/Rochester Hills

AUGUST 7 PRIMARY

VOTER

GUIDE SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF DOWNTOWN NEWSMAGAZINE

The August 7th Democratic primary election gives voters a clear choice!

What policies do you want to see advocated by a new 8th District Representative in Congress?

www.ChrisSmithforMich.com

Chris Smith has taught public policy and law for 24

years at MSU. He grew up in a union household and attended Michigan public schools. Married for 33 years, he is a father and grandfather. He raised his kids in the district.

Chris Smith²the ONLY 8th District candidate who: ¾ advocates Medicare for All: single-payer universal health care ¾ urges a ban on pipelines under the Great Lakes ¾ will vote to end the sale of military-style rifles to the public ¾ will propose free community college & technical training and expanded student loan forgiveness. ¾ will work to raise the minimum wage to $15

Paid for by Chris Smith for Michigan, P.O. Box 4100, East Lansing, MI 48826

VOTER GUIDE 08.18

Inside this August primary election Voter Guide readers will find candidates’ answers to questions Downtown newsmagazine raised with those who have opposition in the August 7 election.

A primary election is designed to let voters determine which candidate in either the Republican or Democratic party will advance to the general election that will be held this November.

As a result, voters must decide in which party they will vote in a primary.

Represented in the following pages are candidates who have opposition in the August 7 election. Not all offices had more than one candidate file for a specific post, so candidates without opposition automatically advance to the November ballot and they were not asked to respond to the questionnaire sent out by Downtown newsmagazine.

In the relatively large field vying for offices in the August primary, there were a couple of candidates who did not respond to our request so they are not represented in the following pages.

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Congress 8th District/Democrats

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Congress 8th District/Republicans

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11th District U.S. House/Democrats

Rochester, most of Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, and nearly all north Oakland County communities, most of Livingston County and Ingham County, including East Lansing.

Rochester, most of Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, and nearly all north Oakland County communities, most of Livingston County and Ingham County, including East Lansing.

Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, southwest Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, west Oakland lakes area and south Oakland County, along with parts of western Wayne County, including Plymouth, Livonia and Canton.

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11th District U.S. House/Republicans

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12th District Michigan Senate/Republicans

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45th District Michigan House/Democrats

Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, southwest Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, west Oakland lakes area and south Oakland County, along with parts of western Wayne County, including Plymouth, Livonia and Canton.

Bloomfield Township, Franklin, Beverly Hills, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Oakland Township, along with Orion, Independence and Oxford townships.

Rochester, Rochester Hills and the lower portion of Oakland Township.

County Commission 11th District Almost the western half of Rochester Hills, along with the northern portion of Troy and the southeast corner of Auburn Hills.

august 7 primary voter guide Rochester, Rochester Hills, Oakland Township

U.S. HOUSE 8TH DISTRICT/DEMOCRAT ELISSA SLOTKIN

Do you support the tax cuts enacted

by Congress at the urging of the Trump administration? Explain your position.

I support tax reform that lifts up the middle class and Michigan’s small businesses. But I was disappointed that the tax bill passed by Congress gave deep, permanent cuts for the ultra-wealthy and large corporations like the pharmaceutical industry, while giving shallow, temporary cuts to the average taxpayer. I would change that approach and close the enormous number of loopholes that keep many of the ultra-wealthy from paying taxes at all.

Slotkin grew up in Oakland County, graduated from Cranbrook Schools and Cornell University before getting a masters degree from Columbia University. She lives in Holly on her family farm and is married to Dave Moore, a former Apache pilot, who retired as a colonel from the U.S. Army.

Slotkin served three tours in Iraq in military intelligence, and worked as a national security expert for both Democratic and Republican administrations. She served at the White House and in top roles at the Pentagon, including as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs under the Obama Administration.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS When President Trump came to office, he began to roll back a number of environmental regulations enacted by the past administration and reversed a number of decisions dating back to the Clinton administration that were designed to promote a cleaner environment. Do you support the administration’s efforts to minimize environmental regulations?

No. Protecting our Great Lakes, inland waters, drinking water and parks must be a key priority for anyone who claims to love this state. As a former national security analyst, I believe we need to start thinking of environmental security the way we think about homeland security: it’s about the safety and security of our kids. By rolling back protections for our environment, our clean air, and our access to clean drinking water, the administration is using the banner of deregulation to threaten our way of life in Michigan. If elected, I would help reinvigorate the Great Lakes caucus; push for a comprehensive, ten-year environmental plan for Michigan – instead of piecemeal initiatives – to preserve the natural gifts we have as a state; and conduct prudent planning to manage and mitigate the impact of warming temperatures.

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BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT In the most recent budget adopted

by Congress, and in tax legislation approved by both the House and Senate, the national debt has continued to skyrocket. There has been talk of Congress now attempting to reduce the deficit by cutting back on programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Do you support trimming these programs to reduce the budget? Are there other areas of the budget that should be targeted to bring the budget back under control and over time reduce the national debt?

I believe that the federal budget should be treated like your budget at home: you don’t spend outside your means without a plan to pay for it. The recent tax bill added more than a trillion dollars to our national debt, which isn’t healthy for us as a nation. Coming from a national security background, you never know what national disasters or security crises you may need to deal with in the future, and racking up endless debt is irresponsible. We should close the significant loopholes left open in the latest tax bill, particularly with regard to holding profits or moving American jobs offshore, to help bring the budget back under control, in addition to fat-cutting actions to rein in our national debt.

But to be clear, Social Security and Medicare are not fat, and I support neither cuts to them nor privatizing them.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE Despite attempts by the current administration and Republican members of Congress, a substantial number of persons continue to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare. What is

your position on the current Affordable Care Act and the issue of a national health care plan in general?

I believe figuring out healthcare and healthcare costs is our generational challenge, and we need new representatives in Congress who will get to work on dealing with this issue responsibly – instead of playing politics with our care. It’s also a deeply personal issue, and the one that got me into this congressional race: my mom died of ovarian cancer in 2011 after struggling with health care due to her pre-existing condition of breast cancer as a young mom. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made important strides towards expanding coverage for key segments of the population, particularly those with pre-existing conditions, like my mom, before she passed away. However, the ACA desperately needs reform, and I believe there is a lot we still must do to bring costs down, and make sure that people who have health insurance can actually access the care they pay for. One critical way to do that is by implementing a public option, a buy-in to Medicare. This could help drive down all health care costs significantly.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY President Trump has eliminated the policy governing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that granted deportation relief for immigrants who came here as children (under the age of 16), which was created in 2012 by the Obama administration. Do you support continuation of the DACA program?

Should Congress move to find a common ground that will provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants?

I believe that immigration is a moral, economic, and national security issue.

And right now, the immigration system isn’t working for anyone: not Michigan businesses or workers, not undocumented immigrants, not Dreamers, not farmers, or anyone else.

Our elected representatives have failed to address the public outcry for reform – we need to pass comprehensive legislation, tailored to our economic needs, that brings in workers when we need their specific skills; provides a pathway to citizenship to young people brought to the United States as kids who are Americans in every way other than their papers; increases border security, especially through technology; we need to hold companies accountable for exploiting undocumented labor, when they undercut our American workers; and provide safe-haven, as we have since the Founding Fathers, for refugees

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Lake Orion

Oakland Twp.

Orion Twp.

Lake Angelus

Rochester

Pontiac

Auburn Hills

Rochester Hills

Sylvan

TAX CUTS

Rochester, most of Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, and nearly all north Oakland County communities, most of Livingston County and Ingham County, including East Lansing.

escaping death and destruction in their home countries.

GUN CONTROL What is your position on the need for added gun control legislation? Which, if any, of the following gun control measures could you support: Requiring expanded background checks? Background checks at gun shows? Banning bump stocks?

Raising the age on the purchase of weapons? Banning military style weapons?

I grew up in a gun-owning family. I was trained on a Glock-17 and an M-4 for my three tours in Iraq. And my husband, a retired Army officer, carried a weapon every day he was deployed.

So I believe in and support the Second Amendment. It is because of my background that I believe we need to both protect the Second Amendment and be smart about gun safety reforms; this is not an either/or issue. But our Congress has failed to take meaningful action for years. No one expects everyone to agree, but I do expect our elected officials to be willing to have tough conversations and make some sort of progress. I believe that we must pass common-sense gun safety legislation including instituting a robust, universal background check system to prevent terrorists, domestic abusers, and the mentally ill from obtaining guns, prohibit purchase of bump stocks and high-capacity magazines, and raise the age to purchase certain firearms.

But we can’t make progress if our elected leaders simply refuse to have a conversation.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS Should this or any President be required to consult with Congress before sending our military forces into foreign countries?

I’ve served in various defense and intelligence roles under Presidents AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

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Obama and Bush, including three tours in Iraq. I’m an Army wife and the stepmom to a current Army officer. So I feel strongly about this issue. Congress has the legal obligation, as given by the U.S. Constitution, to authorize any act of war. Since the Iraq war, we’ve seen little action on the part of our elected representatives to truly demand that authority, and to seek to update the Authorization of Military Force (AUMF).

Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines serving in combat zones today are still operating under the 2001 AUMF, aimed at al Qaeda, because our Congress has backed away from their responsibilities. In Congress, I would serve as a vocal proponent for an update to the AUMF, and start to bring back the appropriate checks and balances in our system set up by our founding fathers.

administrations, I know what it means to put politics aside, put your head down, and get to work. To serve. I have been tested in war zones and national security crises, and I know how to bring disparate parties together and hammer out solutions. If elected, I will bring that same mission-focus to expanding real economic opportunity to our communities here in Michigan, fighting for our fundamental rights to safety, security, and health for our kids, and preserving what makes our state great.

I will always be governed by the simple idea that our representatives’ job is to be available and serve the public. It’s time to send a different generation of leaders to Congress, and I hope you give me the chance to do it.

CHRIS SMITH TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS The current administration has expressed its desire to withdraw from many of the international trade agreements entered into by past administrations. The President has also authorized import tariffs in recent months. Do you agree with the President on the trade agreements?

What will the impact be of the import tariffs?

off-shore drilling in the ocean, too. We need a determined commitment to stronger environmental protection – not the Trump administration’s singleminded effort to increase corporate profits at the expense of public health.

TAX CUTS I do not support the approach of the Trump administration and Congress.

There are benefits to cutting taxes for people in the middle class and below to help families and stimulate the economy through consumer spending.

However, this deceptive legislation that Republicans call “a middle class tax cut” actually gives 70 percent of the benefits to the wealthiest 20 percent of Americans. Moreover, “the middle class” tax cut is temporary while the tax cuts for corporations are permanent – with much of the benefit going to foreign investors. Wall Street is booming and Main Street is struggling.

This was not a moment to expand the deficit to benefit corporations and the wealthy. We have needs – roads, schools, health care, etc. We need tax dollars for these important purposes.

The tax cut has not stimulated the economy; it was a deficit-expanding giveaway to those who give millions of dollars in campaign contributions.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT

My great-grandfather started Hygrade Foods – famous for creating the Ballpark Franks at Tigers Stadium. My grandfather bought our family farm in Holly, where a local farmer now grows soybeans and feed corn. Stability is everything for business owners and farmers. So our approach to tariffs needs to be strategic and well thought out, and I’m concerned by some of President Trump’s actions in this area.

While it’s unclear what tariffs will ultimately be put in place, I do not believe in unnecessary instability for businesses and farmers, and a trade war with China, should it come to that, leaves both the American consumer and producer a loser. When it comes to trade agreements, I take a principled approach: what does a trade deal do for Michigan businesses, Michigan workers, and will foreign partners be held to the same high quality and human rights standards? This is the scorecard that any trade deal should be graded against.

WHY YOU Why should a voter choose you over an opponent on the primary ballot?

I am running for Congress because I believe our politics must change – and that Congress isn’t going to fix itself. As a national security professional who has served both Democratic and Republican AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

Smith, of E. Lansing, is a professor at Michigan State University who has held no previous government or political office. He has degrees from Harvard, University of Bristol, a law degree from University of Tennessee, and a PhD from University of Connecticut.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS I do not support the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back environmental regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency has turned away from its intended mission and become an active advocate of increasing profits for energy and other industries – at the expense of the environment. We need to take seriously the issue of climate change as well as the direct public health harms from increasing air and water pollution just to enhance the short-term profits of industry. We face serious threats – to both public health and the economy – from failing to increase our efforts to reduce emissions and improve the environment. As an advocate of saying “No pipelines under the Great Lakes,” I am very disturbed by the expansion of

We should not address deficit and debt by taking food and health care away from seniors and less-affluent people.

We should reverse tax cuts that benefit corporations and the wealthy.

Republicans used their tax giveaway to wealthy donors as an excuse to cut programs that people need. We need a more progressive tax system, including wealthier Americans sharing an equal burden to working people in contributing a percentage of their entire income to fund Social Security. We should take a hard look at the budgets of all agencies, including the Defense Department, to see where we can cut pet projects or “pork” that individual members of Congress bring home to their districts. We cannot talk about deficits and national debt without also talking about the other side of the equation: do we take seriously the need to generate revenue to address the important problems faced by our country?

