The Romeo Observer - Romeo, Michigan: Northern Macomb County's weekly newspaper since 1866

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You are Viewing an Archived Issue

Posted: 10/31/12

State and county
candidate profiles

      Following are the answers to questionnaires from candidates running for state and county offices.

REP. IN CONGRESS, 10TH DIST.

       CANDICE S. MILLER (R)
       Did not respond.

       CHUCK STADLER (D)
       Occupation: Vassar Township Board, four years; accountant and co-owner of Stadler Bookkeeping & Tax Service. Licensed practical nurse and licensed residential builder and alteration contractor.
       Government, professional and political background: Voted into office, 2008 Vassar Township trustee.
       Why should voters choose you to represent them in this office? We the people of the United States and of Michigan need to start taking care of this country. We're too busy taking care of the rest of the world. This
       country does not have unlimited deep pockets of money. The United States government wants every country in the world to like us. What about our country? The billions of dollars spent overseas could help balance our budget, create jobs for Americans, improve our educational system, fix Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, support the farmer and improve healthcare in this country.
       Your top three priorities if chosen for this office: Bringing jobs to the Blue Water Area is my main concern. With the economy growing and GM expanding, smaller factories need to go after bids on making auto parts, especially making new parts for used vehicles. A lot of jobs are starting to come back from Mexico, the quality of the manufacturing was not there. Today's cars are higher in technology requiring more computers and software for fuel, hybrid, electric engine cars & GPS systems. 2. Since Port Huron is a tourist town, there needs to be year round attraction activities. Most vacations are 3/4 planned around their children. One idea is inside water parks, the weather does not mess up these kinds of vacation plans. Near this location should be inside and outside flea markets, families love to go to them.

       BHAGWAN DASHAIRYA (LIB)
       Did not respond.

REP. IN LEGISLATURE, 33RD DIST.

       KEN GOIKE (R)
       Did not respond.

       MARTHA O'KRAY (D)
       Did not respond.

REP. IN LEGISLATURE, 36TH DIST.

       PETE LUND (R)
       Did not respond.

       ROBERT MURPHY (D)
       Occupation: Skilled Trades
       Government, Profcessional and political background: Two times presidential appointments, Michigan State Court of Administration mediator, State Legislative Advisory Board, Substitute Catechist St. Clemens Church, Veteran U.S. Armed Forces, many others upon request.
       Why should voters choose you to represent them in this office? No other candidate has shown as much community involvement, and if you keep believing the same promises from pretty much the same batch of people expecting different results it'll be a very long time to get Michigan back to the prosperity it once was.
       For 14 years I have tried to represent you, the citizens, and have never accepted special interest contributions. For that I have been sneered, snickered and even cussed at. Politics is a funny business, one day your somebody's buddy, the next, you're banished. Let's stop dividing ourselves and work together. Having proved myself as an Independent in the Primaries, Republican for precinct delegate, and the Democrat for state representative, and successful at both.
       Your top three priorities if chosen for this office: If it were as simple as accomplishing just three things in a two-year office, everything would be hunky-dory. Stop this nonsense and accomplish 12 or more things, eliminate legislators' pensions for serving six years, lessen their salary, cut out the per diem monthly allowance. Concentrate on cost-effective and cost-saving healthcare, bring revenue producing ideas to fruition (I've got some, you may too), stop the Asian carp, get a handle on the continuously rising legacy obligations, find common ground for per pupil funding. Let's get back to representing the people, lobbyists are important, but eliminate contributions which may monetarily influence decision making.

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

       TODD A. COURSER (R)
       Did not respond.

       MELANIE A. KURDYS (R)
       Occupation: Volunteer math tutor, homemaker, education researcher.
       Government, professional and political Background:
       1973 University of Michigan B.S. Mathematics; 20 years math tutor and school volunteer; 15 years in Information Systems, analyst, manager, director; four years Portage Public School Board Trustee; four years Great Start Collaborative Board.
       Why should voters choose you to represent them in this office?
       Do you know that 40 percent of Michigan children cannot read at grade level and 70 percent of Michigan children cannot do math at grade level? Our K-12 education system in Michigan is failing far too many children, parents, teachers and taxpayers. My focus is implementing and expanding education policy having solid evidence that it will improve student achievement including empowering parents and excellent teachers.
       Your top three priorities if chosen for this office: 1. Stop the implementation of Common Core Standards and Assessments in Michigan. There is no evidence that changing Michigan standards and assessment will improve student learning. Resources allocated to this effort are wasted. 2. Empower parents with information about their children's actual achievement with ideas regarding choices for improvement. Work with legislators to continue to expand choice options for all parents and students. 3. Establish policies that promote the professionalism of teachers. Focus teacher evaluation efforts around personalized professional development based on evidence from research which truly improves student learning. Emphasize math education knowledge and strategies for elementary teachers.

