politics

A Crowded Race

Voters have many choices for Michigan Senate in District 13.

Harry Kirsbaum
Contributing Writer

F

ive Republicans and two
Democrats are running in the
Aug. 5 primary for a Michigan
Senate seat in the 13th District, which
includes Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield
Township, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson,
Madison Heights, Royal Oak and Troy.
Jewish attorney Ryan Fishman is run-
ning against Cyndi Peltonen on the
Democratic side. Ethan D. Baker, Al Gui,
Marty Knollenberg, Chuck Moss and
Rocky Raczkowski are running for the
Republicans.
Knollenberg, Moss and Raczkowski have
the best chances of winning the Republican
primary. Fishman and Peltonen are both
new to running for office.

RYAN FISHMAN

Ryan Fishman said he
is confident that he is
the right choice for his
district.
"Over the last 10
months I've worked
across the eight cities
Ryan Fishman
in my district, met with
community stakeholders,
learned about the challenges the residents
in my district face every day, and demon-
strated I am here to listen, work and effec-
tively lead in Lansing," said Fishman, who is
a member of Temple Beth El.
"When I decided to run last year, I made
a commitment to make this campaign a
full-time job so I could make those con-
nections, from knocking on nearly 20,000
doors to hundreds of community meetings
across the district, and that hard work is
paying off:'
He said he's received public endorse-
ments from "every countywide Democratic
elected official, every Democratic state
senator, more than 20 Democratic members
of the State House, five mayors across the
district, Congressman Sandy Levin, Mayor
Mike Duggan, community groups and busi-
ness leaders on both sides of the aisle'
Job creation and education are the two
main issues facing the district, he said.
He's written "Empower Michigan:' a job
creation plan that would dismantle the
personal property tax and make compre-
hensive investments in infrastructure to fill
potholes.
"Perhaps the keynote feature is a series
of four 'Empower Michigan zones, where
I would push for a 0 percent corporate
income tax and a 10 percent tax credit on
employee wages in four key 10-mile radii

46 July 31 • 2014

primed for growth — Troy, Detroit, Ann
Arbor and Grand Rapids:' he said.
He said he wants a comprehensive over-
haul of public education from top to bottom.
"We must abandon the failed Prop A,
which is holding our state back, pushing
taxpayer dollars to for-profit charter schools
we don't hold accountable and pushing dis-
tricts like Pontiac to the brink of collapse
he said. "If it does happen, then surround-
ing districts — West Bloomfield, Troy,
Rochester, Bloomfield Hills, Avondale, etc.
— are faced with finding classroom space
for 12,500 new students:'
Breaking gridlock in Lansing is doable if
legislators are willing to compromise, he said.
As a candidate I've committed to rep-
resenting the voters in my district, not
any political party. If a Republican has a
good idea, I'll gladly work with him. If a
Democrat has a bad idea, I'll challenge him
on he said. "I'm a former Republican
left behind by the Tea Party zealots who
have taken the GOP hostage, and as a sena-
tor, I'm committed to partnering with the
moderates who will work with leaders on
both sides of the aisle to get things done for
the communities they represent. That's how
lawmaking once worked, should work and
must work again to drive our state forward,
because it's become abundantly clear that
you cannot govern in a democracy without
compromise:'

CYNDI PELTONEN
Cyndi Peltonen did not
reply to questions from
the Jewish News, but she
said on her website that
she brings a unique blend
of professional experi-
ence: eight years in the
Cyndi
corporate world manag-
Peltonen
ing a 7-11, 15 years as a
convenience store owner
and 26 years in the education community
as a music teacher.
Two issues important to her are educa-
tion and roads.
"Budgets that funnel money out of com-
prehensive, community-governed schools
to corporations are not fiscally responsible
she said about education. "Public policy
decisions need to be data-driven, include
input from those in the field and reflect
legitimate best practices. It is our job as a
community to work together to create the
best possible environment for our children
to learn and develop lifelong skills."
She wants to adequately fund existing
schools, restore the cap on charter and vir-
tual schools, and stop giving tax dollars to
for-profit education management companies.