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE The Affordable Care Act is a noble effort to expand access to essential health care services. It is imperfect, including its vulnerability to litigation that picked apart important components and Republican governors who chose to deny health care coverage in their states to millions of people who would

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have been eligible. The lesson of the Affordable Care Act is this: we need to make single-payer, universal health care a priority goal. I advocate Medicare for All – not the current Medicare, but an improved Medicare with better access to prescriptions and essential dental services. If we do not make this a clearly-stated goal, we will not work toward it with determination. Our current system leaves tens of millions of Americans vulnerable to bankruptcy, physical suffering, and premature death through lack of ready access to health care. Numerous countries in the world take care of their people – we should do it, too.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY I support the continuation of DACA. We should not be separating families, especially when our government, in effect, facilitated this situation by turning a blind eye to the many American businesses that encouraged and relied upon workers who did not enter the country legally. This is a great example of an issue for which many Democrats and Republicans could work together to find a way to treat people humanely, keep our promises to the DACA young people, and work on gaining control of immigration. Yet, President Trump’s advisers seem to be so determined to use these immigrants as scapegoats that Republican members of Congress appear to be afraid to move forward to address this issue in a problem-solving manner.

GUN CONTROL I have long argued that we need stronger gun control. The actual legal definition of the Second Amendment is more limited than many people realize.

We can respect the Second Amendment and respect the ability of law-abiding adults to own firearms while we also move forward with policies that might reduce risks that we face. I advocate improved and expanded background checks, including guns shows and all private sales. We should certainly ban bump stocks as well as end the sales of military-type rifles to the public. I also support raising the age for the purchase of weapons as well as legal processes for removing weapons from those who commit or threaten acts of violence or show a demonstrated risk of issues that may foreshadow suicide.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS Congress needs to assert its constitutional authority over military affairs, especially military conflict in foreign countries. We have permitted the president to have too much discretionary authority. Thus, we end up with military 5B

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personnel injured and killed in countries where the American public – and even members of Congress – were sometimes not fully aware that American forces are engaged military action. The president needs some authority to act immediately – and temporarily – in certain emergency situations. But then Congress needs to review and approve for any continuation.

The actual conduct of war – which we think of as larger scale and potentially longer duration than just a finite number of days – must be under the actual constitutional authority of Congress.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS President Trump’s “tariff policy by Twitter” creates chaos that harms us economically and also damages relationships with important allies.

Contrary to the President’s claims, trades wars are not “easy to win.”

Trade policy should include careful study of consequences and serious deliberation – otherwise sectors of the American company will suffer consequences from instant increases in the price of materials or retaliatory actions by countries that stop buying certain American products. Trade agreements are complicated. It is difficult to make flat generalizations about being “good” or “bad.” Trade agreements are also inevitable, but we do not need to join every agreement that certain American businesses see as being to their benefit. Moreover, trade agreements predictably have “winners” and “losers” within the United States. We need to adopt a new approach that says: we will invest in American regions and assist the adjustment of American industries that “lose” in trade agreements.

WHY YOU

SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER It does little good to sit on the couch and complain, then not exercise your voting rights.

Registered voters have the power to decide who will make the policy decisions that set the public agenda.

Your vote is the most direct way to communicate with those in power.

So if you are not registered to vote in the August 7 primary election, then call your local municipal clerk today.

Make sure you speak truth to power this election.

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One element of my strength as a potential member of Congress comes from my life experience. I grew up in Michigan in a union household and was educated in Michigan public schools.

Having lived in the district for two decades, I am keenly aware of issues faced by individuals and families.

Another strength comes from my professional experience. I have spent more than 30 years teaching and writing books about public policy and law, including the past 24 years at MSU. I can bring problemsolving approaches to Congress. Most importantly, I have clear policy positions that differ from those of my opponent.

For example, I am the only candidate who advocates Medicare for All, no pipelines under the Great Lakes, and ending sales of military-type rifles to the public. I say what I mean. I mean what I say. No campaign consultants tell me what to do or say.

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august 7 primary voter guide Rochester, Rochester Hills, Oakland Township

U.S. HOUSE 8TH DISTRICT/REPUBLICAN MIKE BISHOP

Bishop, of Rochester, is the incumbent Congressman of the 8th District, since 2014. Before that, he served two terms in the state House (1999-2003), and two terms in the state Senate (2003-2011), where he was the Majority Leader. He graduated from University of Michigan and Michigan State University College of Law. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS When President Trump came to office, he began to roll back a number of environmental regulations enacted by the past administration and reversed a number of decisions dating back to the Clinton administration that were designed to promote a cleaner environment. Do you support the administration’s efforts to minimize environmental regulations?

All Americans deserve clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. And every Michigan family is a part of the heritage of the Great Lakes, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they are preserved for generations to come. This does not require a labyrinth of government regulations, some of which do little to actually protect the environment. A National Association of Manufacturers study estimates that compliance with burdensome regulations cost our economy nearly $2 trillion annually. This places a massive disincentive to manufacture, farm, or produce energy in America, costing workers good paying jobs, and driving up costs for families. That is why I’ve supported a reduction in the regulatory burden throughout my time in Congress.

In Michigan our economic security is dependent on manufacturing, and our national security is dependent on energy security. I will fight any government overregulations which threaten those imperatives.

TAX CUTS Do you support the tax cuts enacted by Congress at the urging of the Trump administration? Explain your position.

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Not only did I support it, as a member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, I helped write it. I’m proud that this legislation delivers real relief to nearly every hardworking Michigan family including doubling the standard deduction and the child tax credit, expanding the medical expense deduction, and preserving higher education tax relief for our students. As a result, a typical family of four in Michigan’s Eighth earning $90,000 will see a tax cut of approximately $1,700. We’re also seeing something extremely exciting in our state – jobs returning from Mexico! Fiat Chrysler Truck Assembly Plant is relocating their new Ram Truck production line from Mexico to Michigan, bringing with it 2,500 new jobs. In addition, every Chrysler employee received a bonus check for $2,000 as a result of tax reform. The economy is growing and jobs are returning to the United States – and this is just the beginning.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT

and the issue of a national health care plan in general?

Lake Orion

Sadly, the Affordable Care Act has failed American families across the nation.

Americans are facing higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and fewer participating providers. I don’t believe the Affordable Care Act is the right way forward for our nation. My goals are the same as those of Michigan families, to increase quality, reduce costs, and put healthcare decisions back into the hands of the American people. That is exactly what I am working to enact. I voted in support of the Small Business Health Fairness Act, which would allow small businesses to band together to purchase health insurance through an association giving their employees greater access to health coverage at reduced costs. I also voted for legislation recently signed into law that provides a two-year extension of funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers, also known as community health centers, which provide affordable health care to low-income Americans.

In the most recent budget adopted by Congress, and in tax legislation approved by both the House and Senate, the national debt has continued to skyrocket. There has been talk of Congress now attempting to reduce the deficit by cutting back on programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Do you support trimming these programs to reduce the budget? Are there other areas of the budget that should be targeted to bring the budget back under control and over time reduce the national debt?

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY

The national debt and deficit continue to be some of America’s most pressing issues. Effectively dealing with this will require tough fiscal decisions but most importantly we need the growing economy that is resulting from tax reform. We must also continue to cut wasteful spending while protecting the benefits of folks who have paid into the system and need these benefits for their retirement. Programs like Social Security and Medicare, which people have earned, need to be strengthened and protected, not cut. Last year, I supported reforms to Medicaid as a part of the American Health Care Act which would have given states more flexibility and delivered a great deal of savings, but the Senate failed to act. I will continue to work toward such reforms to bring fiscal responsibility while protecting Michigan families. I support a balanced budget amendment that will force the government to live within its means.

Our immigration system is broken and our borders are not secure. I support legislation that secures the border, transitions away from chain migration to a merit based system, eliminates the Visa lottery and cracks down on sanctuary cities. It would also provide stability for the DACA recipients who are here through no fault of their own by restoring the DACA program without giving a special pathway to citizenship. This is a reasonable and commonsense approach which will treat those currently protected

by DACA with compassion so they can continue to work and study here while also protecting the sovereignty of our nation by restoring the rule of law.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE Despite attempts by the current administration and Republican members of Congress, a substantial number of persons continue to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare. What is your position on the current Affordable Care Act

President Trump has eliminated the policy governing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that granted deportation relief for immigrants who came here as children (under the age of 16), which was created in 2012 by the Obama administration. Do you support continuation of the DACA program? Should Congress move to find a common ground that will provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants?

GUN CONTROL What is your position on the need for added gun control legislation? Which, if any, of the following gun control measures could you support: Requiring expanded background checks? Background checks at gun shows?

Banning bump stocks? Raising the age on the purchase of weapons? Banning military style weapons?

The House has been taking action on this important issue. In March, legislation I supported was signed into law that will strengthen our nation’s gun background check system (NICS). This is vital to

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Oakland Twp.

Orion Twp.

Lake Angelus

Rochester

Pontiac

Auburn Hills

Rochester Hills

Sylvan

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Rochester, most of Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, and nearly all north Oakland County communities, most of Livingston County and Ingham County, including East Lansing.

ensure criminal histories are accurately reported to the national background check database. I have supported banning bump stocks and submitted a letter encouraging a ban. But there are those who would propose a ban on a wide-range of commonly-used firearms, which I don’t believe will solve the problem. I voted for the Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Initiative, which trains law enforcement to handle active shooter situations, provides increased grant funding to train teachers, first responders, and others to identify and aid someone with mental health issues before a crisis occurs. I also voted for the bipartisan STOP School Violence Act (H.R. 4909) which increased grant funding for school security from $30 million to $75 million for the next ten years.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS Should this or any President be required to consult with Congress before sending our military forces into foreign countries?

The decision to send American service members into harm’s way is something every American takes very seriously, and I believe it must only be done when vital U.S. interests or those of our allies are at risk. While the President does have the unilateral power to deploy U.S. forces in combat to protect our national interests from imminent threat, the President is required to consult with Congress beforehand, and must seek Congressional authorization to continue such a deployment beyond 90 days.

There are also two existing Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs) on the books that Congress enacted in the aftermath of 9/11. These AUMFs provide the President with broad authority to fight terrorism overseas. I believe that any future effort to expand the authorities granted by these two AUMFs should be fully debated by the people’s representatives in Congress and passed into law before action is taken.

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august 7 primary voter guide

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS The current administration has expressed its desire to withdraw from many of the international trade agreements entered into by past administrations. The President has also authorized import tariffs in recent months. Do you agree with the President on the trade agreements? What will the impact be of the import tariffs?

Safety and Regulations. Jokes aside, I am all for lower regulations. We can always choose to re-assess areas of concern. Our district is gifted with many well maintained parks, lakes, and golf courses. I want to thank the people that manage these facilities; they are committed and do a wonderful job.

TAX CUTS

I believe in free trade, but it must be fair trade. We should pursue level trade rules for American manufacturers, farmers, and small businesses given that they must compete in the global market. I support modernizing NAFTA and applaud the Trump Administration’s successful renegotiation of the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement which has achieved fair treatment for U.S. auto exports. Bad actors like China have distorted world markets through currency manipulation and theft of intellectual property bringing the loss of American jobs and entire industries. This must be confronted. In response, the Trump Administration has threatened tariffs while also entering negotiations with nations like China. I’ve heard from a number of small businesses right here in Michigan who are concerned these tariffs could harm their businesses, and I understand their concerns. Going forward, please know that I will continue to fight for American producers and American workers.

Yes, and we need to go further, income tax should be no more than 15 percent.

Why are we paying through the nose for a bloated government? We must leave more hard earned money with the people.

Household spending has increased recently by 25 percent, putting many households in the red. We already pay 8 percent to Social Security, 6 percent to sales tax, 5 percent to property tax, 4 percent to Michigan income tax, and 30 percent to federal income tax. Based on average household income, that’s a total of roughly 50 percent in taxes. This means the government takes every $2,500 out of the $5,000 you worked so hard to earn.

Lower taxes are good for everyone, and tax reduction always boosts the economy.

Our government has way too much wasteful spending. Cost of any government project is always higher compared to ‘real world’ cost. Career politicians and interest groups will have you believe otherwise.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT

LOKESH KUMAR

Kumar lives in Lansing, earned his degree at Eastern Michigan University and works in the automotive industry. He has no previous political experience.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS I am a great lover of outdoors. My family and I camp regularly all over Michigan. I love our beautiful lakes. There isn’t a place like Michigan in the entire world, so environmental issues are very important for me. But we have way too much regulation. Some of the agencies have far surpassed their mandates. People are going to start calling us United States of 8B

Medicaid and Medicare are not entitlements, they’re a civil necessity. The high cost of Social Security and Medicare can be addressed by deregulation of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, and reducing patent protection for most drugs. This would increase competition and drastically reduce costs.