       MICHELLE FECTEAU (D)
       Occupation: Executive director, American Association of University Professors, WSU Chapter.
       Government, professional and political background: I am a community and labor activist, the mother of seven, the wife of a public school special education teacher and a lifelong Democrat. My husband, Eddie Hejka, and I received the Foster Parents of the Year Award by Michigan Lutheran Child and Family Services a few years ago. I have worked as an educator at Wayne State's Labor Studies Center, and as a Union Representative with UFCW and SEIU. I also served on the board of the Wayne County Society for Autistic Citizens. First time running for public office.
       Why should voters choose you to represent them in this office? I am the wife of a public school special education teacher in a high poverty district. My experience as a parent provides a unique perspective on our school system. I have 2 children by birth. My oldest has autism. My husband and I have been foster parents to 9 children, 5 we adopted. We have been strong advocates for children; I served on the board of the Wayne County Autism Society, my husband on the state
       board. I also served on Mayor Archer's transition team during the first state take-over of DPS as an advocate for students of special needs. All of our children attended or are attending public schools and faced a variety of challenges demonstrating to me the need for a strong, vital and responsive public system in which parents' voices are respected.
       Your top three priorities if chosen for this office: 1. Shift funding to focus on instruction and direct services. 2. Increase accountability for all educational institutions collecting public funds, particularly for-profit charter schools and cyber schools. 3. Focus on performance models supported by research, not ideology.

       LUPE RAMOS-MONTIGNY (D)
       Did not respond.

       ANDY LeCUREAUX (LIB)
       Did not respond.

       KAREN ADAMS (UST)
       Did not respond.

       GAIL M. GRAESER (UST)
       Did not respond.

       CANDACE R. CAVENY (GRN)
       Occupation: Licensed physician in Michigan since 1975.
       Government, professional and political background: Attained rank of major in the U.S. Army Reserve, Medical Corps, Civil Affairs with training at JFK School of Special Warfare, Ft. Bragg, N.C.; Board-certified in physical med & rehabilitation after residency at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit; Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress in 2006, 2008, 2010, Fifth Congressional District.
       Why should voters choose you to represent them in this office? I understand education is a lifelong process as I am formerly an elementary school teacher in Chicago, then worked as a computer systems/analyst and eventually as a lab analyst for oil spill pollution before medical school.
       Your top three priorities if chosen for this office: 1.To assure technical and academic schools provide transparent information about the employment statistics for graduates. 2. To expand teacher/student resources through use of technology so that information is up-to-date. 3. To assure anti-bullying policies are effectively in place in Michigan schools as recently required by the state legislature.

       DWAIN REYNOLDS III (GRN)
       Did not respond.

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

       MICHAEL R. WRATHELL (R)
       Occupation: Attorney.
       Government, professional and political background: Precinct delegate (1994-1996 and 2012 ongoing), alternate state delegate (1994), state delegate (2012), Intern to State Representative David Jaye (1990-1991), attorney since 1993.
       Why should voters choose you to represent them in this office: I will be true to the Constitution, making sure everyone's fundamental rights are respected in the county, including the assistant prosecutors, whose fundamental rights of free speech and the right to run for prosecutor are now being compromised by an unconstitutional portion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. All elected officials must be true to the Constitution. I'll make sure every elected official, including myself, is true to it. This will save our county money from lawsuits, ensuring that everyone in the County Jail truly deserves to be there.
       Your top three priorites if chosen for this office: 1. Make sure those who belong in jail or prison are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and, conversely, that those who abide by the law, including the Medical Marijuana Act, aren't unjustly prosecuted, saving the taxpayers oodles of money, and many families lots of unnecessary grief. I'll respect the law that was passed by 63 percent of Michigan voters, even higher in Macomb County. I'll also strongly encourage law enforcement agencies to respect those who abide by the act. 2. Spearhead an effort to make sex offenders more accountable even after they are released. Our monitoring of them is a joke. 3. Spearhead an effort to make animal abuse a more serious crime and to create a national online registry of animal abusers.

       ERIC J. SMITH (D)
       Occupation: Macomb County prosecuting attorney, 2004-present.
       Government, professional and political background: Chief assistant prosecuting attorney, Macomb County, 2003; Assistant prosecuting attorney, Macomb County, 1993-2002; chief of Sex Crimes Unit, 1997-2002. Democrat.
       Your top three priorities if chosen for this office: 1. Continue to deny all plea-bargaining for convicted felons, and maintain our 99.5 percent conviction rate. 2. Build on the legacy of innovation of my first two terms in office: the Cold Case Unit, the Senior Protection Unit, the Internet Crimes Unit, the Parole Appeals Team, vehicle forfeitures for chronic drunk drivers, and the Child Protection Unit. 3. Continue to trim the budget to the bone while still maintaining top-level service. Over the past five years, I've managed to save Macomb taxpayers nearly $4 million through streamlining and innovation.