To fix the roads, Peltonen wants to raise
the tax rate on diesel fuel, currently at 15
cents per gallon, to equal the gasoline tax
at 19 cents per gallon then transition to a
percentage-based tax for both.
Instead of skimming money off the top
to fill other budget holes as the legislature
does now, she suggests that every penny of
the fuel tax should go toward the roads.
A portion of the sales tax collected on
fuel at the pump should also go to roads,
she said.

'9111 MARTY
KNOLLENBERG
Marty Knollenberg, who
was elected to represent
the 41st District in the
state house in 2006, re-
elected in 2008 and 2010,
and term-limited in
Marty
2012, said he is the best
Knollenberg
suited to lead the 13th
District because of his
previous legislative experience.
"I am the only candidate that has led by
example he said. "I introduced legisla-
tion that eliminated lifetime healthcare
for legislators, which is now law. I voted to
reduce my pay 10 percent, which is now
law. I introduced legislation that prohibits
lawmakers from using their campaign
funds for criminal defense purposes,
which is now law:'
The two most important issues facing
the district, he said, are lack of action in
Lansing and roads.
"Based on direct voter feedback, voters
are frustrated with the legislature's lack
of understanding on the important issues
and for not getting things done he said.
"Case in point is the legislature leaving
town without completing a road funding
solution. The way to resolve issues is to
have a plan and finish the work that is
expected of the legislature, and I have a
plan to fix our roads:'
His plan to improve the roads with-
out raising taxes includes dedicating 1.5
percent of the 6 percent gas tax to roads,
dedicating 1 percent of use tax revenue to
roads, and redirecting oil and gas royalty
revenue to roads.
He said he has the experience necessary
to break the gridlock in Lansing.
"I have built relationships on both sides
of the aisle and within all the respective
communities that will help fashion the
coalitions needed to get things done he
said. "Examples of this include my legisla-
tive work on Iranian divestment issues and
protecting Israel from nuclear Iran and
anti-Israel terrorists:'

CHUCK MOSS
Chuck Moss did not
reply to questions from
the Jewish News, but
according to his web-
site, Moss, the 40th
District representa-
1j1
tive from 2006-12 and
Chuck Moss
House Appropriations
Chairman in 2010 who
was term-limited, feels his experience can
help solve the problems facing the 11th
District, like taxes and welfare reform.
Moss spent his political career work-
ing to hold down taxes, "especially
Granholm-era burdens on Michigan's
already hard-pressed job providers," he
said. "The key to holding down tax hikes
is holding down spending:'
While Michigan spends a great deal of
money on those less fortunate, every dol-
lar comes from someone else's pocket, he
said. "Folks work hard to earn their pay-
check and may be in hard times as well.
We owe it to all Michiganders to be good
stewards of their money. We certainly
should not waste or give their money to
those who aren't truly in need:'

ANDREW
'ROCKY'
RACZKOWSKI
Andrew "Rocky"
Raczkowski, president
of a manufacturing and
defense logistics com-
pany, former Michigan
Rocky
House representative in
Raczkowski
the 37th District from
1997-2003, and a lieu-
tenant colonel in the U.S. Army reserve,
said his wide range of experience makes
him qualified to serve.
As a hard-working individual, I am
ready to take on Lansing when Lansing
is wrong:' he said. "Unlike many in this
race, I have a proven track record of
doing what is best for our community
and taking on either political party"
The economy and improving schools
and infrastructure are the important
issues facing the district, he said.
"We must diversify our economy by
creating an environment that spurs cre-
ativity, technology and investment into
healthcare innovation and building a
financial investment sector that spurs
growth in the economy:' he said. "Growth
helps improve the quality of life of our
region and brings in the investment into
our schools and infrastructure. This is
just one of many ways to improve the
region's quality of life:'

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