The Michigan Daily - Campaign '92 Special Pullout Section - Friday, October 30, 1992
e, as students, know how difficult it is to keep up with the rapidly changing political cam-
paigns in an election year. Therefore, it is the goal of this Election '92 issue is to provide you
with detailed information on the candidates and the issues. We urge you to vote - and to be
an informed voter.
Not only the future of the White House is in your hands. It is up to you to
will serve in our state legislature and in our local community.
Tuesday is your chance to make your voice heard.
Vote.
ii The righ
are eightei
be denied o
State on aci
choose the officials that
26t1
North Campus and much of northern Ann Arbor is located in the 52nd District.
Legislative aide faces off against
former City Council member
C-
Students living on North Campus
could cast the deciding votes in the
highly contested 52nd District state
representative race between Republi-
can Mark Ouimetand Democrat Mary
Schroer.
Ouimet, first vice presidenrat Great
Lakes Bancorp and former Ann Ar-
bor City Council member, said he
wants to make state government more
inclusive by working with groups that
have traditionally been considered ad-
versaries - businesses, labor unions
and environmentalists.
"I really do feel there is a time for
a change in government and the way
government is dealt with," he said.
"I've been in the working business
world. My base is from the comnu-
nity, not from Lansing top-down."
Schroer, who also unsuccessfully
sought the Statehouse seat in 1988,
said she was motivated to run again
by people protesting cuts in the state
social services budget.
"What struck me was that we were
playing hard core political games with
people's lives," she said, referring to
the Republican budget which cut off
82,000 Michigan adults from General
Assistance last year.
She said the state must invest in its
infrastructure to attract businesses and
skilled workers.
Schroer and Ouimet both advo-
cate reducing property taxes to entice
businesses that may otherwise relo-
cate to nearby states. The candidates
said they would compensate for rev-
enue loss by raising income and sales
taxes.
Ouimet said the state should not
abandon projects and force cities to
cope with the consequences. He
pointed to the closing of an Ypsilanti
mental health facility, which added to
the problem of homelessness in the
area.
Both candidates support abortion
rights.
NAME: Mark Ouimet
PARTY: Republican
OCCUPATION: First vice
president of Great Lakes
Bancorp
EXPERIENCE: Served on
Ann Arbor City Council
from 1988-92, first vice
president of Great Lakes.
Bancorp, Washtenaw
County Development Board
president, past chair of Ann
Arbor Area Chamber of
Commerce
Ouimet favors adult notification
legislation requiring aminor to obtain
permission before having an abor-
tion. Schroer said adult notification
should apply only to younger women
seeking abortions.
The candidates also addressed the
preservation of Michgan's natural
resources.
"We have to use the highest tech-
nology possible to make sure we don't
have landfills that leak into the
ground," Schroer said.
Ouimet said, "Politicians have pit-
ted environmentalists against busi-
NAME: Mary Schroer
PARTY: Democrat
OCCUPATION: Legislative
aide to state Sen. Lana
Pollack (D-Ann Arbor)
EXPERIENCE: Has worked
on issues before state Senate
Finance Committee and
Senate Appropriations
Committee, member of
Washtenaw County Area
Auto Plant Coalition
nesses. We can't afford to do that
anymore."
The candidates also stressed the
need for quality education.
Schroer said she would review the
missions of state colleges and univer-
sities to eliminate overlapping pro-
grams such as teacher certification in
order to increase specialization and
decrease costs.
Ouimet in calling education state
government's first priority said he
would propose giving need-based tax
credits to students.
- Hope Calati
Central Campus and surrounding neighborhoods are located in the 53rd District.
Party lines blurred; candidates
share views on taxes, education
in
ir,
. Voters choosing between Repub-
lican Terrence Bertram and Demo-
crat Lynn Rivers for the Michigan
House of Representatives may have a
difficult time differentiating the can-
didates' stances.
Bertram and Rivers, competing
for the 53rd District seat, agree on a
variety of prominent issues. Both
advocate:
SEDecreasing property tax to en-
tice businesses into Michigan and
compensating with increased income
tax;
Strengthening Michigan's in-
frastructureby investing inroads, sew-
*erg and bridges;
Re-evaluating public colleges
and universities to minimize overlap-
ping specialized programsat smaller
schools; and,
Increasing links between busi-
nesses and universities to extract vital
resources - such as research and
technology -that would attract busi-
ness to the state.
But Bertram and Rivers disagree
on their distinguishing qualifications
for office.
Bertram, focusing on leadership,
said he would be a stronger leader
because of his broad-based experi-
ence in education and job retraining.
He criticized Rivers for having a
"confrontational style."
"If we are trying to move the
agenda forward, confrontational poli-.
Supports a balanced- Favors a capital-gains tax Supports family
budget amendment and cut and opposes all tax among public, pm
presidential line-item increases. Wants to enact religious school
veto. Would reduce Michigan's welfare- teacher compete
foreign-aid spending reform program on a testing. Says stu
and use the savings to national level, applying for gi
reduce federal deficit. meet academi
Would eliminate waste, qualifications.
fraud and abuse in
government.
>URCE: published statements, campaign literature, interviews, debates
The County Board of Commissioners operates many state-mandated programs, such as ment
Department; the environmental health department, which inspects restaurants and pools; the jai
Eiit candidates eyeing fow
District Nine: Area District Ten: North Campus,
NAME: Terrence Bertram
PARTY: Republican
OCCUPATION: Self-
employed attorney
EXPERIENCE: Directed job-
training and education
programs for 10 years, past
president of the Michigan
Association for Retarded
Citizens, member of county
Planning Commission
NAME: Lynn Rivers
PARTY: Democrat
OCCUPATION: Campaigning
full-time
EXPERIENCE: Trustee of Ann
Arbor Board of Education
from 1984-92 (served as
president three times), Board
of Directors for Family
Support Services and
Community Action Network
northwest of railroad tracks
Although incumbent County Commissioner Grace
Shackman seems secured of gaining a third two-year
term, she is still bringing her message door-to-door in the
Ninth District.
"I see that you can use the county resources for the
good of the community especially in the environment
and human services," Shackman said.
Shackman, a Democrat, is running against Republi-
can attorney Jack McCormick. McCormick could not be
reached for comment.
The county will be facing a shrinking budget in the
coming year. Shackman said the county has already
begun streamlining seven human service organizations
into one.
The county was pressured to increase low-income
Hill area residence halls
Travel expenses and spending priorites lead the is-
sues facing voters in the 10th District race.
Republican candidate Michael Dudzik has stron
criticized his opponent, incumbent Democrat Christina
Montague, for spending more than $7,000 on travel costs.
- one-third of the commission's travel budget. Dudzik
called this is an example of faulty priorities.
"Talk about fiscal responsibility - it starts with the
individual," Dusdik said.
Montague, who could not be reached for comment,
told The Ann Arbor News that her travel to meetings to
the Michigan National Association of Counties and the
Congressional Black Caucus benefited the county.
She has advocated polices to expand the base of o
and moderate-income housing, health opportunities for
i
abortion "have been misconstrued."
He said that although he opposes
abortion in theory, he does not think
government should prohibit it through
legislation.
focused on their personal agendas and
short-term political advantages.
"There is a middle ground that we
seem to have lost," he said. "We need
to reset our nriorities and redirect our