Overregulation and protectionism of the drug industry appears to be the root cause of high cost in both these programs.

Social Security is a contract with the American people. Everyone that has paid into it deserves every benefit promised. No more, no less. There is plenty of room for cost savings in the budget by reducing wasteful spending and lowering interest on federal debt. Interest alone on our debt is $230 billion dollars. You could rebuild the whole American Interstate Highway Systems every year with that kind of money.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE The ACA is a massive drain on the individual’s income and economy. There is nothing affordable in the Affordable Care Act. People sign up because companies are eliminating other market-based offerings. Premiums, deductibles, and copays are ridiculous. Over regulation has eliminated market potential and competition for insurers. The average family is now paying $18,000 towards basic preventative healthcare. Add the

deductibles and it becomes $25,000. For many families this is about 20-30 percent of their income. What may have started out as a good idea on paper never delivered. Most people would be better off funding their own healthcare rather than be forced into it. The industry needs deregulation and more competition. After the government takes its taxes, and insurers take their premiums, average people are left with barely enough money to get by.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY I never followed this issue until newspapers started asking me about it. It doesn’t really affect most of us in Michigan. Of all the people I have talked to in my district, no one has brought it up.

People appear to have much larger hearts than media gives them credit for. After all, everyone in this vast land other than American Indians is a decedent of immigrants. Nonetheless, I don’t know how anyone can justify both legal and illegal immigration? I can’t. I do know a thing or two about the immigration process. After my college in 1987, I worked in US and Europe as a nonresident engineer. Thanks to my employer and mentor, I eventually became a citizen after a very lengthy and arduous legal immigration process. The process took 10-plus years, but it works. So I have faith in the system. I am proud to be an American, and fortunate to have raised my wonderful family in Michigan for 20 years.

GUN CONTROL I support all the voters in my district that believe very strongly in the Second Amendment. I personally took my first shooting classes from the ROTC in college.

I started with .22 caliber rifle and moved on to shot guns for trap and skeet shooting at which I was a natural. Most people in Michigan hunt and enjoy their guns and cars. Mind you, both are dangerous in the wrong hands. Would you ban cars, or force who can or cannot buy a certain car? Instead, we should ask ourselves why now? We’ve had guns for a long while. Why are Republicans being targeted for standing up for their constituents and the Second Amendment? Republicans have children, too. We are all equally concerned about their safety. The issue is not gun control. I believe swift enforcement of laws already on the books, and severe punishment for culprits, including some accountability of parents of minors, would go a long way.

The sheriffs and township police in our district have already started to become very pro-active in their communities to meet these safety challenges.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS President should continue to use military authority inherent to his office. Under Article I of the US Constitution, only

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Congress has the power to declare war.

The president derives power to direct the military only after a Congressional declaration of war. War is a total breakdown of civilianization. It ruins countries, lives of our soldiers and their families, creates famines, disease, and mass migration. Wars drain our resources, create uncertainty. Wars affect all our citizens for generations to come. This is why our constitution requires the full 435 members of Congress to declare a war.

Congress and the President need to work together and speak with one voice before committing our military to long-term action in foreign countries.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS NAFTA is 24 years old and WTO is 17 years. Since these two treaties, our high paying manufacturing jobs have relentlessly migrated to low cost countries creating severe hardship for our families and towns. We have changed from a nation of manufacturers and innovators to a nation of consumers. I work in the automotive sector, so I’ve seen this first hand. We cannot just sit around and keep taking a beating. I believe trade treaties need to be renegotiated every 10 years.

This will ensure they continue to perform in the nation’s best interest. Proposed tariffs are insignificant compared to our larger problems. No country will tolerate devastation to their manufacturing and farming sector just because of some trade treaties. More important is how we stay a viable manufacturing base for exports. We have to remove many constraints on manufacturing and farming industries that will make them competitive for export.

WHY YOU I want to help reshape Congress so it is more responsive to our needs. Career politicians and the establishment are no longer able to deliver. Our congressman Mike Bishop is a career politician. He has been in Washington for two terms, and what has he done for us? Absolutely nothing. We might as well have sent a machine. Just look at our rotting roads, high cost of healthcare, and loss of many manufacturing jobs. Has he done anything about these? Nothing. He’s taken the voters for granted, and not given our district any leadership. Everyone says they’ve never seen him. He can’t understand our problems, let alone solve them. He’s part of the problem. I am a political outsider. I will give you that voice in Congress. I have no ambition to be a career politician. I am a businessman, and know how to get things done. My agenda is simple. Fix things, nothing else counts.

Be compassionate and listen to the people. I will hold quarterly meetings in every county to listen to my constituents. I will provide a number for you to contact my office and respond within 48 hours. I will use innovation to empower you and make your voice heard.

AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

august 7 primary voter guide Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester Hills

U.S. HOUSE 11TH DISTRICT/DEMOCRAT TIM GREIMEL

working families, the bulk of the Trump tax law benefits large corporations and the wealthiest Americans to the detriment of fiscal responsibility. The Trump tax law’s lavish giveaways to corporations and wealthy individuals are permanent while the benefits for working and middle class families sunset after a few years. The plan is not paid for and will add $1.5 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years, burdening future generations and making it harder to make needed investments in infrastructure and education.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT

Greimel, of Auburn Hills, attended undergrad and law school at the University of Michigan.

He served on the Rochester School Board from 2001-2008; Oakland County Board of Commissioners from 2007-2012; and has been a state Representative for the 29th District since 2012.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS When President Trump came to office, he began to roll back a number of environmental regulations enacted by the past administration and reversed a number of decisions dating back to the Clinton administration that were designed to promote a cleaner environment. Do you support the administration’s efforts to minimize environmental regulations?

No. Protecting Michigan’s environment is essential in order to protect thousands of jobs in tourism, shipping, and agriculture. It also means protecting the quality of life for our families. Gutting environmental standards and ignoring the science of climate change not only damages our environment, but also sets back Michigan businesses in the green technology market. It is not true that less environmental protection means more business, as Trump seems to believe. That’s why in the Michigan House of Representatives, I successfully championed an increase in our state’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards. The right protections can boost our economy and keep our water, earth, and air safe and clean for generations.

TAX CUTS Do you support the tax cuts enacted

by Congress at the urging of the Trump administration? Explain your position.

While some of the changes to the tax code do benefit middle class and AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

In the most recent budget adopted by Congress, and in tax legislation approved by both the House and Senate, the national debt has continued to skyrocket. There has been talk of Congress now attempting to reduce the deficit by cutting back on programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Do you support trimming these programs to reduce the budget? Are there other areas of the budget that should be targeted to bring the budget back under control and over time reduce the national debt?

The national debt hampers economic growth and unfairly burdens future generations, but the budget must never be balanced on the backs of retirees.

That Republican style of slash-and-burn deficit reduction is unjust and unnecessary. Americans earn Social Security by working and paying into the system, and Medicare and Medicaid are effective programs for keeping Americans insured and healthy. The current proposals to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid would be unnecessary without the portions of Trump’s tax plan that lavish tax giveaways on corporations and billionaires. Moreover, the government could save billions of dollars in Medicare by negotiating bulk pricing for prescription drugs. Unfortunately, Medicare is prohibited from negotiating drug prices under a statutory provision backed by big pharma. I support repealing that provision so that the government can negotiate fair prices and save money for both taxpayers and seniors.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE Despite attempts by the current administration and Republican members of Congress, a substantial number of persons continue to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare. What is your position on the current Affordable Care Act and the issue of a

national health care plan in general?

As the Democratic Leader in the Michigan House of Representatives, I successfully fought to expand Medicaid coverage to 650,000 Michiganders with the Healthy Michigan Plan. We must maintain the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid and its protections for those with pre-existing conditions. At the same time, we need to fix the problems with the ACA. In the short term, that means bolstering the healthcare exchanges in order to lower premiums. In the longer term, it means building on our successful Medicare system by allowing every American, regardless of age, to buy into Medicare.

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Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, southwest Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, west Oakland lakes area and south Oakland County, along with parts of western Wayne County, including Plymouth, Livonia and Canton.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS

President Trump has eliminated the policy governing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that granted deportation relief for immigrants who came here as children (under the age of 16), which was created in 2012 by the Obama administration. Do you support continuation of the DACA program?

Should Congress move to find a common ground that will provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants?

Should this or any President be required to consult with Congress before sending our military forces into foreign countries?

Those who are eligible for DACA must be allowed to continue living in the U.S. and should be given a pathway to citizenship. More broadly, we need immigration reform that strengthens our nation’s tradition of legal immigration, while investing in additional border security.

GUN CONTROL What is your position on the need for added gun control legislation? Which, if any, of the following gun control measures could you support: Requiring expanded background checks? Background checks at gun shows? Banning bump stocks?

Raising the age on the purchase of weapons? Banning military style weapons?

In the Michigan legislature, I have taken the lead in opposing reckless proposals to allow people to carry concealed firearms in schools and to carry concealed firearms without even obtaining a permit or receiving any training. Nobody outside of the military or law enforcement needs a militarystyle assault weapon, and I will fight for long overdue common sense reforms, like reasonable age restrictions, a ban on bump stocks, universal background checks, and red-flag legislation to prevent dangerous individuals from obtaining firearms.

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Congress alone has the Constitutional authority to declare war, but Republicans and Democrats alike have put too much trust in the Presidency to do the right thing and act without congressional approval. In Congress, I will work to forge a bipartisan consensus around the use of military force.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS The current administration has expressed its desire to withdraw from many of the international trade agreements entered into by past administrations. The President has also authorized import tariffs in recent months. Do you agree with the President on the trade agreements?

What will the impact be of the import tariffs?

Everyday people have no seat at the table of high-stakes trade negotiations, but huge corporations and billionaires always have their say. The result has been trade deals that have at times hurt small business owners and American workers. It is imperative for trade deals to include protections for labor and environmental standards.

WHY YOU Why should a voter choose you over an opponent on the primary ballot?

The people of the 11th District deserve to be represented by someone with a track record of winning tough legislative fights in order to advance progressive legislation that protects their values and economic wellbeing. I successfully fought book-banners when I was on the Rochester school board and passed a 9B

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bipartisan initiative on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners to enable small businesses to get access to loans at the depth of the Great Recession. As the House Democratic Leader, I successfully negotiated the Grand Bargain to lift Detroit out of bankruptcy, championed an increase to the minimum wage, and passed the expansion of Medicaid to provide health insurance for 650,000 previously uninsured Michiganders. I have a proven track record of delivering results, and I am ready to hit the ground running in Congress to pass progressive legislation that will give everyone a real shot at the American Dream.

class will bear the burden of increasing interest rates and loan costs.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs provide vital services to millions of Americans, and they should not be punished because Republicans in Congress decided that pushing through tax cuts to benefit their wealthy, corporate friends is more important than ensuring we have a manageable national debt. To manage the debt, we should ensure that the wealthiest in this nation are paying their fair share of tax, not cut essential programs.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE

SUNEEL GUPTA

Every American has the right to affordable, quality healthcare. I will join the front lines in Congress in the battle to protect the gains we’ve made with the Affordable Care Act and the coverage it extends to millions of Americans, while working to reduce costs. We need to continue to protect the Children’s Health Insurance Program so no family will have to ever worry that lack of insurance will keep them from caring for their children.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY

Gupta grew up in Novi and currently lives in Birmingham. He attended University of Michigan Dearborn and Northwestern University, and has worked in the tech and health care industries.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS I do not support the Trump Administration efforts to eliminate environmental protections. We only have one world and we must do everything we can to protect it, not repeal essential laws put in place to do just that. We must come together as a country and world to fight climate change. If we continue to eliminate these laws, we will find that much sooner than anticipated, our world will become uninhabitable due to fully preventable causes.

TAX CUTS I do not support the tax cuts as configured. The recent cuts are an effort

by Republicans to benefit the wealthiest one percent and richest corporations rather than middle class Americans, and will ultimately result in an increase in taxes for most all Americans. Tax cuts like this have resulted in corporations like Nestle, Boeing, and GE paying zero dollars in federal taxes, while the middle 10B

America should continue to be a place of hope and opportunity, where you can work hard and make a better life for your family. That’s what my parents did.

My mother spent the first 16 years or her life in a refugee camp, but she taught herself math and science and came to America. Here, she became Ford Motor Company’s first female engineer. That is why we must protect and provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers. Dreamers came to this country when they were children through no control of their own, and many of them have never known another home. They pay taxes and contribute to our country, and many of them serve in our military. It’s time we give them the stability and path to citizenship they have earned.

Constitution. Yet, we must be mindful that in this day and age conflicts often require military action before Congressional approval can be gained.

