ByRON EIGEL
Co"...pond«Jt
HIGHLAND PARK - David
Points, candidate in the Tuesday
August 4th Democratic primary
for the State House of Repre
sentativ eat of the 6th District,
combining Highland Park,
Hamtramck and portions of
Detroit, pledges "to benefit all
residents" in his area, dealing
with such problems as jobs,
education, insurance and crime.
He pledges to keep city offi
cia in his area informed of state
programs that might help them,
before deadlines make it too late
to flle and to let them know about
program tbeir areas may not
qualify for, but which may give
them knowledge about projects
in other communities they may
adapt in their own.
"We have to work together,"
he said, accusing the current state
representative, Cbester Wozniak
of "rar�lY beinl outside
Hamtramck to see what is going
on in other parts of his district."
Hamtramck is a largely white
Polish area and Highland Park is
predominately Black.
TO POINTS, the issue of jobs,
education, insurance" and crime
are interrelated.
,
"In this generation," he sug
gests, jobs are going to involve
computers, either operating them
orserving them by making repairs.
This will require "technical train
ing."
He calls for ed uca tional
"If you have education, you are
no longer dependent on assistance
or crime," Points aid. "Crime
will always be there until we have
an alternative to crime."
Jobs and local .funding for
education are dependent on the
business climate and the busi
ness climate is harmed by the
higher rates for insurance in
Highland Park, Hamtramck, and
Detroit.
O�
Fraser.
He wor ed in the Detroit Depart
ment of Public Works under the Ad
ministration of Mayor Jerome P.
Cavanaugh, when it w headed by
Robert Ro elle, where he learned
much about administration nd
management.
He worked with State Repre
sentative Bill Ryan in ping the
first bill banning redlining in in-
urance and saw how the insurance
companys were able to weaken its
effectivene by changing regula
tions or adding amendments later.
Luster lists as among his c�ef
qualificati n hi interest in govern
ment, his ability to "learn govern
ment structure, listen, and read,
learn, do and act."
Luster dded, by consolidation
and greater org nlzation, pri on
funds could be cut.
He wants reform to prevent red
lining and would like more power
given to tate officials to get accwate
facts from insurance companies. He
emphasizes that access to insurance
i necessary for a healthy economy •.
Luster will work for regional
transportation, which would ensure
greater opportunity , giving Highland
Park, Detroit, and Hamtramck
greater acce to jobs and to educa
tion in community colleges.
"In the 21st century, we aln't
compete with Europe and Asia and
continue to do some of the tbinp
we're doing" he aid.
He adds that whoever gets elected
president, whether It is Bush or CliJl·
ton, national health care wUl become
a reality.
LUSTER STATES'THAT he
would try to persuade other repre
sentative to transfer ome of the vest
funds used for prisons to community NOTING THAT' GM realsted
programs that might prevent UAWefforts to get national bcalth
crime-s-drugtreatmentandcounsell- insurance in the put, OM had
ing, for instance, and education. decided to accept the Idea now, be-
lJ� u ! . . i�!�_to !- e \ � ,s:an not control
sua<lC even some epiibhcan legis- its own it care costs.
lators In the Upper Penninsula to "The sta will have to fashion
agree to this, because they do not see the program," he said.
any benefit for their rural areas in the Luster says that a tax increase is
large correctional budgets. necessary to pay for services, adding.
He said that in 1980-81, the cor- that even though he would prefer a
rectional budget was $184,000 han- graduated income tax, which would
dling 25,000 prisoners. Today in . place the burden on those who can
1992-93, he says, the cost is well afl'ordit,becauseoftheconservative
over $45 million dollars, housing times, it will be necessary to settle
over 1 trillion and there is still tack for a "regressive" sales tax.
of space.
"We're spending all that money
and getting less protection than ten
years ago," he said.
AU
PO�NTS STRESSED
RATE increases in health and
auto insurance.
"You don't want to say red
lining, but that's how it is,"
Points said.
