Senate
bent from Bloomfield Township,
said his constituents stressed the
quality of education over any other
issue. He sees smaller classroom sizes
and adding technology as ways to
improve the overall quality of educa-
tion.
He is firmly against school vouch-
ers, and says the focus should be on
maintaining and improving ,quality
of public schools. Financing
300,000 students in private school
statewide at $6,000 each would
require either increasing taxes or
cutting the money going to public
schools.
Mike Christie, Jr., Republican
challenger from Berkley, could not
be reached for comment.
15th District
sp
Bill Bullard, Jr., Republican
incumbent from 'Highland, said the
number one issue is to continue the
pay for private school tuition -
including parochial school — at
$6,000 per child, is supported by
only 25 percent of the candidates
interviewed.
Following is a list — taken from
interviews, and from the League of
Women Voters of Michigan guide —
of what state House candidates feel is
the most important issue facing their
district, and how they feel about
school vouchers:
35th District
4
In a race for the vacated seat of
Democrat David Gubow, Gilda Z.
Jacobs, Democratic candidate
from Huntington Woods, said
bringing more tax dollars to
southern Oakland county, for
aging infrastructures, community
development and redevelopment,
and projects like the Twelve Town
Drain system, is the number one
priority.
She opposes school vouchers and
charter schools. Parents can choose to
send their children to private or
parochial schools, but not at the
expense of taxpayers.
Cecilio Maldonado, Republican
candidate from Berkley, could not be
reached for comment.
tax-cutting, limited govern-
ment philosophy of Gov.
Engler, leading to economic
growth.
He opposes vouchers and
amending the constitution,
because of separation of
church and state. Besides, he
said, there isn't enough
money to add another group
of students to the public
school system funding sys-
tem.
Democratic challenger S.
Ruth Fuller, from West
Bloomfield, said stable fund-
ing in education and a safe
teaching environment are
priorities.
She is not opposed to
charter schools, but feels
vouchers and tax credits
would take necessary fund-
ing from public schools. ❑
,
At 4,, a'et=:k
13th District: Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Ferndale, Hazel Park,
Huntington Woods, Madison Heights, Royal Oak, Troy.
14th District Bloomfield, Lathrup Village, Pontiac, Southfield, Sylvan Lake.
15th District: Commerce, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Highland, Lyon, Milford,
Novi, Orchard Lake, South Lyon, Walled lake, West Bloomfield, Wixom.
36th District
Neither Democratic incumbent
Nancy L. Quarles of Southfield nor
Republican challenger Elizabeth La
Hood of Southfield responded for
comment.
37th District
Republican incumbent Andrew
Raczkowski of Farmington Hills, said
repairing the aging infrastructure
with longer lasting materials is the
most important issue.
He would support school vouch-
ers, or any program that expands
quality education, as long as it would
not hurt the public school system.
Steve Dibert, Democratic chal-
lenger from Farmington, said reform-
ing public education by encouraging
school districts to create more "site-
based" decision making policies is the
most important issue facing voters.
He opposes school vouchers, and
sees them as a gimmick. He called
them a Band-Aid approach to
reforming schools and a form of
Parochiad.
39th District
Republican candidate, Marc
Shulman of West Bloomfield said a
more personal approach is needed in
state government. He said he will
fund his own district office to give
his constituents greater access.
He opposes vouchers at this time
and wants to make sure adequate
funding for public education
remains, so the students' education
will not suffer.
Maxine Brickner, Democratic
challenger from West Bloomfield,
said the impact of development and
how it affects the environment, is a
key issue. Controlling growth is
needed.
She opposes school vouchers
because. of the separation of church
and state. She opposes privatization
of public schools.
40th District
Republican incumbent Patricia
A.K. Godchaux of Birmingham, said
more flexibility for special education
schools and their students is most
needed.
She opposes school vouchers at the
expense of public schools, and feels it
is a separation of church and state
issue
Michael Coleman, Democratic
challenger from Bloomfield Hills, was
unavailable for comment.
41st District
Fighting for the seat vacated by
Shirley Jordan, Republican candidate
John Pappageorge of Troy said allevi-
ating traffic congestion and fixing
bad roads by fairly allocating
resources to the area are tops on his
list.
He would like to see the state
transfer carefully to a full voucher
system, but only to accredited
schools. He sees charter schools and
tax credits as steps toward this end.
David L. Richards, Democratic
challenger of Royal Oak, cited the
more state monetary involvement in
the 12 Town Drain system as the
most important issue facing the 41st
District. He said the burden to pay
for the system should not fall on the
taxpayers in his district.
He opposes school vouchers,
because of separation of church and
state issues, additional costs and the
fragmentation of the community. ❑
Voting hours for the Nov. 3 gen-
eral election are from 7 a.m. to 8
p.m. Call your city or township
clerk's office for information on
absentee ballots.
10/30
1998
Detroit Jewish News
9