Affairs for the city of Detroit Mayor’s Office, 2015-2017.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS

In Congress, I pledge to serve as a vigilant steward of our natural resources: clean air, water, and soil; unspoiled public lands; and ecological diversity. The Trump deregulatory agenda, in service to powerful industries and corporate greed, is an urgent threat to public health. Here in Michigan, we’ve seen how this story ends: communities like Flint, blighted by water crisis; multinational corporations plundering our resources for pennies; and imminent threats of groundwater contamination and pipeline spills. I will hold Scott Pruitt to account for his destructive, unethical management of the EPA. I will be a tireless advocate for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), providing funding to strategically target the biggest threats to our Great Lakes ecosystem (including the longoverdue decommissioning of Line 5).

And I will push for re-entry into the Paris Agreement, before our generation squanders its chance to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.

I’ll fight to renegotiate trade agreements so that they work for American workers.

My parents came to this country in search of the American Dream. They built a life for themselves here working as engineers for Ford Motor Company for 30 years, until they were both laid off on the same day in 2001. My family, like countless others, has known opportunity, and we’ve known what it means to have the rug pulled out from underneath them because of unfair trade deals. We must stop companies from shipping good jobs overseas and bring back jobs to Michigan. I’ll stand up to any president and any congress who gives companies incentives to ship jobs to other countries. Instead, I want to reward companies that reinvest and actually create good jobs here at home.

WHY YOU I’m the one candidate in this race with hands-on healthcare and job-creating experience. As an entrepreneur with a science background, I’m not a political insider and I’m not beholden to any corporate interests. I am fighting for a progressive agenda that will create lifelong educational opportunities, good jobs, a healthy environment, and promote affordable, quality health care for all. I am prepared to fight for safe workplaces, equal pay, and to end gun violence. Every day citizens need a champion, and I am ready to serve them.

FAYROUZ SAAD

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS

TAX CUTS The Trump tax law is our broken politics in a nutshell: a short-term giveaway to wealthy donors, with the next generation footing the bill. It threatens to cripple a generation already struggling for a foothold in the middle class: the CBO forecasts it will add $1.9 trillion to our national debt over the next ten years. Our tax law reflects our priorities – and at a moment when our infrastructure is crumbling, when aid for public education is being cut, and when too many Americans can’t afford health insurance, our top priority cannot be ensuring the top one percent a still greater share of the nation’s wealth. When we’re offering a household with an estate of $22 million a tax cut that would have covered Pell grants for 1,100 working class students, we need leaders in Congress who will face every decision asking, “Is it good for the middle class?”

GUN CONTROL BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT I believe that we can implement common sense gun violence prevention legislation while honoring the Second Amendment, including instituting red flags, banning assault weapons and bump stocks, giving greater funding to researching gun violence and mental health, and implementing universal background checks.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS Our Constitution requires congressional approval before a declaration of war and every President must follow our

Saad, of Northville, graduated from the University of Michigan and received her masters in public administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. She was a presidential appointee at the Department of Homeland Security from 2009-2011, and director of Immigrant

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The tax and spending bills signed by President Trump are proof that the modern Republican Party is anything but fiscally conservative. Republicans in Congress will happily rack up mountains of debt if it advances their top priority: redistributing wealth to the top one percent. In Congress, I will defend programs providing a baseline of dignity and security for working and middle class Americans: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. And I support the Social Security Expansion Act, introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

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which would index benefits to more accurately reflect costs facing retirees.

That said, I believe in careful oversight of taxpayer dollars, including our largest discretionary outlay: defense spending.

The first-ever audit of the Pentagon is underway, but the administration’s 2019 budget calls for an $80 billion (11 percent) increase in military spending. We need an empowered Democratic majority in Congress to ensure this audit’s findings are made public, and implemented.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE I begin and end with the position that healthcare is a basic right for every American – period. The Affordable Care Act made healthcare affordable for millions, and took important steps toward reining in costs and setting standards of care. But medical debt remains the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States, and reliable, quality healthcare remains unaffordable for millions, including seniors, and hard-working moms and dads. I believe the fairest and most practical path to universal coverage is a Medicare for All system, to be phased in over four to five years. This would begin by expanding access to Medicare to those 55 and older and those 19 and younger, and continuing to lower the age of eligibility by 10 years for the next four years until everyone is covered. (During this four-year period, other adults not yet covered could buy into Medicare.)

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY As the proud daughter of Lebanese immigrants, and Director of Immigrant Affairs under Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, I know in my bones that welcoming newcomers to America isn’t just true to our values: it’s also good business, and good politics. I’m proud of my record in Detroit. I know common ground on immigration is possible, because I’ve sat across from business, civic and religious leaders to find it. We worked together to revitalize Detroit’s neighborhood economies, by clearing paths to basic social services and developing immigrant-owned small businesses. And together, we set a national example at the height of the refugee crisis, resettling 110 refugee families. The administration’s hostility to immigrants – both documented and undocumented – is appalling.

Immigrants are our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. In Congress, I will make protecting Dreamers a top priority, and will lead the fight for comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship.

GUN CONTROL Two of my close friends have had their AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

lives shattered by gun violence. We’re facing a national epidemic – one that takes different forms in different communities – and we should be changing our laws, our culture and our technology in response. A rigorous, comprehensive national standard for background checks (closing gun show and online loopholes) is overwhelmingly supported by the public (including NRA members). I support raising the age for purchasing a rifle from 18 to 21, and expanding red flag laws that allow families and local law enforcement to prevent those who credibly threaten themselves or others from acquiring a weapon. This category should be expanded to include convicted stalkers and domestic abusers. I support banning bump stocks, and the reinstatement of a (strengthened) Federal Assault Weapons ban. And we should be actively funding the CDC to do research, and guaranteeing that its scientists won’t face repercussions for fact-based recommendations.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS As a Congresswoman, my oath will be to uphold the Constitution. For decades, Congress has been abdicating its Constitutional duty to declare war and peace by failing to insist that new military commitments be debated and authorized. The 2001 AUMF (Authorization for Use of Military Force) passed by Congress three days after 9/11 has been subsequently invoked to justify military actions in 14 countries.

Congress shouldn’t be writing blank checks to any executive – Republican or Democrat – that will be used to begin a war 17 years later. Some of the young men and women fighting and dying on our behalf were still in kindergarten when Congress “authorized” their mission. I take the fight against those who plot to harm Americans and our allies very seriously; with the rest of the people’s elected representatives, I’m ready to begin a new debate on the progress, scope, and strategic vision of that fight.

job losses and depressed wages in American manufacturing. I will never support any trade agreement that puts the American worker at a disadvantage, and will stand with organized labor to demand that agreements bring other nations’ labor and environmental standards up to ours, rather than engage in a race to the bottom.

WHY YOU The stakes of this election are unbelievably high. Job security and a living wage. Quality healthcare as a right, not a privilege. And turning the tide on the Trump administration’s daily assault on our values, our communities, and the facts themselves. These fights are personal to me. And I’m the only candidate in this race with the local, state and national experience to take on the full breadth of challenges we face. The American Dream that I grew up with is at risk. Forty years ago, an optimistic vision of America inspired my parents to immigrate from Lebanon to southeastern Michigan. Here, they found an America that welcomed their desire to work hard and to build a thriving business. I’m running because, if we want to preserve that American Dream, we need a new generation of leadership fighting for it in Washington.

And I’m ready to fight.

HALEY STEVENS

TAX CUTS After years and years of corporate executives buying seats in Congress, Donald Trump and Washington Republicans repaid the debt to their donors and then some with a massive tax giveaway to people who need it the least.

They might call that bill a “tax cut;” I call it a massive return on investment for the wealthy donors who bought their members of Congress and expected something in return. I could never support that kind of approach to policymaking. We need to stop giving out millions and billions and – in this case – $1.5 trillion in tax breaks like they are party favors. Let’s target tax breaks for the middle class families who work hard and just want to get ahead.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS I’m deeply concerned that President Trump is leading us into a trade war with China – one that he and his administration are ill-equipped to win.

Our communities are at the heart of the automotive industry. We know the human cost of an economic downturn that would affect the supply chain and demand for American-made cars. That said, as a congresswoman, my first and last question on every issue will be, “Is it good for the middle class?” and that includes trade agreements. Past agreements, combined with increasing automation, have been responsible for

need to start acting accordingly or we will not be able to compete with the rest of the world. I served as chief of staff on President Obama’s auto rescue. When our auto industry was in crisis we not only helped save GM and Chrysler, we did it while improving fuel efficiency standards and spurring American auto companies to build the cars of the future. We designed and implemented Cash for Clunkers, an incentive-based program that allowed consumers to trade in old, environmentally inefficient vehicles for 21st century models. I don’t buy the argument that we can have a clean environment or cars but we can’t have both; for over a decade Detroit’s automotive industry has shown the opposite.

Stevens currently lives in Rochester Hills after growing up in Birmingham. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at American University, and served as chief of staff of President Obama's Auto Rescue, and worked for the White House Office for Manufacturing Policy and Office of Recovery for Automotive Communities and Workers.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS Absolutely not. President Trump’s reckless rollback of environmental protection standards not only damages our environment but hurts our economy. Like it or not, climate change is real and we

VOTER GUIDE/DOWNTOWN

Social Security and Medicare are a promise we made to America’s working families – our guarantee that if you work hard and put your time in you will be able to retire with dignity. That means financial and health security without forcing your kids to pay for your ability to get by. That is why we need to strengthen Social Security and Medicare, not cut them. It is unfathomable that Donald Trump and Republicans in Washington think it is OK to hand out a $1.5 trillion tax giveaway while trying to balance our national debt on the backs of the people who need our help the most. That is true for Medicaid, too. I would never support a plan that cuts these critical benefits, and to strengthen them I would start by cutting Trump’s $1.5 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthy.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE The two biggest things President Obama accomplished were the Auto Rescue and Obamacare. I stepped up and served as chief of staff for the Auto Rescue when our economy was in crisis, and now that Donald Trump is creating a healthcare crisis I’m stepping up again and running 11B

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for Congress. I supported the Affordable Care Act and do not believe it is Congress’s job to remove people from their healthcare plans without alternatives. Let’s protect and improve Obamacare, not sabotage it. Let’s ensure that everyone has access to health coverage, that we tackle the costs of prescription drugs and bring forward a public option. It is time we focus first on how to meet Americans’ healthcare needs, then focus on how we get our healthcare companies to step up to the challenge. Profits should never be put before people.

FOR CONGRESS

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY

Conservative

Mike Kowall Mike Kowall was born and raised in Southeast Michigan. A carpenter and cabinet maker by trade, Mike rose from apprentice to become president of a family owned business, Accurate Woodworking, Inc.

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Elected to the State Senate in 2010, he is the Majority Floor Leader, and has been instrumental to turning the Michigan economy around. Today, we have the lowest unemployment rate in 18 years and more than 500,000 new jobs.

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Whether its tax reform or cutting red tape, Mike has led the way in turning Michigan around.

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Mike has worked with the U.S. Defense Department to provide service pins to nearly 10,000 Vietnam veterans throughout Michigan.

His strong support of our Armed Forces is a hallmark of his time in public service. >> MikeKowallforCongress.com

“Michigan’s economy was built on the auto industry. In Congress, I will continue to lead the way on autonomous vehicles and help build Southeast Michigan into a technological leader.”

- Mike Kowall 2018 Award for Conservative Achievement 2014 Legislator of the Year 2017 Legislator of the Year Paid for by Kowall for Congress, PO Box 7036, Novi 48376

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For generations, families have come to America seeking a better life for themselves, their children, and their grandchildren. We are a nation of immigrants, but sadly our immigration system today is broken. It can and must be fixed without tearing apart families who come here in pursuit of the American dream. I support the DACA program and our Dreamers because I do not believe Congress should be in the business of punishing children brought to this country through no choice of their own. Many of our Dreamers know no other country or home and serve our nation proudly. We must pass common sense legislation to fix DACA and our immigration system so that America will always be the city upon the hill we strive to be.

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GUN CONTROL

In Congress I will be the NRA’s worst nightmare. My commitment is that on day one of the 116th Congress, I will have issued a letter to every single one of my colleagues asking them to join me in passing gun safety legislation that will include universal background checks, reinstating the assault rifle ban from 1994, “no-fly-no buy” provisions, banning bump stocks, and raising the age in which individuals can purchase guns. I made this commitment on January 3, 2018, one year before I plan to follow through on it. Our country’s gun violence epidemic is not going away and Michiganders can count on me to continue being an outspoken advocate for gun violence prevention. It is time we elect bold and courageous leaders willing to take on tough challenges – I will be one of them.

Republican, an Independent, or a reality TV show host – he or she must consult with Congress before committing an act of war.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS I oppose NAFTA and other free trade deals that hurt American workers, but, as with all things, Donald Trump’s approach creates massive dysfunction and inconsistency. While I agree we need to renegotiate trade agreements to make them more beneficial for workers, the President’s inconsistent approach to trade and import tariffs troubles me.

