NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: David Bonior, Michigan governor (D); 4-year term
Name: David BoniorAge: 57Hometown: Mount ClemensOccupation: 10th District U.S.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Dick Posthumus, Michigan governor (R); 4-year term
Name: Dick PosthumusAge: 52Hometown: AltoOccupation: Michigan lieutenant governorFamily: Married to Pam; four childrenPolitical background: Lieutenant governor, 1999-present; state Senate majority leader, 1991-98; state senator, 1983-98Web site: www.dickposthumus.comStance on the issuesOvercoming the state’s budget difficulties: Opposes balancing the budget on backs of taxpayers; pledges no new taxes and continued tax cuts; protect income tax and single business tax cuts; believes continued spending and tax cuts should increase Michigan’s long-term tax revenue and protect jobs.Higher education affordability: Create incentive to keep tuition increases down by repealing tuition tax credit and distributing those funds only to institutions that keep tuition rates at or below inflation; reduce funding to universities that raise tuition beyond inflation rates; create a constitutional amendment on the ballot to cap higher education tuition rates at inflation or 5 percent, whichever is less.Environment: Create extensive plan for preserving, protecting water; opposed to Great Lakes oil drilling; remove nuclear waste from state and away from shorelines; install real-time water quality monitoring system at Lake St.
MSU
Need for college advisers debated
College-bound students may have a better edge if they hire a private college consultant instead of those who rely on high school counselors. Frank Bernier, a college consultant who is contracted through Lansing Catholic Central High School, 501 N.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Larry Ward, 69th District state House (R); 2-year term
Name: Larry WardAge: 41Hometown: WilliamstonOccupation: Financial servicesFamily: Married to Karen; three childrenPolitical background: NoneWeb site: www.ward2002.comStance on the issuesOvercoming the state’s budget difficulties: Eliminate waste from government; hold the line in low-priority areas to preserve important budget items such as education and health care.Higher education affordability: Supports Merit Award Scholarship program and other financial aid; address rising health care costs to help universities keep tuition increases low.Environment: Avid outdoorsman; use a broad bipartisan coalition to protect natural resources.Transportation: Roads are key to increased commerce and must be kept in good repair.Abortion rights: Opposes state funding for abortion.Affirmative action: Opposes discrimination of any type; recognizes importance of diversity on campus; decisions should be left up to universities’ governing boards, students and faculty.Gay rights: All humans are entitled to some basic rights that should not be denied because of sexual orientation.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Paul DeWeese, 23rd District state Senate (R); 4-year term
Name: Paul DeWeeseAge: 47Hometown: WilliamstonOccupation: Physician, state representativeFamily: Married to Mary; three sonsPolitical background: State representative, 1999-presentWeb site: www.pauldeweese.comStance on the issuesOvercoming the state’s budget difficulties: Use balanced approach of budget restraint, increased tax revenues; supported cigarette tax increase, pause in single business and income tax cuts.Higher education affordability: Seek position on Senate Appropriation Subcommittee on Higher Education; ensure lower income students not locked out of college.Environment: Do more to sustain clean air and water; eliminate mercury emissions; protect dwindling wetlands; initiate state oversight over toxic waste dumps.Transportation: Good roadways are economically important; increase diesel tax and gasoline tax to fix bridges and roads; increase access to public transportation.Abortion rights: The developing infant is born human and alive.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Frank McAlpine, 8th District U.S. House (D); 2-year term
Name: Frank McAlpineAge: 52Hometown: East LansingOccupation: AttorneyFamily: Married to Monica; three childrenPolitical background: 1992 independent candidate for CongressWeb site: NoneStance on the issuesImproving the federal economy: Weakness centers around stock market; enact sweeping changes to corporate accounting reports, adding uniform reporting standards.Higher education affordability: No suggestions, needs more information.Environment: Higher gasoline mileage vehicles; oppose oil drilling around Great Lakes; insist cities treat all waste water.Preserving Social Security: Opposes investing Social Security funds in stock market.Protecting the U.S.