Auto insurance companies
said inner city areas should pay
more, because they represent a
"higher risk," but Points said,
"Auto accidents can happen
anywhere." '\
Points said that directing ·the
operations of the d met court
for many years has given him
experiencing in managing a
budget, handling personnel. and
paying bills in a timely fashioll
He states that under his
management, the court was able
to eliminate waste and actually
returned funds without laying off
employees.
DAVID POINTS
guidelines that make such traini�g
available to anyone, whother 10
rich or poor districts, male or
female.
. -
Chester·Womiak says
experience can increase' "
employment for Sixth District
By RON SEIGEL
eo"...pondent
B1GIILAND PARK - S"te Repre
sentative Chester Wozniak, who is
running for re-eleciton in the Sixth
District, combining Highland Park,
Hamtrack, and parts of Detroit, says
he has been viewed with suspicion
by some Black Highland Parkers, be
cause he is white and lives in
Hamtramck, bu� he states "The .
laue is what you can do for the
dlatrict, not where you live."
Wozniak ys be can do much
more, because of his experience in
the hoUle. Slate legislators gain
committe� usignments on the
billa of experience and often mem
bership on luch committees pu�
them In a good positlon to get help
for their districts.
Wozniak notes that he benefits
DOt only from serving his last term,
but alao from a previous 10 years in
� bouse several decades ago.
Wozniak iJ the vice chairman of
committees dealing with Public
Utilities, Public Health, State Af
fairs, and TransPortation, and chairs
a special subcommittee, st,udying
repairs of the Davison Freeway,
which coukUocrease Highland Park
bualneaa.
BE ADDS THAT his experience
in the state bouse bas 8iven him le
of an outsider than his opponents
would be.
"Thev can make promises," he
said, 'but when you get to Lansing,
it's a whole different ballgame."
In studying the Davison Freeway,
Wozniak is concerned about getting
an entrance opening, so drivers can
get into Highland Park and an exit
around I-75� so people can get off at
Conant. This would make it easier
for people to shop in these areas or
move goods to and from the area,
improving the business climate.
where County residents have to pay
more for insurance than other areas,
something preventing development
of businesses and. neighborhood im
provement.
"We have to stick together as
urban areas," he said.
He also expressed concern about
Governor John Engler's serve cuts in
G�nera1 Assistance, contending that
Wozniak is also interested in build
ing a service drive to absorb the traf
fic, while the freeway is' being
repaired.
Wozniak adds that from 1974-78
he represented Highland Park and
Hamtramck as a" county commis
sioner and in the 60s w a com
munity coordinator, drawing up the
future development of Hamtramck.
"I helped preserve job ," he aid.
there should have been more con
sideration of the problema many
people had in getting jobs and the
fact there were often no jo they
'could get.
He expressed concern about the
lack of health care for poor people
and getting more money for educa
tion in poorer districts.
Wozniak aid he was joining
other Democratic legislators to deal
with these problems.
WOZNIAK IS also concerned
about inner city redlining practices,
By RON SEIGEL
Co"...pondent
HIGHLAND A.R.K-John L ter,
candidate in the Tuesday, August 4
Democratic primary for the tate,
house seat of the ixth district com
bining Highland Park, Hamtramck
and portions of Detroit, i the only
candidate for the job who says it is
not of primary importance if he wins.
Luster said he would be satisfied,
if he can inspire city officia and
citizens to have a dialogue about
solutions for community problems.
If the citizens find they do not like
hi own ideas, perhaps they will
come up with better ones.
If elected, Luster himself would
set up such dlalolU with city offi
cials and community idents, get
ting their ideas and involve U.S.
officials, such as Senators Donald
Riegle and Carl Levin. .
Luster, stresses his experience in
dialogue and discussion, as lobbyist
for the UAWfrom 1974-1987, work
ing with labor and business people,
and religious organizauons, the
Chamber of Co mere, t
MichipD Ci�ens Lobby, churches
and religious organizations, such as
the Michigan Catholic Conference.
"IT WAS A rewarding ex
perience and I worked with the
brightest people," he said, notiag that
he did not alway agree with the
Republicans, but he was able to get
along with them and work wi th them.
He served on a Task Force on
Government Efficiency, chosen by
Governor William. Milliken and
chaIred by UA W official Doug