WHY YOU In 2009, economists were singing Detroit’s swan song. The auto industry was in crisis. Analysts wanted to let Detroit go bankrupt. I disagreed: I believed then, as I do today, that Detroit hustles harder. So I went to Washington and hustled, serving as chief of staff for President Obama’s auto rescue that helped save more than 200,000 jobs. I’m running for Congress because I see a different kind of crisis today: Donald Trump’s reckless agenda is hurting us and raising healthcare costs. America’s working families can’t afford inaction – we need real leadership, and that’s what Michiganders can expect from me. I’m a Seaholm alum and proud product of this district. I got into this race when it didn’t seem easy but I outraised the incumbent and soon after he announced his retirement. I’ve delivered for Michigan before and voters should choose me because I’ll always deliver for Michigan in Congress.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS Going to war with a country is one of the most grave and serious decisions any President can make. It costs time and money and, most importantly, the lives of the most patriotic Americans – our service members. We cannot afford to make that decision lightly. It does not matter if our President is a Democrat, a

VOTER GUIDE/DOWNTOWN

AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

august 7 primary voter guide Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester Hills

U.S. HOUSE 11TH DISTRICT/REPUBLICAN KERRY BENTIVOLIO

rating for cutting wasteful spending from the Citizen’s Council Against Government Waste. I received the designation “Taxpayers’ Friend Award.” Facts don’t lie.

I want to go back to continue cutting wasteful spending and protecting taxpayers. I have a proven and effective record in this arena.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT

Bentivolio lives in Milford, served in both the Vietnam and Iraq wars, and was the Congressman for the 11th District from 2013-2015.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS When President Trump came to office, he began to roll back a number of environmental regulations enacted by the past administration and reversed a number of decisions dating back to the Clinton administration that were designed to promote a cleaner environment. Do you support the administration’s efforts to minimize environmental regulations?

I grew up in the 60’s with rivers that caught fire and hazardous waste barrels discarded on vacant land leaching and polluting our environment. The biggest problem Michigan will soon face is outdated pipelines on the floor of the Great Lakes. In 1982, I constructed a “solar earth home” and voted Republican.

Why do people believe Republicans don’t want clean air, water and land? In DC, the most difficult thing to find is the “truth.” When you do find it, it is more precious than gold. Balance is the key.

Please read, “Ecological Imperialism” by Alfred Crosby. It is my guideline for dealing with environmental issues and finding balance between a safe environment and economic necessities. I want to go back to Washington to continue fighting for that delicate balance in protecting our environment.

TAX CUTS Do you support the tax cuts enacted by Congress at the urging of the Trump administration? Explain your position.

Yes, tax cuts are a good thing. It must be combined with specific cuts in wasteful spending and economic growth or it adds to the national debt our children and grandchildren must pay. As a member of the U.S. House I earned a 100 percent AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

In the most recent budget adopted by Congress, and in tax legislation approved by both the House and Senate, the national debt has continued to skyrocket. There has been talk of Congress now attempting to reduce the deficit by cutting back on programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Do you support trimming these programs to reduce the budget?

Are there other areas of the budget that should be targeted to bring the budget back under control and over time reduce the national debt?

No, I will not support cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. It is our money. We paid into it. I never voted to raise the debt ceiling, nor increase taxes in the 113 Congress. I supported intelligence cuts in wasteful spending. I want to go back to Washington to protect those promises made to our fathers and mothers and us. It is congressional responsibility to balance the budget. I sponsored a bill to reduce congressional pay each time Congress failed to pass a balanced budget. It is in the congressional record.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE Despite attempts by the current administration and Republican members of Congress, a substantial number of persons continue to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare.

What is your position on the current Affordable Care Act and the issue of a national health care plan in general?

The federal government has little, if any, business in personal healthcare. The Supreme Court said it was a tax. The individual mandate is gone, and I believe it is unconstitutional now. Look at the VA. In 2015, more than 300,000 veterans died waiting for VA promised healthcare. VA healthcare is rationed and wait times are ridiculous.

As a veteran, former congressman, I still hear the horror stories of VA healthcare failures. The VA healthcare system is a great example of federal government run healthcare. I do not support federal intervention in healthcare. It is primarily a state issue.

Supporting interstate commerce, allowing insurance companies to cross state lines is another matter. I want to go back to Washington to fix it.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY President Trump has eliminated the policy governing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that granted deportation relief for immigrants who came here as children (under the age of 16), which was created in 2012 by the Obama administration. Do you support continuation of the DACA program?

Should Congress move to find a common ground that will provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants?

DACA is unconstitutional. People have waited in line years to come here legally.

What part of illegal is not understood?

How do we prove, or they prove, they came here as a child illegally? A path to become legal for DACA was submitted by Republicans and declined by the Democrat side of the aisle. In 2013, as a member of Congress, I said, “The real problem, like it or not, is that one side wants the votes and the other side wants the cheap labor. Little, if anything will be done.” Now, more than five years later, that statement continues to be true.

GUN CONTROL What is your position on the need for added gun control legislation? Which, if any, of the following gun control measures could you support: Requiring expanded background checks?

Background checks at gun shows?

Banning bump stocks? Raising the age on the purchase of weapons? Banning military style weapons?

It is clear by the question you do not understand the real problem nor appreciate the Second Amendment. Due process must be employed to remove that Second Amendment right. We should focus more on gangs who black market firearms of all sorts before we limit firearms owned by honest citizens.

Chicago has the strictest gun laws and how is it working out there? We have a cultural problem. Our schools, our theaters, our concerts, our streets must be a safe place. “Gun free zones” are invitations for bad actors to do harm. We need to focus on keeping all guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill using “due process” while protecting our Second Amendment rights.

Hills

ntiac

eld

Bloomfield Hills

Birmingham

Rochester Hills

Troy

Clawson

Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, southwest Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, west Oakland lakes area and south Oakland County, along with parts of western Wayne County, including Plymouth, Livonia and Canton.

and approve such action(s). As the only member of congress who served in both Vietnam and Iraq, I protested the “limited air strike” on Syria when Obama’s red line was crossed. I voted, “no.” To convince me to support the pro invasion argument, to justify the action; “it is a limited air strike.” I responded, “Was Japan’s invasion of Pearl Harbor a limited air strike?” Any violent military incursion in a foreign country is an act of war and Congress must authorize it.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS The current administration has expressed its desire to withdraw from many of the international trade agreements entered into by past administrations. The President has also authorized import tariffs in recent months. Do you agree with the President on the trade agreements?

What will the impact be of the import tariffs?

Instead of tariffs, replace NAFTA and all other trade agreements with a single sentence: We will trade with any nation upon those terms it chooses to trade with us. Which simply means we will harmonize our trade policy to the facts at hand. As a member of Congress, I earned the highest award from the US Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Small Business for protecting American business. If re-elected, I will continue to fight for American business. I have a proven record accomplishment in that arena too.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS WHY YOU Should this or any President be required to consult with Congress before sending our military forces into foreign countries?

Only a soldier and his/her family understand the true cost and value of liberty. To send anyone into harm’s way should never be taken lightly, and even then, it will be with much disinclination.

Yes, Congress should always be consulted

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Why should a voter choose you over an opponent on the primary ballot?

Experience matters representing all constituents. During the end of my service in the 113th Congress a US House historian said I was the “most effective and successful first term congressman in recent memory” (ref: Congressional Journal, Oct 2014); the failure rate of bills 13B

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submitted is 99.1 percent. I passed three pieces of legislation with 100 percent bipartisan support in my two years. I was rated second most transparent member of the House (GovTrack). I earned two awards for constituent services. National TaxPayer’s Union honored me with the “Taxpayers’ Friend Award,” NFIB “Guardian of Small Business” award. I am the most experienced candidate with a proven record of accomplishment in DC. I stand on my record of bi-partisanship and getting the job done. I have a record of factual dedicated service, placing citizens first in war and in Washington. I stand on my record of accomplishments. If the facts matter, if experience matters, I am the safest and best choice and can hit the ground running.

KLINT KESTO

Kesto, a West Bloomfield resident, graduated from University of Michigan and Wayne State University Law School. He has been state Representative for the 39th District since 2013.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS It’s not a question of minimizing or maximizing, the issue is making sense of government regulations. Under Obama, too many regulations poured out of Washington knowing that they overreached federal law. Congress needs to write the laws better so that the bureaucracy can do less damage later.

TAX CUTS I cut tax rates as a state Representative, and I’ll cut tax rates as a congressman.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT People who are able to work should do so; welfare in the form of food stamps and Medicaid should be for those who are unable to work.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE The current Affordable Care Act is 14B

unaffordable. They need to repeal it and go back to the drawing board and allow individuals to decide what healthcare plan they want. There certainly should be coverage for pre-existing conditions. I am a father, a husband, and my first wife passed away from cancer. I know it is important to have accessible health care, but the federal government should not be dictating to the people what they should buy.

the President wants to make a declaration of war, Congress should decide.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY

WHY YOU

We cannot continue with the program as it is because it is an incentive for people to continue to break the law and cross our borders illegally. We need complete reform that includes having secure borders by building the wall and filling the tunnels.

The Department of Homeland Security needs to be allowed extreme vetting of individuals who are coming into our country and be allowed to keep track of the status of those who have received visas. We also need to use technology more efficiently to ensure that the individuals we are allowing through our borders as residents are going to be productive members of society. One way would be to go back to the requirement that immigrants have a sponsor. This would create a safety net with family and friends which would be more effective. As for DACA and pathways to citizenship, these individuals came here not through their own choice; they were just children.

Yet they still entered the country illegally.

There should not be be a pathway to citizenship for these individuals, but rather a different, legal, permanent status.

One of my opponents is a four-time loser.

Another is a two-time loser just out of bankruptcy court. Yet another is the only registered lobbyist running for Congress in this district. The last is a woman who failed to attend 83 percent of the meetings of a board she was appointed to, charged with protecting abused children. All of them would be defeated by the Pelosi Machine, and this part of Michigan would have a Democrat in Congress for the first time – ever. I can win, defeat the Pelosi Machine, and keep this seat for Republicans. I am the first Chaldean American elected to the Michigan House and will be the first Chaldean American elected to Congress. I have an appeal that reaches all religions, all people because I am there to serve them and not for personal gain.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS We need to put Americans first and America first. If these agreements are unfair and the leverage is all on the other side, they need to be renegotiated. We should negotiate from a position of power so that American workers can benefit.

MIKE KOWALL

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS I would support what the Constitution currently requires – when there is immediate danger, the President should be allowed to act. The President should also have the ability to send troops for non-military purposes - for example, there are many humanitarian situations that need military assistance, such as flood and earthquake or starvation. When it is an immediate military threat, the President should be allowed to defend us. But when

Yes, I support lowering the tax burden for Americans.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT All spending needs to be examined, and depending on the program we should examine the entire budget because the amount of money we need for infrastructure and the military continue to increase.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE All programs need to be reviewed, looking at cost vs. return on investment. We continue to see programs that are not being used for what they were originally intended for.

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY We need to find a better way to enforce our immigration policies, stopping those that try to come here illegally. For those who are already here, we need to find an enforceable avenue for citizenship; providing that they do not break the law and are contributing members to our society. We also need to place a greater emphasis on the source of the problem, which is coming to this country illegally in the first place.

GUN CONTROL We already require background checks when purchasing guns, and military grade weapons are currently banned. You cannot walk into a store and buy a fully automatic weapon. Many of the restrictions that are being called for are already in place. We see time and time again, crimes being committed in gun free zones, because criminals are afraid to go into areas that have gun owning and law-abiding citizens.

GUN CONTROL If there are deficiencies in background checks, then they must be addressed. We should be diligent that the most violent of offenders such as felons and habitual domestic violence offenders do not have access to firearms. Michigan’s current law creates a restriction on the possession of firearms for these individuals for a period of time. We have to continue to look for ways to keep firearms out of the hands of violent offenders and how we handle mental health care. As the chair of the Michigan CARES Task force, I know first hand that we need to reform our mental health care system.

TAX CUTS

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS No, the commander in chief needs to have the ability to command our army in times of need.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS Kowall, of White Lake, was president of a family woodworking company until he became state Representative for the 44th District in 1998-2002, and then became White Lake Supervisor. In 2010, he was elected to the state Senate for the 15th District, where he is currently the Majority Floor Leader.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS I support the administration’s efforts in removing excessive restrictions that are over burdensome our small businesses and economy which make it harder to compete on a global scale.

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I agree with the President that free trade needs to equal fair trade. Currently there are many loopholes in our trade agreements and other countries are taking advantage of us. It is antiquated and we need to upgrade it. We do not want to eliminate fair trade as Michigan exports a lot of trade goods like soybeans to China, however, we need to ensure trade practices are fair for our country.