NEWS
Students play an active role in campaigns
When Republican Larry Ward began his state House campaign against incumbent Rep. Gretchen Whitmer, critics told him he didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell against the Democrat from East Lansing. Political science junior Jason Miller said he hoped to improve Ward’s chances. Miller, Ward’s campaign manager, took the back roads to Hell, Mich., in the dead of winter and had himself photographed holding a snowball next to a sign that read “Welcome to Hell.” “Hell freezes over in Michigan,” Miller said. Until MSU students and recent graduates can begin their own prolific political careers, they pay their dues by doing whatever it takes to get their elders into office. Ward, a Republican candidate for the 69th District state House seat, found his campaign manager at an MSU College Republicans meeting. “He came up and picked my brain after the meeting,” Ward said of Miller, chairman of the student GOP group . “I could see he enjoys what he does.” Miller said the lack of cynicism is something that draws candidates to student workers. “Students are idealistic,” he said.
COMMENTARY
Enough, already
The Lansing City Council should get a move on it and approve Wolverine Pipe Line Company’s request to build a gasoline pipe within the city limits.
MICHIGAN
EL official named to volunteer group board
East Lansing Mayor Pro Tem Sam Singh was named to the National Council of Nonprofit Associations Board of Directors. The board consists of 17 delegates from nonprofit groups across the nation and the council is a group of 37 state and regional nonprofit associations. Singh currently serves as president and CEO of the 600-member Michigan Nonprofit Association.
NEWS
Brewer takes heat for newspaper report, Bernero criticizes debate for weak questions
An otherwise routine debate turned controversial after the sparring completed. Democratic state Senate candidates Lingg Brewer and Rep.
COMMENTARY
Activism for everyone, best way to make sure good things happen
With a lot of people I know, including myself, activism has been something we’ve sort of stumbled into - a direction we didn’t know we were going to choose until we were already smack in the middle of it. It starts off with something as simple as having an opinion, and the next thing you know, you’re picketing at the state Capitol, demanding some sort of change and the word “now” is usually nearby. People tend to be careful when identifying themselves or others as “activists.” The word has become synonymous with angry, disgruntled, often nonstraight, hippie types, who have nothing better to do than burn flags and chant, “Hell, no!
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Mike Rogers, 8th District U.S. House (R); 2-year term
Name: Mike Rogers (I)Age: 39Hometown: BrightonOccupation: U.S. representativeFamily: Married to Diane; two childrenPolitical background: U.S.
NEWS
Duckett OK, talks continue
Contract talks between the Atlanta Falcons and former MSU star T.J. Duckett’s agent, Joel Segal, resumed Tuesday after being postponed because of injuries the running back suffered during a fight in Ionia County last week. “We’re back to negotiations,” said Tico Duckett, the brother of Atlanta’s first-round draft pick.
MICHIGAN
Community, families to benefit from food drive
The annual East Lansing Reducing Our Waste program will hold a food drive. The drive started Tuesday and will continue through Aug.
FEATURES
Same songs, but whole new energy
Remix albums are all the rage among rappers and hard-rockers these days, but usually prove to be complete flop or an album with only one or two decent songs. And to make a remix a band should have a few albums to its name to have enough good songs to actually remix. So a band has got to have a lot of guts to remix its debut album and put it out two years later.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Virg Bernero, 23rd District state Senate (D); 4-year term
Name: Virg BerneroAge: 38Hometown: LansingOccupation: State representativeFamily: Married to Teri; two daughtersPolitical background: State representative, 2001-present; Ingham County commissioner, 1993-2000Web site: www.votevirg.comStance on the issuesOvercoming the state’s budget difficulties: Delay or eliminate some Engler administration tax cuts; examine state programs for budget cuts, excluding human services and K-12 and higher education; consider reinstating inheritance tax.Higher education affordability: Ensure affordable education to all students; restructure Merit Scholarship Award program to reward top students at every high school; strengthen needs-based financial aid.Environment: Pass tough “polluter’s pay” law; reward companies committed to environmental protection; rebuild ability to detect, prosecute polluters.Transportation: State is challenged to find funding to fix delayed maintenance on main roadways, repair bridges and support local governments in fixing roads; funds for road repairs must be spent for that purpose; road work should be warrantied; enhance public transportation.Abortion rights: Pro-choice.Affirmative action: Supports affirmative action as a necessary tool to remedy patterns of institutional discrimination and economic inequality that places minority students at a disadvantage in pursuit of education and jobs.Gay rights: Discrimination, hatred and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people must not be tolerated, or encouraged by regressive laws that treat life partners differently based on sexual orientation.
