The Jewish News asked
Fuller and Shulman to
respond to these questions..
Q : If the electorate passes
State House District
Long-term care is one of the issues facing these candidates.
the fastest-rising population is the
A committee of various governmen-
non-elderly disabled.",
tal officials is studying ways to imple-
Shulman's challenger, Democrat
ment a plan to use Medicaid funds
Ruth Fuller, said the
or the growing population of for long-term care.
state
lacks what she
Another committee is
senior citizens and their fam-
calls
a
"real Patients'
examining
mental-health
ilies, the issue of long-term
Bill
of
Rights," one
coverage._
care has become one of the
that
would
regulate
"These
plans
are
impor-
more important topics in the general
what
the
insurance
tant
because
they
allow
election set for Tuesday, Nov. 7.
companies would be
people with low incomes to
This issue is sharing the health spot-
allowed to do as far as
age in place," said Linda
light with mental-health coverage in
coverage is concerned.
Blumberg, director of the
this fall's campaigns because the state
"We need to pass
Commission on Jewish
has cut back on providing services and
legislation
to keep
Eldercare
Services
insurance companies are slicing these
insurance
companies
(COJES),
an
agency
of
the
provisions from plans. In the Jewish
out of medical and
Jewish Federation of
community's aging population, the
therapeutic decisions;
Metropolitan
Detroit.
issues are particularly pressing.
these decisions -should
Blumberg has
be made between the
been working with
patient
and his or her
the state to find the
doctor," she said.
proper plan that will
"Parity is needed in
allow easier access to
insurance coverage for
long-term care
the mentally and the
through Medicaid
physically ill and the
dollars. Although
discrimination between
the plans are cur-
women's
and men's
rently in the final
The Incumbent: Marc Shulman lives in
health
insurance
stages, she said
West Bloomfield with his wife, Lois, and
[should stop]."
implementation
their four daughters.
The 39th district is
would be the
Shulman, an attorney; is a graduate of
an area that takes in
responsibility of the
Michigan State University and Cooley Law
West Bloomfield
Legislature.
School. He previously was a special assistant
Township, Commerce
For the state's
Top: Marc Shulman
attorney general specializing in insurance liti
Township, Keego
39th district, as in
Above: Ruth Fuller
gation.
Harbor and Orchard
other districts, this
Shulman is a former West Bloomfield
Lake Village. The job
issue will have a far-
Township trustee and chairman of the West
of state representative is a two-year
reaching impact, Blumberg
Bloomfield Public Transportation Advisory.
position with a salary of about
said. "The impact on the com-
He is a member of the Michigan State Bar
$57,000 and includes a $10,000
munity currently is enormous
Attorney Discipline Board, West Bloomfield
expense account for job-related travel
and will only grow in the
Rotary Club and West Bloomfield Chamber
and lodging.
future."
of Commerce.
Candidates Shulman and Fuller
State Rep. Marc Shulman,
agree
on other issues, particularly those
the 39th district's Republican
The Challenger: Ruth Fuller, a West
involving
some aspects of education:
incumbent, has spent time
Bloomfield resident for 20 years, is married
both are opposed to organized school
studying the issue in Lansing as
to Arnold Fuller. Her children are Allan,
prayer and vouchers. They have differ-
a member of the Michigan
Brian and Dawn and she is a grandmother
ent views on other subjects, such as
Long-term Care Task Force.
of three.
transportation options for seniors. ❑
"We must encourage people
Fuller is the owner of a recycling company
to plan now and help insure the
focusing on precious metals and dealing with
best possible care for their
the retail-jewelry trade. She has training in
future needs. I introduced legis-
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.
substance and physical abuse at Maple Grove
lation that provides for a tax
a
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to
and Oakland Family Services. She also is a
deduction for long-term care
8 p.m. The deadline to obtain an
trained birthing parent.
insurance," he said.
absentee-voter
ballot has passed.
Fuller chairs the West Bloomfield Lakes
"We must find adequate
The
39th
district's
Libertarian
Democratic Club and is a board member of
funding for community-based
Party
candidate
is
Ray
J. Kozora II
WAND (Women's Action for a New
programs and look toward pro-
of
West
Bloomfield.
Direction). She is a member of the Friends
viding more resources for men-
of West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation
tal-health care, recognizing that
and has organized many educational forums.
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR
Special to the Jewish News
Ell
civic invo vement.
-
10/13
2000
20
BIOGRAPHIES
on page 22
Proposal I , the Legislature will
have to provide rules for its
implementation. Are you for or
against school vouchers? Why?
Fuller: I oppose school vouchers.
Vouchers will have a tremendous
impact on our public funding,
which will deplete our public-
school funds. There are also
greater risks, such as, the school
will choose the student on the
basis of religion, race, economic
and scholastic abilities. The par
ent grill not choose, they will lose.
Our ancestors came to this
country to escape religious perse-
cution. Why should we go in
reverse? When religious institu-
tions take a role in politics, these
institutions should lose their tax-
exempt status. I will support
using School Aid Fund surplus to
fully support Michigan's public
schools.
Shulman: The education of our
children is a top priority of mine.
In order to ensure that Michigan's
educational system is the best,
educators, parents and govern-
ment must work together to find
innovative ways to improve our
schools. The proposed voucher
plan is not the solution as there
are no assurances that every child
from a failing-school system will
be helped.
Our public school system
remains the foundation of educa-
tion in our country and we must
commit ourselves to finding solu-
tions, including funding and
innovation, so that every school
child can have the opportunity to
realize his or her dream.
Q : An issue that crops up with
relative frequency is the imple-
mentation of organized-school
prayer. Are you for or against the
implementation of such action?
Why?
Fuller: "A young girl in the sixth
grade was one of her favorite stu-
dents. Every morning they had
school prayer. This one particular
morning the teacher noticed that
her little blonde student was
silent and asked her why she was
not reciting her morning prayer.
Her reply was that she was Jewish
and that out of respect, her
prayers were silent. The teacher
shuddered as if the young girl had
an infectious disease.
"The next morning, the teacher
had a new seating arrangement.
39TH IssuES on page 22