County Encounter

Spector tries to unseat 16th District
Oakland commissioner.

udgeting and decreasing rev-
enues are the two major issues
facing Oakland County, says
Karen Spector, the Democratic con-
tender for the 16th District seat on the
Oakland County Board of
Commissioners. The district covers the
city of Orchard Lake and parts of
Bloomfield and West
Bloomfield townships.
"We must scrutinize every-
aspect of the budget so that
there is no waste," said
Spector, 58, of West
Bloomfield. "We must lobby
our congressmen for federal
money."
Spector, a district resident
for 33 years, said road, sewer
and drainage infrastructure
Spector
upgrades are county priorities.
"And maintaining lake quality
is impo`rtant for recreation
and our property values," she
said.
Spector is running against
Republican incumbent
Gregory C. Jamian, 52, of
Bloomfield Township.
Homeland security and budg-
et controls are the top county
issues in his view.
"Supporting programs that
protect our borders and fund
our first responders should be
a high priority," said Jamian,
a district resident for 15 years and a
county resident for 40. "Securing our
safety and protecting our communities
remain major initiatives that I will vote
to fund."
Inadequate funding has been allocat-
ed for mental health and substance
abuse patients, Spector said. "These
patients have been misplaced into our
jail system, adding .to the extensive and
expensive overcrowding issues."
The county also should look into
subsidies for senior prescription costs,
she said. "It is important to be able to
continue with vital services to keep
Oakland County healthy, alive and
active," she said.
Jamian sees the need for increased
state and federal funding for county
roads. "Our share of the roads, bridges
and transit funds is inadequate when
compared to other metro communities

of our size and level of daily com-
merce," he said. "Oakland County has
become a donor county, paying more
in road taxes than we receive back."
Holding down spending to balance
the county budget is critical, Jamian
said. "Taxpayers will not tolerate spend-
ing programs that increases taxes, nor
will I," he said.
Spector is a retired Royal
Oak schoolteacher and a
retired business owner
(Karma Kreations, West
Bloomfield). The Detroit
native has a bachelor's
degree in early elementary
education from Wayne State
University, Detroit. "Being
retired, I have the time to
devote all my energies to
help my community," she
said.
Spector is a member of
Women's American ORT,
Hadassah and Temple Israel.
She and her husband,
Robert, have two married
children.
Jamian has been a health
care executive for 25 years.
The Detroit native has a
bachelor's degree in eco-
nomics from Oakland
University, Rochester.
Jamian was elected to the
county board two years ago.
He cites voting to cut county spending
by $33 million as the crowning
achievement of his first term. He also
sponsored the first symposium on the
West Nile Virus and SARS in Oakland
County at no cost to taxpayers or
attendees.
"My record for reducing the size of
government while not affecting families
or major programs has been one of my
most satisfying accomplishments," he
said.
Jamian is a Seeds of Peace participant
and a board member the Area Agency
on Aging 1-B, the Manoogian Home
for the Aged and the Southeastern
Michigan Council of Governments. He
and his wife, Sandra, have three chil-
dren. They belong to St. John's
Armenian Apostolic Church,
Southfield.
County commissioners are paid
$30,618 annually. ❑

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