ow
Campaign '92 Special Pullout Section Friday, October30, 1992- The Michigan Daily
Icitizens of the United Stales, who
ars of age or older, to vote shall not
ridged by the United States or by any
unt of age."
mendment to the United States Constitution
The 15th District Court handles traffic violations, criminal cases (felonies handled only in
preliminary stages),landlord/tenant disputes, noise violations, misdemeanors, civil cases under
$10,000, small claims and civil infractions, for U-M students and Ann Arbor residents.
Race pits veteran state legislator
against assistant county attorney
Cfor
> y, s
ion
Y1 -
)Orts
r.
16r
n so
kn
-I. 4
h
fund
e of
lies
>se
but
S. .
Would spend $216 billion
in fiscal year 1992 to
enforce environmental
protection laws. Proposes
to plant 1 billion trees a
year under "America, the
Beautiful" plan. Opposes
higher Corporate Average
Fuel Efficiency (CAFE)
standards. Opposes
congressional attempts to
reduce funding for
wetlands programs.
Would expand markets for
recycled products with tax
incentives. Would pass
new Clean Water Act,
preserve ancient forests,
harness market forces to
reward consumers and
businesses that conserve,
and accelerate progress
toward more fuel-efficient
cars. Supports higher
CAFE standards.
Would increase gasoline
tax $.50 a year over a
five-year period. Believes
that CAFE standards for
cars are "philosophically
good."
Would expand free, fair
and open trade. Would
maintain military forces
strong enough to deter
potential threats. But
would reduce U.S. forces
in Europe. Would reinvest
military resources in
workforce and train
personnel for civilian
professions.
Would provide United
States with military
expertise to strengthen
peacekeeping operations.
Would take funds out of
foreign aid and redirect
them into $1 billion
"Growth Fund" to support
businesses in providing
goods and services to
countries building free
markets.
Would make health
insurance more affordable
and provide secure
coverage to all Americans
by overhauling private
insurance and keeping
health care choices in the
hands of the people, not
the government. Would
reform malpractice laws,
and reduce administrative
costs by streamlining
paperwork.
Supports plan to make
health care accessible to all
U.S. families. Would
create health standards
board to establish annual
U.S. health budget that
would limit public and
private expenditures.
Would prohibit insurance
companies from denying
coverage based on a
pre-existing condition.
Would create a board to
control medical costs, and
would increase Medicare
premiums. Proposes
taking steps toward a
national health insurance
plan.
Opposes abortion and
favors Human Life
Amendment to U.S.
Constitution, which would
prohibit abortion in all
cases except when the
mother's life is in danger.
Vetoed Family and
Medical Leave Act, saying
he wanted an alternative.
Wants increased
enforcement for fathers
paying child support.
Supports abortion rights
and opposes any attempt
to restrict access, through.
waiting periods or
parental-consent
requirements. Supports
Family and Medical
Leave Act, additional tax
relief for families with
children, and a lift on the
fetal tissue research ban.
Perry Bullard and Elizabeth Pol-
lard come from two drastically differ-
ent backgrounds, but both say their
experience makes them more quali-
fied than the other to sit on the bench
of the 15th District Court.
Voters will decide Tuesday be-
tween Bullard, a 20-year state repre-
sentative from Ann Arbor, and Pol-
lard, first assistant prosecutor for
Washtenaw County.
The race pits a legislator who has
written the law against a prosecutor
who has enforced it.
Pollard, who has tried cases in the
Michigan Supreme Court and the
Michigan Court of Appeals, as well
as various Washtenaw County courts,
said her experience in the courtroom
makes hera bettercandidate forjudge.
"1Unlike my opponent, who's never
tried a case, I've worked in the court
for many years and tried hundreds of
cases," she said. "Perry has done great
things in the Legislature but we need
to have trial experience.
"He has political clout, but this is
a nonpartisan position. Politics don't
belong on the bench, and the people
should exptct more from the court."
Local attorneys and judges, in a
poll by the Washtenaw County Bar
Association in July, rated Pollard the
"most qualified" candidate.
On a five-point scale, Pollard had
an overall rating of 4.23. Bullard re-
ceived a 3.07.
But Bullard said his experience as
chair of the House Judiciary Commit-
tee has given him a broader perspec-
tive of the system.
He said his record in Lansing,
which includes the authoring of 118
Public Acts,'directly correlates with
the types of cases he would handle as
district judge.
He cited the Unlawful Eviction
Act of 1976 as an example of his
NAME: Perry Bullard
O OCCUPATION: Michigan
Statehouse representative
(D-Ann Arbor)
BACKGROUND: Chair of
House Judiciary Committee,
sponsored 118 Public Acts,
including Freedom of
Information Act and
Domestic Violence Act
experience with landord-tenant dis-
putes. He said the Domestic Violence
Act in 1986,legislation of smallclaims
court improvements, and restriction
of traffic ticket quotas all reflect areas
of law he would confront if elected.
B ullard also has a variety of back-
ers, including the Michigan National
Organization of Women and the
Michigan Trial Lawyers Association.
The candidates stressed the differ-
ent goals they would pursue.
Bullard said one of his priorities is
to increase the use of non-profit coin-
munity mediation centers, where citi-
zens can negotiate small claims cases
out of court.
"It's betterto try tonegotiate things
NAME: Elizabeth Pollard
OCCUPATION: Washtenaw
County first assistant
prosecutor since 1980
EXPERIENCE: Appointed to
Michigan Task Force on
Children's Justice, past
chair of Ann Arbor's
Domestic Violence
Coordinating Board
than to go through the judicial pro-
cess," he said. "I think we need to use
the community mediation centers to
really bring people together and get
rid of the 'shut up and sit down'
solution."