WHY YOU Having grown up in southeast Michigan, this is where I call home. I care deeply about the community we live in and I have AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

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been a small business owner and public servant my entire adult life. I have been a leader in pushing through meaningful and necessary legislation to create the most competitive environment possible for existing job providers to expand their operations and to attract new businesses and investment into our state. I also have a proven track record of common sense in governing.

Legislatures in both the state of Michigan and federal government require someone to be able to look at issues in a common-sense fashion to apply new laws and regulations so that we are not creating winners and losers in legislation. I have a proven record of working with both Republicans and Democrats to pass legislation that is best for our state.

TAX CUTS I do support the Federal Tax Cut that was voted on in late 2017. I was disappointed in a few areas, and I would have fought for greater and permanent tax cuts, in correlation with cuts in federal spending. This tax cut program will positively affect over 93 percent of the citizens that live in our 11th Congressional District, therefore, I would have supported it if I were in the House of Representatives. We have seen incredible investment into our economy because of these tax cuts and I was very supportive of the effort to lower corporate tax rates, thus making our economy more attractive for business investment and repatriation of business profits that were held offshore.

BUDGET/NATIONAL DEBT

ROCKY RACZKOWSKI

Raczkowski, a Troy business owner, graduated from Eastern Michigan University and received his law degree from Michigan State University.

A retired Army Reserves officer, he represented Farmington and Farmington Hills, the 37th District, in the state House, from 1997-2003.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS I support some rollbacks and do not support others. For example, many automotive companies would have not been able to meet the emissions standard by 2025. This would have impacted our metro Detroit economy adversely. Therefore, I do support the easing of these federal regulations. On the other hand, one of government’s main purposes is to protect the public, and provide the infrastructure for the common good. Some of that infrastructure is used to provide clean water. We must fight for clean air and water for our citizens. The easing of heavy metal content in our water, by the recent Scott Pruitt decision, is something that I would vigorously oppose.

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I believe that our greatest threat to our economy and our safety is the growing national debt. I would have liked to see corresponding cuts in spending, with either tax cuts or growth in the economy, thus making any such cuts easier to implement. As for cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, I do not support cuts in these programs, because these were promises made to the people that paid into them, and depend on them.

Furthermore, I would not have supported the Obama Administration’s $716 billion raid on Medicare to fund the ACA of 2009. When elected, I will ask to work specifically on preventing fraud in SSI, Medicare and Medicaid. If we can institute proper technology and fraud prevention mechanisms, we could save over $53 billion by doing this. We a need a comprehensive review of what is a constitutionally essential program that actually helps the American people, and what was created for the special interest to profit off of. I would do a full review and audit of the Departments of Defense, HUD, Energy, Treasury and the VA. I would also seek how we can send most of the Department of Education funding to the states and classrooms of our schools for education and security. Furthermore, we must get back to passing budgets in regular order of House business. I support a balanced budget approach and believe that we must live within our means, otherwise, our economy will eventually fall.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE I am still against the dynamics and the architecture of the Affordable Care Act of 2009. My main points against this is because of the raid on Medicare of over $716 billion, the fact that most of the exchanges are either failing with no insurers, or only one insurer, leaving no competition and raising rates.

Furthermore, there is no interstate competition for insured individuals or negotiated pricing for services offered.

This plan must be redone, because the way it was drafted kicked the can down the road after this past election for the failures within the system to arise. I believe that healthcare is individual and must not be cookie cutter for all. Lastly, I did agree with insuring individuals with pre-existing conditions, and not discriminating against them, but believe that decisions regarding individual health must be maintained between a patient and their doctor, and not a bureaucrat in Washington.

firearms. The US Supreme Court held in the DC v Heller case in 2008, that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm.

This is a landmark decision that should focus our energies on those that violate the law, instead of punishing those that use firearms for hunting, sport and protection.

AUTHORIZING MILITARY ACTIONS Yes. For any extended contingency operations, or actions of war, Congress must be consulted for approval.

TRADE AGREEMENTS/TARIFFS

DACA/IMMIGRATION POLICY This is a greater issue of our broken immigration laws and how we as a society pay for social welfare safety nets for individuals that are on US soil. DACA should have never been handled by an executive order, because it is a Constitutional obligation of Congress to deal with all laws regarding immigration policy. As for DACA, and illegal immigration, we must stop the illegal flow of individuals into the US, no matter where they come from. If children are raised in the United States, I would support the eventual permanent resident plan, and not full citizenship.

No other nation in the world supports illegal immigrants, nor do they allow them citizenship. I believe strongly in enforcing our borders, and supporting legal immigration. As a son of legal immigrants, I believe we must bring back the Sponsorship Program that we no longer have. Overall, our immigration program is broken. From Refugee Resettlement that does not work, to EB-5 Visa Program, that is inherently unfair. I will work to bring sanity, civility and law to this subject in Washington.

GUN CONTROL I believe we must fix and fully enforce the background checks we have in place. All nine of the last mass shooters broke the law in regard to possession of weapons, weapons in schools or filling out fraudulent background check paperwork where they fell through the system. We must fix the current state reporting system. In Michigan, we do not have a gun show loophole, and bump stocks are now being banned by the DOJ (ATF). As for military-type weapons, it is impossible to purchase military-type weapons without a tremendous amount of background checks, licensure and cost. We must enforce the felony punishment for anyone that lies on a Federal Background Check form (AFT Form 4473), and also punish those that do not submit information to the Federal Information Network on individuals that should not be able to purchase

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I support the current administration’s withdrawal from the PTT and believe that the administration’s Department of Commerce, led by Secretary Wilbur Ross, is doing the right thing in renegotiating many existing trade deals that have given our nation tremendous trade deficits and have pushed the manufacturing jobs that have created the middle class offshore. We are already seeing that all our trading partners have come to the table and are cutting deals that are more favorable to our manufacturing and production base. We have the EU and China left, and both are signaling better terms for the United States that would help our economy. The EU extension ends on June 1, 2018, and we will see if we have the deal that both Germany, Poland and the US are signaling the EU to accept. These past trade deals are not treaties, therefore the administration has the legal authority under the law to withdrawal and renegotiate, and it actually is benefiting the US overall.

WHY YOU We have some good people running for this office. Some are in business, some from the military and some from public service. Some of the candidates are young, and some are older. I have lived in this district my entire life, and am interested in working on specific issues that better our society, cut the national debt and leave a safer and freer nation for our children. I have served in the Army as a leader with over 26 years of service with two combat tours, I have run a multimillion dollar national business and in 2011, have started my own from the ground up. I have served others with no anticipation of personal gain, and I am not looking for a job. I am looking to make a positive difference, and I won’t let the people of the 11th Congressional District down.

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STATE SENATE 12TH DISTRICT/REPUBLICAN MICHAEL MCCREADY

background checks? Background checks at gun shows? Banning bump stocks? Raising the age on the purchase of weapons? Banning military style weapons? Red flag laws?

Discussions on firearms are always contentious and divisive, but we can all agree that government should work to keep firearms out of the hands of those who should not have them. I support working towards that goal while also not infringing on the rights of law abiding citizens. Because of this I would support implementing a red flag law in Michigan, but only if it includes strong protections for due process and stringent penalties for frivolous complaints.

we have relied on for education?

I support the rights of parent to have the ultimate choice in the educational path for their children. Charters are one of the many options that should be available, in addition to traditional public schools as well as parochial, private and home schooling. Regardless of the avenue our educational system as a whole must be held to strict standards to ensure that we are properly preparing our future generations for the challenges they will face.

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION What is your position on the marijuana legalization proposal appearing on the November ballot?

ROAD REPAIRS McCready, a business owner from Bloomfield Township, is the current state Representative for the 40th District, a position he has held since 2012. Prior to that, he was a mayor and city commissioner for Bloomfield Hills, and served on the city’s planning board and zoning board of appeals.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Michigan has a rich history of protecting the environment but in recent years there have been several legislative attempts to restrict the DEQ when it comes to rule-making to implement laws of the state, including the now pending legislation that would place control of future rulemaking with an appointed committee comprised of special interests, including factions of the business community. There has long been a realization that the DEQ is underfunded in terms of being able to carry out its mission of protecting the quality of life in the state. Do you agree with the recent attempts to curtail the DEQ? Do you feel that more funding needs to be allocated to the DEQ for enforcement purposes?

The beauty and wonder of our natural environment is an integral part of our state’s identity as well as it is a powerful economic driver of Michigan’s robust tourism industry. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) should be a partner with our business community to continue to help drive economic growth, while preserving our natural beauties for the next generation.

GUN REGULATIONS Because Congress has failed to act on proposed increased regulation of gun ownership, a number of states have taken the initiative to address the issue. Should Michigan be taking the lead on the gun control? Would you support requiring expanded 16B

While the state has announced that $175 million will be disbursed this year for road and bridge repairs, do you feel that is sufficient while we wait three more years for the road funding proposal to finally kick in?

Should the state rainy day fund be tapped in the interim, as some have suggested?

There is no debate that our roads, particularly in Oakland County, are in serious need of repair. I supported allocating the $175 million dollars to be used for road funding but more is needed. It is why I have publicly supported spending the higher than expected forecasted revenues directly to road repair. In addition, Act 51, which determines that distribution of road dollars to counties and cities, needs to be overhauled to better reflect the higher need of more populous counties which have larger road systems that see more use.

CHARTER SCHOOL REFORMS Michigan has developed a reputation as one of the most deregulated school environments in the country, with the largest number of charter schools – 80 percent of which are forprofit ventures. Charter schools were originally billed as a cure for declining student achievement and inequality, but a number of reports in the last few years show that 70 percent of the state’s charter schools are in the lower rungs of student achievement reviews. Lawmakers in Lansing, however, have on more than one occasion rejected tightening the overview of charter schools and have allowed for their continued growth.

Should there be more state control over charter schools for performance and finances? Does the ongoing expansion of charter schools threaten the public schools K-12 system that

My colleagues and I in the legislature worked diligently in 2016 to implement a new and improved regulatory framework for medical marijuana, to give those legitimately suffering from debilitating conditions or disease more flexibility and safety when pursuing medical marijuana as a treatment option as well as to give marijuana producers more certainty in the market.

I believe that we should continue to allow that system to work before moving to the step of legalization of recreational marijuana.

ETHICS/TRANSPARENCY Although Michigan has 1973 Act(196) to regulate conduct of public officials, it is considered less than rigorous when it comes to legislative ethics and transparency, leaving Michigan ranked near the bottom in comparative studies with other states. Would you support financial disclosure by state lawmakers? What about including the governor’s office and the legislature when it comes to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, from which they are now exempt? Would you support a bill that prohibits “Pay to Play” when it comes to lawmakers approving contracts with companies or people who are campaign contributors? Are there any other areas that need to be addressed if we are to strengthen ethics/transparency laws/rules in Michigan as they apply to the legislature and administrative offices?

Transparency is an important facet of a government that is accountable to the people, and that is why I support transparency for both the legislature and the governor. I have voted twice (2016 and 2017), to apply the Freedom of information Act to the legislature and the governor’s office.

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12 Oakland Twp.

Bloomfield Township, Franklin, Beverly Hills, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Oakland Township, along with Orion, Independence and Oxford townships.

PRO-LIFE/PRO-CHOICE Are you pro-life or pro-choice? If you are pro-life, are there any exceptions to prohibitions on abortions that you find acceptable? Explain your position on this issue.

I am proudly pro-life. The only exception is when the life of the mother is in danger.

CODIFYING CIVIL RIGHTS Should the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act be amended to extend civil rights protections in housing and employment to include sexual orientation? Why or why not?

I don’t believe any changes are needed to the Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act. The act already includes sex as a protected class, which has been interpreted by the courts to include members of the LGBT community.

WHY YOU Why should a voter choose you over an opponent on the primary ballot?

I have lived most my life in the Bloomfield area of Oakland County.

From humble means I started my own business, McCready and Associates, which celebrates its 28th year anniversary next year, and raised a family. My experience in business and from serving in local government, has given me insight to the challenges faced by local governments and the residents who call our community home. Having served in the legislature as the Representative for the 40th District, I now understand the complicated appropriations process which ultimately determines where we invest the taxpayers’ dollars. These experiences have given me the necessary tools to represent our communities and their needs in the Michigan State Senate. I ask for your vote on the August 7th primary.

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VERNON MOLNAR

road building, to make sure that funding is being used in the most efficient and appropriate manner.

increasing road funding without simply raising taxes. I would be supportive of spending a portion of the “rainy day fund” on roads.

CHARTER SCHOOL REFORMS

JIM TEDDER

Molnar is a resident of Auburn Hills.

As a former public school teacher and administrator, my first and primary focus is to make decisions that are in the best interest of children. Every child deserves access to a quality education; educational needs vary by child. With an abundance of quality traditional public school options throughout the 12th Senate District, it is hard to fathom that charter schools pose any threat to their existence. Rather, charter schools provide an alternative in the absence of other viable options. All publicly funded schools should be treated fairly and should be evaluated and measured in an equitable manner.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

I do not think that the any additional funding needs to be allocated to the DEQ. GUN REGULATIONS I would support banning bump stocks as well as support raising the age on the purchase of weapons.