MICHIGAN
Engler denies funding to change license shape
Gov. John Engler recently vetoed $1 million of funding for the bill to change driver’s license forms for those under 21-years-of-age.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Lingg Brewer, 23rd District state Senate (D); 4-year term
Name: Lingg BrewerAge: 57Hometown: LansingOccupation: Retired state representativeFamily: Divorced; four childrenPolitical background: State representative, 1995-2000; former county commissioner, former county clerk for 16 yearsWeb site: NoneStance on the issuesOvercoming the state’s budget difficulties: Reorganize state government to “cut fat” and do more with less; better funding of health care, public education.Higher education affordability: Reduce funding gap between MSU and the University of Michigan.Environment: Improve water quality, reduce contaminants affecting fish; protect against mercury emissions.Transportation: Sponsored legislation in support of a mass transit connecting Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit; supports automobile alternatives; end focus on building new roads rather than fixing existing roads and bridges.Abortion rights: Pro-choice.Affirmative action: Supports affirmative action.Gay rights: Supports gay rights.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Jennifer Granholm, Michigan governor (D); 4-year term
Name: Jennifer GranholmAge: 43Hometown: NorthvilleOccupation: Michigan attorney generalFamily: Married to Dan Mulhern; three childrenPolitical background: Michigan attorney general, 1999-presentWeb site: www.granholmforgov.comStance on the issuesOvercoming the state’s budget difficulties: Audit state’s finances to avoid tax increases and look for fat to cut; expand state’s economy by attracting businesses through new Technology Tri-Corridor, building on the Life Sciences Corridor, automotive manufacturing and potential homeland security technologies.Higher education affordability: Create Great Lakes Scholars program funded by private donors for at-risk students who might not otherwise be able to attend college; add needs-based component to Merit Scholarship Award program; expand tuition savings plans, such as the Michigan Education Trust, to ensure families can take advantage of them; exercise executive leadership with universities to keep tuition affordable.Environment: Implement “Clean Water Forever” initiative to provide comprehensive water protection; phase out worst toxic pollutants, including mercury; add water, noncarbonated drink containers to bottle bill; require out-of-state trash comply with recycling, composting laws; recombine departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources; help local governments protect, manage land; create state land-use commission.Transportation: Create five-year statewide road and bridge program based on need; ensure road work done right first time; increase diesel tax, maintain gas tax level; require road work warranties; pursue addition federal transportation dollars.Abortion rights: Pro-choice; supports reversal of Engler administration policies, including law threatening funding for Planned Parenthood; opposes mandatory waiting period; supports Medicaid-funded abortions.Affirmative action: Supports affirmative action; believes government has no authority to challenge such policies at constitutionally independent universities; pledges to hire a diverse cabinet.Gay rights: Expand state civil rights act to include sexual orientation and gender identity; pass hate crimes laws to protect all citizens; supports domestic-partner benefits.
NEWS
VOTERS GUIDE: Carl Levin, U.S. Senate (D); 6-year term
Name: Carl Levin (I)Age: 68Hometown: DetroitOccupation: U.S. senatorFamily: Married to Barbara Halpern; three daughters and three grandchildrenPolitical background: U.S.