Pollard said she would take a sys-
tematic approach to improving the
court by finding "creative alterna-
tives to jail" for problems such as as
substance abuse, domestic violence
and habitual offenders.
"We can't just punish somebody
for what happens. We must look back
and try to prevent it from happening
again," she said. "We need new ways
for dealing with old problems."
- Lauren Dermer
Advocates cutting $90
billion from the defense
budget. Says military
security is less important
than economic security.
Supports abortion rights.
Would permit federal
funding for women who
cannot afford abortions.
The 22nd Circuit Court handles felonies, civil cases over $10,000, domestic relations and equity
jurisdictions (injunctions, restraining orders) for U-M students and Washtenaw County residents.
Engler appointee faces first test
Ica
bility
'uld
ding
di
tding
Supports legislation to
increase recycling in
businesses. Supports a
national deposit bill for
beverage containers.
Helped pass Clean Air
Act, which tightened
pollution-control.
requirements in cities
and mandated reduction
in acid rain causing.
sulfur dioxide.
Opposes higher CAFE
standards, saying they
would cut auto jobs and
reduce auto safety.
Would rewrite federal
legislation to require
more waste reduction,
recycling and safer
hazardous waste
disposal. Would preserve
wetlands and reduce
discharge of pollutants.
Supports cuts in the
defense budget including
the elimination of Star
Wars program and the B2
bomber.
Introduced the UniMed
Act, which would
provide national health
care access through an
employer mandate,
including coverage for
children and
unemployed adults.
Supports abortion rights
and opposses any attempt
to restrict access, through
waiting periods or
parental consent
requirements. Supports
the Family and Medical
Leave Act. -
in judcia
Jerome Farmer and Kurtis Wilder
are vying for the position of circuit
court judge.
Farmer said his priority on the
bench would be to recognize a victim's
right to speak before the criminal is
sentenced.
He also said he advocates innova-
tive "weed and seed" sentencing for
non-violent, young offenders -edu-
cational and productive alternatives
to jail.
Wilder was appointed to the bench
by Gov. John Engler six months ago.
Wilder said he believes in profession-
alism and a strict. policy of respect in
the courtroom.
"I want to preserve an atmosphere
that permits alleged victims to tell
their stories in as calm a state as
possible," he said.
Farmer criticized Wilder on the
grounds that he has never practiced
law in Washtenaw County.
But Wilder said he has perspec-
tives as a trial lawyer that Farmer
lacks despite his experience.
- Lauren Dermer
race against Farmer
Ie
or
nts
Would cut defense
spending by unspecified
amount. Would
re-examine all foreign
aid commitments.
Would amend federal
income tax to allow tax-
free health care savings
accounts. Says a
government-run system
like Canada's would cost
$300 billion and would
not provide quality health
care.
Supports a Human Life
Amendment to U.S.
Constitution, which
would prohibit abortion
in all cases except when
the mother's life is in
danger.
NAME: Jerome Farmer
OCCUPATION: Chief
assistant Washtenaw County
prosecutor
EXPERIENCE: Twenty-seven
years as trial attorney in
Washtenaw County
NAME: Kurtis Wilder
OCCUPATION: Incumbent
22nd Circuit Court judge
EXPERIENCE: Previously a
corporate attorney in Detroit
and Lansing
Information compied by Lauren Dermer and Hope Clati1
ervices. The board also gives money to county departments. These include the Sheriff's
the health department, whch offers immunizations and education programs.
ounty Commission slots
The prosecuting attorney represents victims in felonies and some serious misdemeanors. The
attorney serves Washtenaw County residents, including U-M students.
andidates promise severity
I District Eleven: Most of
Central Campus
Dave Monforton, an aide to state Rep. Perry Bullard
n Arbor), is making his first leap into electoral
,s in his bid for the 11th District seat.
The Democratic candidate said he is familiar with the
eds of U-M students through his work with College
mocrats and grassroots political organizing around
mpus.
"My experience in Lansing working with court legis-
ion has putme in contact with local people," Monforton
d,
He added that this makes him familiar with how
licies affect people.
Monforton said he sees a commissioner's role as a
ission. "You are partly a person who sets public
licy but you are nartly a nerson who translates nolicv."
District Twelve: Burns Park
Area and southern regions
County Commission chair Meri Lou Murray is being
challenged by U-M graduate student Corey Dolgon, who
is running as an independent.
Dolgon calls for radical restructuring of county pro-
grams. "The county's restructuring of human services is
nothing but the reorganization of bureaucracy," Dolgon
said.
He said the county should give human services money
directly to the people in the community who are provid-
ing the services.
Murray said the county has begun restructuring to
alleviate the budget crunch. "In some ways we haven't
made up. We've just become more efficient," Murray
said.
She says her three greatest accomnlishments on the
"
against se
Brian Mackie and Lynwood Noah
are vying for the position of
Washtenaw County prosecutor.
Mackie said he is running for pros-
ecutor to put "greater emphasis on
crime victims" in the courtroom. He
said he sees the prosecutor as an edu-
cator - of the jury, the crime survi-
vor and the community.
Noah emphasized prosecution of
personal assault and property crimes.
"We've had a tough line on law en-
forcement," he said.
Both candidates stressed the pros-
ecution of sexual assault offenders.
aal assault offenders
m -