ROAD REPAIRS The state rainy day fund should not be tapped into. There has already been enough money allocated to the road and bridge repairs.

CHARTER SCHOOL REFORMS I support charter schools.

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION I support the legalization proposal for the November ballot.

ETHICS/TRANSPARENCY I support full transparency for all.

PRO-LIFE/PRO-CHOICE Pro-life.

CODIFYING CIVIL RIGHTS I think that the laws should remain the same as they currently are.

Tedder, a former educator, lives in Clarkston. A graduate of Central Michigan University with masters from Oakland University, he is the current state Representative for the 43rd District (20142018).

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Of course, we must continue to be good stewards of the environment and I have a strong legislative record in support of protecting it. To that end, I support efforts to increase the transparency in DEQ’s rule-making process, which has long been a source of frustration for many. I believe that the DEQ has adequate funding to carry out rules enforcement; like the individuals and families across the state, every government agency must also live within its means.

GUN REGULATIONS There is no shortage of federal and state gun laws already on the books.

Any efforts to deny an individual’s Second Amendment rights should involve due process. Policing authorities already have the discretion to confiscate weapons under certain circumstances. The state must do more to support mental health services for those who need them. Understanding and addressing the root cause of violent acts is an important part of the overall discussion toward eliminating gun violence.

WHY YOU ROAD REPAIRS I have over 30 years’ experience in road building, which is more experience than any current candidate. If elected, I would like to join the transportation committee and use my experience and knowledge, in all stages and aspects of AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

I was proud to support $175 million in additional road funding. The most recent budget analysis indicates that there will be approximately a $400 million surplus due to good fiscal stewardship by the state. I have been a strong advocate of

established record of transparency, accountability and results, I look forward to meeting voters on the campaign trail. As chairman of the Michigan House Tax Policy committee, I have led the charge to rein in government spending and to rightfully return money back to Michigan citizens.

I will continue to stand up for taxpayers and fight against government overreach.

I will continue to be a strong advocate for dedicating more funding for roads without raising taxes. I will continue to protect our values and Constitutional rights. There is still a lot of work to do; as your next state Senator, I look forward to serving you as a resultsdriven leader. I humbly ask for your vote on Tuesday, August 7th.

TERRY WHITNEY

As a ballot question, this matter will likely be settled by the voters of Michigan in November. It has taken over a decade to address regulatory complications with medical marijuana, so any consideration of expanding access to marijuana cannot be rushed.

I believe there will be unintended consequences if it is passed as written.

ETHICS/TRANSPARENCY Last legislative session and this legislative session, I have taken a leadership role in support of the Legislative Opens Records Act, subjecting the Michigan Legislature and the Governor’s office to the Freedom Of Information Act. I was also honored to receive the Michigan Press Association’s 2017 Peter Pettalia Memorial Sunshine Award in acknowledgement of my commitment to government transparency.

PRO-LIFE/PRO-CHOICE I am pro-life and believe that an exception should be provided in cases where the life of the mother is in danger.

CODIFYING CIVIL RIGHTS There are a number of state and federal laws that protect the civil rights of Michigan citizens. As a parent and former educator, I have long stood against bigotry and hatred at all levels; I do not believe that expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act will achieve additional protections not already covered by law.

WHY YOU

Whitney, who is self-employed, is a resident of Clarkston.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Since the incept of term limits in Michigan, the size and scope of Michigan state government has grown nearly 100 percent in size. Many departments operate without any legislative oversight and in effect have been making policy and regulation as unelected officials. Additionally, before any additional spending for any program or department should take place, Michigan’s government needs to be audited with a process called Lean Sigma Six. GUN REGULATIONS Just as I would never support banning our First Amendment Rights, I would never support the diminishment of our Second Amendment Rights. The idea that there is a magic gunshow loop hole is completely false. In order to get a federal gun dealers license, it takes quite a bit of time and resources to obtain and the last thing any business or individual would want to do is

As a proven conservative leader with an

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jeopardize themselves or their freedom by not running federal background checks as required by law. Keep in mind the last few potential mass shootings were stopped by school resource officers and privately armed lawfully abiding citizens. In Chicago, Illinois, which has the nation’s strictest gun control laws it leads the nation in the number of shootings each week that exceed all other states in the midwest for the year.

should be the choice of that individual on how they wish to proceed.

ROAD REPAIRS

WHY YOU

We need an estimated $4 billion to tackle our current road and infrastructure issues. Additionally, we need to change the current laws for road maintenance allocation so that the funding goes to areas that need the funding, which currently is not addressed under Michigan state law.

Two of my opponents, Representative Jim Tedder and Representative Michael McCready, both have had between them a decade to tackle some of the issues that face Michigan. They have failed all of us by raising gas and vehicle registration fees after 80 percent of Michigan voted against it.

This has caused the cost of living to jump an additional $713 a year on families. This cost is especially devastating to those living on limited or fixed incomes. Unlike both of my opponents, I am looking to solve Michigan’s problems versus empty campaign promises and seeking reelection. Both of those individuals have had their chance and Michigan is worse off for their years in office. I have common sense practical solutions to correcting the problems that career politicians refuse to tackle as it may jeopardize their chances for reelection.

We will put together a coalition of private and public sector leaders who are willing to put aside their differences and for once do the right thing by tackling our crumbling infrastructure, antiquated and broken laws and finally bring a working solution that doesn’t raise taxes.

CHARTER SCHOOL REFORMS Our educational system needs both the state and the federal government to stay out of what is a local issue in the various communities. We as a society have given our federal and Michigan state government too much of a say in our lives and look what it has done, for our schools, our roads, and for our public safety. I trust local school boards and parents to make the right choices in their own communities for education over anything that is designed by committee at our state capitol after a handful of lobbyists get involved. I would propose letting the educational standards go back the local communities as well as control of funding.

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

CAST A BALLOT FROM HOME Can’t make it to the polls on Tuesday, August 7?

You can request an absentee ballot from your local municipal clerk’s office. Simply phone your local clerk’s office and ask for an absentee ballot application.

The application will arrive by mail at the address you supply. Fill it out and mail it back. Your local clerk will then mail you a ballot to vote in the August 7 election.

CODIFYING CIVIL RIGHTS I believe society in general has moved beyond the notion that we need outdated laws to tell businesses or organizations how to conduct themselves. There are already laws that guarantee an individual is not discriminated against.

I am neither for or against it. I believe the Michigan voters should decide this as it is an issue that we as a state must decide together. If marijuana is legalized, I will make sure that Michigan does everything in its power to make sure that the federal government will not interfere with the rights of our rights.

ETHICS/TRANSPARENCY Just as federal lawmakers must disclose all assets and financial transactions, Michigan state lawmakers should be forced to do the same. Additionally, just as lawmakers have made our police forces wear body cameras for public safety, lawmakers should be forced to wear body cameras for all hours in office, after hours in any official capacity, or meeting with lobbyists.

PRO-LIFE/PRO-CHOICE I am pro-life. In cases where there is a medical threat to the mother, then it

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august 7 primary voter guide Rochester, Rochester Hills

STATE HOUSE 45TH DISTRICT/DEMOCRAT KYLE COOPER

Cooper, of Rochester, is a bartender. He attended Oakland and Eastern universities.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Michigan has a rich history of protecting the environment but in recent years there have been several legislative attempts to restrict the DEQ when it comes to rule-making to implement laws of the state, including the now pending legislation what would place control of future rule-making with an appointed committee comprised of special interests, including factions of the business community. There has long been a realization that the DEQ is underfunded in terms of being able to carry out its mission of protecting the quality of life in the state. Do you agree with the recent attempts to curtail the DEQ? Do you feel that more funding needs to be allocated to the DEQ for enforcement purposes?

the lead on gun control? Would you support requiring expanded background checks? Background checks at gun shows? Banning bump stocks? Raising the age on the purchase of weapons? Banning military style weapons? Red flag laws?

As a proud recipient of the Moms Demand Action Candidate Distinction, I will work hard in Lansing to keep the children of our state safe while at school. Universal background checks, regardless of where a weapon is purchased, are a must. This is a measure that is widely supported by most Americans and must be enacted.

Creating red flag laws that keep guns out of the hands of those most likely to hurt others and themselves is also imperative. Ensuring domestic abusers are added into red flag laws is crucial as well. As for banning bump stocks and most military style weapons, we cannot as a government create loopholes in laws that make it easier for potential criminals to kill large amounts of innocent people. I believe in “gun violence prevention” and “gun safety,” not “gun control.” These efforts are about preventing gun violence, not controlling the rights of responsible gun owners.

ROAD REPAIRS While the state has announced that $175 million will be disbursed this year for road and bridge repairs, do you feel that is sufficient while we wait three more years for the road funding proposal to finally kick in?

Should the state rainy day fund be tapped in the interim, as some have suggested?

As you mentioned, studies have shown time and time again that divesting in public education and shifting public money into these for-profit charter schools does not work. Mike Webber himself is endorsed by the Great Lakes Education Project (GLEP), a Devosfunded group that’s sole purpose is to deregulate our public education system and establish as many for-profit charter schools as possible. The direction I want to take our schools in is student centered, not profit driven with your tax dollars. We need to give teachers the freedom to work more closely with students in a one-on-one modality as well as lowering the importance of standardized testing. We need to focus on making education rewarding for the student, not stress filled and anxiety inducing. With education at the forefront of my campaign, I will fight to ensure all students have an equal shot at a quality education in Michigan.

Auburn Hills

p

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Rochester Hills

Rochester, Rochester Hills and the lower portion of Oakland Township.

ETHICS/TRANSPARENCY Although Michigan has 1973 Act(196) to regulate conduct of public officials, it is considered less than rigorous when it comes to legislative ethics and transparency, leaving Michigan ranked near the bottom in comparative studies with other states. Would you support financial disclosure by state lawmakers? What about including the governor’s office and the legislature when it comes to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, from which they are now exempt? Would you support a bill that prohibits “Pay to Play” when it comes to lawmakers approving contracts with companies or people who are campaign contributors? Are there any other areas that need to be addressed if we are to strengthen ethics/transparency laws/rules in Michigan as they apply to the legislature and administrative offices?

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

We need to do everything in our power to protect our states environmental resources. We have been shown on several occasions over the past decade that the DEQ does not possess the necessary manpower or authority to protect our state from threats to our environment, manmade or otherwise.

From the Flint water crisis, to the Asian carp invasion, to Line 5, we need to do more to protect our citizens and wildlife. Michigan used to be a world leader in environmental protection, and I will be leading the charge in Lansing to return us to our former status.

Our state’s rainy day fund is nearly $1 billion. I think I speak for nearly all Michiganders when I say we are tired of excuses from Lansing. Funding for our roads throughout Rochester and Rochester Hills are the direct responsibility of our current representative in Lansing. I challenge anyone to drive down Livernois Road and tell me they are happy with what’s been done the past four years.

Everything from the formula we use to calculate road funding, to where the funding is generated from needs to be overhauled. The system that our state government has been complacent in using is outdated and failing Michigan families.

GUN REGULATIONS

CHARTER SCHOOL REFORMS

Because Congress has failed to act on proposed increased regulation of gun ownership, a number of states have taken the initiative to address the issue. Should Michigan be taking

Michigan has developed a reputation as one of the most deregulated school environments in the country, with the largest number of charter schools – 80 percent of which are

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for-profit ventures. Charter schools were originally billed as a cure for declining student achievement and inequality, but a number of reports in the last few years show that 70 percent of the state’s charter schools are in the lower rungs of student achievement reviews.

Lawmakers in Lansing, however, have on more than one occasion rejected tightening the overview of charter schools and have allowed for their continued growth. Should there be more state control over charter schools for performance and finances? Does the ongoing expansion of charter schools threaten the public schools K-12 system that we have relied on for education?

What is your position on the marijuana legalization proposal appearing on the November ballot?

I am in support of the marijuana legalization ballot proposal. I believe that legalization can provide a very large boost in tax revenue that is specifically earmarked for education, roads and infrastructure. This is also another large potential industry to help stimulate our state’s economy. Data also shows that states with legal marijuana have seen a large reduction in the number of opioid addictions.

Through legalization and state regulation, we can also take better steps as a government to keep marijuana out of the hands of minors and underaged users. Overall, we can see several significant economic and public safety benefits for families in our community through the legalization of marijuana.

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I wholeheartedly believe in transparency when it comes to taking positions of responsibility and authority, and no elected official in this state should be entitled to secrecy over wrongdoing. Financial disclosures must be made common practice, if not the law and our state government should be subject to the terms of FOIA as well. I would support any efforts to eliminate “Pay to Play” practices. We need to strengthen the ethical framework our government operates in, so that we not only improve how government functions today, but also to facilitate the entry of more ethical and trustworthy politicians into the system. Lansing is meant to be run as a government of the people, and transparency is key in maintaining this integrity.

PRO-LIFE/PRO-CHOICE Are you pro-life or pro-choice? If you are pro-life, are there any exceptions 19B

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to prohibitions on abortions that you find acceptable? Explain your position on this issue.

My goal with this issue is to reduce the number of abortions through responsible and medically safe means.

We must listen when women speak regarding what they need to make informed decisions. We must increase access to contraception for all people who need it, and we need to move away from abstinence-only education in our schools, toward more comprehensive sex education programs. We need to also improve affordable access to women’s healthcare services, and community resources. Just as important as the debate around abortion is the question of what are we doing to take care of mothers and children now? With a foster system that is woefully underfunded, and hundreds of thousands of children who are underfed and malnourished, we can’t stop caring for a child the moment they’re born.

CODIFYING CIVIL RIGHTS Should the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act be amended to extend civil rights protections in housing and employment to include sexual orientation? Why or why not?

I believe that the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act must be amended to include and protect employment and housing protections for all Michiganders regardless of who they are, or who they love. Current employment and housing protections do not protect members of the LGBT community, and many people can be put out of work, denied a job, or a place to live because the law does not protect them. Simply put, the law needs to be updated.

WHY YOU I am running for office because I want to be a high school teacher someday.

And through my years in school and talking with fellow teachers, I began to lose hope day by day that I would ever be able to make a good living as a teacher in Michigan. Our public education system in Michigan is under attack. Teachers are struggling to make ends meet while also battling just to give their kids the bare necessities in the classroom. I’ve met teachers that have not been able to purchase new books for their classrooms in upwards of 10-15 years. The children of Michigan deserve better. I’m running because I love this state, and I want to leave it better than what I found it. I will put aside the partisan rhetoric and work with anyone who’s willing to work 20B

toward strengthening Michigan’s schools, and finally fix our crumpling infrastructure.

TED GOLDEN

background checks on all firearms sales and registration of guns. I do not want to deny those under age 21 the opportunity to shoot and hunt, but their right to ownership should be restricted, with limited exceptions. The government should be able remove weapons from those judged to be a threat to themselves or others. It is my right to not allow citizens to possess assault type weapons, bump stocks, and large capacity magazines.

Second Amendment allows concealed carry regulation to limit uncertified, unregulated, untrained pistol packin shooters in downtown Rochester.

ROAD REPAIRS

Golden is a retired physician who lives in Rochester Hills. Both his undergraduate and medical degrees are from the University of Michigan.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION I believe that the environment should be protected by enforcing scientifically established environmental quality standards. Legislators who formulate environmental laws and especially the Governor, who makes the key administrative appointments to the DEQ and regulating committees, should be dedicated to the principles I just stated. The Republican-led DEQ failure and cover-up of the Flint Water Crisis is a glaring example of how conflicts of interest compromised Michigan citizens. Those entrusted to establish environmental rules should not be from special interest groups who stand to benefit by lowering scientifically established quality standards. The governor-appointed DEQ head has to formulate a budget that is adequate for enforcement purposes. I will support the submitted budget or request more funding if indicated through debate that more funding is needed for enforcement purposes. I became a victim of the largest contaminated water cover up while serving at the Marine base Camp Lejeune.

GUN REGULATIONS I believe in Second Amendment Rights for All. The current application of the Second Amendment as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court through rulings is that most citizens have a right to bear most arms in their homes, but the right to ownership is subject to regulation, and arms are subject to regulation outside of the home. I favor

In the 2014 election road repair was a big issue and it still is because Representative Webber, Senator Knollenberg, and other Republicans in control failed to properly act because they did not want to adjust taxes or spending before they were term limited out of office in 2021. Four years have passed and Michigan’s roads are worse. This November is the time to get Webber and Knollenberg out of the way, so that proper road repairs can begin immediately instead of waiting three more years. During those years you could be a pothole victim. Delaying road maintenance and repairs will increase the cost three years into the future due to further road deterioration. Therefore, more should be spent at this time. The rainy day fund could be a source of some of the funding. A recently projected small Michigan budget surplus could be partially allocated to road repairs.

CHARTER SCHOOL REFORMS Education must be individualized to each child in order to realize one’s full potential. The Republican educational agenda concerning public education, especially that espoused by Tom McMillan, Mike Webber, and Betsy DeVos, of choice and transfer of public funds to private educational enterprises may seem appealing for some, but would fracture the excellent Rochester Community School District. Two Rochester high schools were recently rated among Michigan’s top ten public high schools. Michigan’s charter schools need more state evaluation and oversight concerning academic performance and finances. Charter school expansion should be frozen until the evaluation and additional oversight monitoring is in place. Public K-12 education could always use more funding. The Michigan’s Constitution clearly states there shall be no public funding of private schools. I will abide by our Constitution when voting for Michigan’s public school budget.

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MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION I plan on voting “Yes” on the marijuana legalization proposal appearing on the November ballot. I have a few concerns. I do not want recreational marijuana to be regulated to the point that the black market can easily sell marijuana below the legal price. There should be severe penalties imposed on high drivers who cause auto accidents. I do not want marijuana to be regulated like alcohol when I see the influence that the alcohol industry has over those who regulate it. The alcohol industry’s best interests are not always what is best for the consumer, especially concerning competition and price of the product. I want rules and regulations that will limit the influence of those entering this nascent legal business before they get bad habits.

Medical marijuana is currently an alternative medicine. Scientific research should be done in Michigan in order to make marijuana a legitimate prescription medicine.

ETHICS/TRANSPARENCY The Flint water crisis revealed the glaring weakness in the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Governor Snyder used five million taxpayers’ dollars to pay attorneys to filter the emails that he volunteered to release.

I wonder what was not released? The Republican controlled Michigan legislature has failed to enact legislation which I favor that would subject the governor and lawmakers to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Complaints filed with state regulatory boards should be subject to more transparency and accountability.

Complainants should be able to request reviews by outside non-biased parties instead of having reviews performed by biased in house staff. I favor judicial retention elections, voting yes or no to retain each judge. Judges perform better when they know they will have to face the voters periodically in retention elections.

PRO-LIFE/PRO-CHOICE In the 1960s as a medical student at the University of Michigan during obgyn training at the Wayne County General Hospital when abortions were illegal, I saw the work of the “back alley butchers.” I would tell my mentors the police should be called and the butchers prosecuted. Nothing was ever done. The response was, “The case was not severe enough to get the police involved.” Besides, the victims were not talking. In the 1960s a million illegal abortions were performed annually, and women suffered. Now abortions are a safe legal procedure, and about AUGUST 2018 PRIMARY

august 7 primary voter guide

one million are performed annually.

There are currently fewer abortions per capita than in the 1960s, which indicates the value of birth control and organizations such as Planned Parenthood in reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies. I want women who desire to have an abortion to get excellent medical care. No more back alley butchers.

CODIFYING CIVIL RIGHTS Yes. The Civil Rights Act should be extended to include legal protection in employment and housing concerning one’s sexual orientation because it is morally the right thing to do. About 20 states have this type of legislation and also numerous cities, including about 35 cities in Michigan. The cities in Michigan House District 45 do not offer this type of protection. Most states with more vibrant economies and higher levels of per capita income than Michigan protect their citizens from sexual orientation discrimination.

Large businesses looking for new locations want their employees protected from sexual discrimination.

Enacting this type of legislation at the state level improves the business climate as well as the living climate.

Michigan will do better if it has this type of legislation. States, communities, and citizens living with this type of legislation have not suffered or been harmed.

WHY YOU I have one opponent in the Democratic primary. I barely know him or his position on issues. I suggested to him that we debate prior to the primary in order for voters to get to know the Democratic candidates better, but he was not interested. I will support my Democratic opponent if he is the November candidate because I feel that he would be better than Rep. Michael Webber. I feel that I am the best 2018 candidate for Michigan House Representative from Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township. As a medical doctor I am the best candidate for improving health, healthcare, fairness in healthcare finances, and excellence in Rochester Public Schools. These are areas where Rep. Webber’s rigid political philosophy is detrimental to the citizens of this community. I appreciate your vote.

THE WASTED YOUTH VOTE The U S government reports, election after election, that the age bracket that turns out to vote less than any other is the 18-24 years of age group.

The youth vote in 2018 could be one of the more powerful voting blocks ever. But you must vote.

Call or visit your local municipal clerk’s office to register for the August 7 primary election.

Youth holds the power. Use it.

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august 7 primary voter guide Rochester Hills

COUNTY COMMISSION – 11TH DISTRICT THOMAS E. KUHN

will however make sure county participation in joint projects with Rochester Hills to prioritize maintenance and improvement of those county roads which have been neglected, such as Hamlin, Adams and Livernois.

Auburn Hills

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Rochester

Rochester Hills

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IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COUNTY

Oakland County is once again the toprated county in the state, with AAA-ratings and a 3.6 percent unemployment rate.

The county has created a number of focused development efforts, such as Automation Alley. Do you think there are other concerted efforts the county should Almost the western half of Rochester Hills, along with the northern portion of Troy and the be launching at this time? southeast corner of Auburn Hills.

Kuhn is an attorney who lives in Troy. He received his bachelor’s degree at University of Michigan, masters and PhD from University of Toronto, and JD from Detroit College of Law. He was an Oakland Community College trustee from 20042016; Royal Oak City Commissioner, 1989-2001; and served on the Royal Oak Plan Commission and Plan Steering committee.

REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY After failing in 2016 by only one percent in Oakland County, there is a new regional transit plan proposed for the November ballot. Do you think a regional transit millage proposal should go on the ballot for all Oakland County communities? Why or why not? Should some Oakland County communities be allowed to opt out?

Rochester Hills taxpayers should not be required to pay for the proposed new regional transit tax. If other communities believe that the regional transit plan will benefit them, then, of course, they should have the opportunity to tax themselves if they so choose. As county commissioner, I will work hard to exclude communities such as Rochester Hills from paying for any regional tax proposal which doesn’t benefit them. For me, it’s really just a matter of fairness. The proposed cost to Rochester Hills taxpayers far exceeds any benefit.

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS Oakland County receives a limited amount of money – although increased from previous years – from the state for road construction. Do you think the county, either by itself or in cooperation with neighboring counties in southeast Michigan, should pursue a millage or a dedicated gas tax strictly for road repairs?

I oppose adding a new county road tax on top of the existing state and federal road taxes. As county commissioner, I 22B

As a trustee at Oakland Community College for 12 years, I believe technology and information sharing between Oakland County and local governments and schools is a critical concerted effort needed. The county has significant resources and information which should be shared with our local governments and schools.

In addition, the existing programs to encourage training and new economic investments should be expanded. I support funding for the Auburn Road corridor, upon which the city of Rochester Hills has focused attention.

MENTAL HEALTH According to experts, teens and young adults are experiencing mental crises, with rising suicide rates. Hospitals are experiencing larger influxes of mental health patients. What should the county mental health division be doing to address this issue? Is there anything the county board of commissioners should be doing to address this issue?

The county needs to fix Children’s Village to assure better outcomes for troubled children in our community. The first step should be setting up a task force of community volunteers involved with Youth Assistance and similar volunteer groups, along with business, non-profit and school leaders to look at Childrens Village’s current operations, to evaluate their effectiveness and to propose improvements. We should encourage public-private cooperation to address this serious concern.

REGIONAL COOPERATION Do you feel Oakland County is doing all it can to be a strong partner in the southeast Michigan region as it applies to the issue of regional cooperation?

Did not respond.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Oakland County is the home to hundreds of inland lakes and sits at the headwaters of six major rivers feeding the state’s waterways. Should the county be taking a stronger role in protecting the environment

through a more aggressive approach with ordinances regulating items and activities that threaten our natural resources?

For the past seven years, I have been lakes chair of our homeowners association, which includes six lakes and one stream. In that capacity, I have experienced repeated issues with the county’s Water Resources Commission, which has failed to step up and cooperate with groups interested in promoting protection and improvement of our waterways. Oakland County needs to assure less bureaucracy, less red tape and more innovation in addressing the needs of our lakes and streams. In particular, the county needs to work with volunteer and community groups to promote increased joint public-private projects.

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WHY YOU Why should a voter choose you over an opponent on the primary ballot?

I have extensive experience in local government. I spent 12 years as an elected trustee for Oakland Community College and, before that, 12 years as an elected member of city council. I have also been an appointed member of the City Plan Commission and City Master Plan Steering Committee. For the past seven years, I have served on my neighborhood homeowners association. I am committed to representing the needs and views of the citizens of Rochester Hills. I will work to assure efficient and fiscally responsible government geared to providing the best services without new taxes. I support our local law enforcement, including improved technology, staffing and infrastructure for the County Sheriff. I also support new and expanded business opportunity in the county. The most important reason a voter should choose me over my opponent, however, is my demonstrated commitment to integrity, service and family.

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