MICHIGAN HOUSE 56TH DISTRICT

DEMOCRAT

SHARON MACDONELL

Sharon MadDonell of Troy is finishing her first term as a sate Representative. She holds a bachelors degree in history from the University of Michigan.

Economic incentive policy

I supported SOAR funding in 2023, and appreciate the concept set forth in the most recent proposal that would continue SOAR, but halve the funding to be provided for large corporate projects. The rest would be dedicated to other critical projects Michigan needs, including affordable housing support and infrastructure improvements. We must look for ways to support and invest in business, but not at the expense of spending on important public projects.

New education initiatives

There has been a good deal of misinformation on this topic. The truth is that in June we passed one of the largest increases in school funding in recent years and the funding will go directly to the schools, not other initiatives. School district officials explicitly asked that we change the funding model of the Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement, or MPSERs. The changes they desired would bring millions of dollars directly back to the classroom. They negotiated a 5.75 percent MPSERS rate reduction and provided full relief from the 3 percent payroll deduction for veteran teachers. That means teachers will receive the equivalent of a 3 percent pay raise immediately. The change also provides an average $400 per pupil funding increase for all districts, far more than the funding originally planned for in the FY 2025 budget. I also voted with the House to make these increases permanent, but the related bill has not yet returned to the Senate for a vote. When I speak to school officials today, their main concern is not the amount of funding, but that the funding is not yet permanent. This fall we will finish the job, by getting SB 911 passed in the Senate and signed by the Governor.

Financial disclosure

I fully respect the voters decision to expand Michigan’s campaign finance disclosure laws. As a matter of fact, as a voter in Michigan, I also voted for more transparency back in 2022. We published our disclosures for the first time last spring and had some first-time hiccups in the process. Since then we have worked on improving the process and pushing for more transparency. I expect our second disclosure process in 2025 to go more smoothly and be more clear to voters.

Citizens right of redress

In a representative democracy, the people elect their representatives to make laws and develop budgets. I think it makes sense for the people to have legal pathways to reverse bad laws. Budgeting, however, is extremely complicated, requires extensive expertise by those making the decisions and has to be done on a tight schedule to keep Michigan’s roads, schools, benefits for seniors, and everything else fully funded on time. The public has many opportunities to affect change in the budgeting process by communicating with their representatives and relevant committees. Allowing a process to derail budgets after the process could bring the state and its many departments to a screeching halt.

Public museums tax

House Bills 4177, 5817 and 5818 were developed to set up a system that may give voters the opportunity to help save two important but financially endangered institutions in Detroit – the nationally respected Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Detroit Historical Society’s museums. The bills passed the Michigan State House, with my support, in June and are on their way to the Senate for further consideration. Many people negotiated extensively to bring the bills to this point. And while I would consider agreeing to changes, it’s late in the process to add other institutions into the bills that may not have the same level of urgent need.

Validity of voting returns

Yes, I accept the results and the certification of the 2020 presidential election and I will abide by the results of the 2024 election on November 5th. The Secretary of State of Michigan has done a great job ensuring the security, safety and secrecy of the voting process in Michigan and I have the utmost confidence in the results.

Top three-five issues

I believe one of the legislature’s key responsibilities is to build and maintain a robust economy founded on a strong middle class. In 2023, the Democratic Trifecta kicked off our historic majority by repealing the Snyder-era retirement tax and increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families, allowing families to keep money in their pockets. I support policies that focus on growing the middle class, such as supporting public education, higher education, career skill building, and more. These policies benefit Michigan’s middle class and firm up the standard of living in our state. I believe in supporting Michigan’s children and students, by funding, protecting, and strengthening Michigan’s public education system, from our K-12 schools, community colleges and career training programs, to apprenticeships and universities. Ensuring kids receive the best education and career preparation possible, benefits them and the state by focusing on the job skills that employers want, increasing mobility for workers and making Michigan more competitive. To support our students, this legislative term, we have increased per-pupil spending both years, passed free pre-K, free breakfast and lunch for all public school students and made community college tuition free for most students, among other initiatives. I’m also fighting to better fund Michigan’s infrastructure. I championed HB 4706 which is bringing $110 million in federal funding for EV fast chargers to Michigan. I’ve brought home $10 million for expanded noise walls along I-75, $1 million for major sewage system upgrades to Clawson, and sponsored HB4353 that empowered MDOT to develop HOV lanes, which brought an extra $40 Million in federal funds for road repairs. Leveraging the relationships with transportation stakeholders I have built during my time as Majority Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee, it is my intention to catalyze productive conversations among my colleagues about the future of road funding in Michigan.

REPUBLICAN

DAVE NIFFEN

Dave Niffen of Troy is an internet entrepreneur. No other information was available.

Economic incentive policy

The state spending more money is never the answer. To spend $250 million means they had to take it from someone else. If the goal is to attract new businesses, then make the policies that help businesses that exists now, then it will attract more. Taking money from the existing to give to new ones, feels a lot like what our cable tv and cell phone providers do to us that we hate so much. Raise our fees and rates while only offering deals to new customers.

New education initiatives

No, I do not support it. Teachers money is their money. This is the problem with so many government entities, they borrow from Peter to pay Paul, and Peter never gets what was due. We see this same shell game with road funding, then they ask for more money to fix what should have already been paid for. These types of money games are a scam and we need to wake up and stop this form of intergovernmental stealing.

Financial disclosure

Frankly it’s nonsense. Politicians disclose all sorts of information, but the average voter doesn't even read it. Further, campaign finance is so shady and full of holes that all we ever see if never ending campaign cycles of countless dollars going to these people and coming from all types of sources that are anything but representative of the actual people, meaning the voters who put people in office. Until we reign in on unlimited campaign funding, and out of state funds, dark money and so on, then all the disclosure in the world doesn’t change one thing.

Citizens right of redress

Anytime the state moves to make things difficult for the people to work together and change things, we know it’s problematic and underhanded. The only problem I’ve seen with the referendums, (direct democracy), is they are often funded by those who stand to benefit, not the people. When it comes to many issues that most of us agree on, for example, term limits in U.S. Congress, there is no ballot initiative because nobody is willing to fund it.

Public museums tax

I honestly don’t know enough about this topic to speak on it. This paragraph states these places draw considerable visitors each year, so if that’s true, they should be able to self fund. If not, maybe they need to be audited.

Validity of voting returns

Most of us have been dealt losses, came up short, or failed at some point. Sometimes, we feel like those defeats were not a result of our own, but some outside force working against us. This could include cheating, fraud, deception or dishonesty. Everything we do is framed with rules, so we have every right to explore those possibilities, but ultimately, if unfounded, we must take responsibility and move forward. Often the best lessons are learned through failure, which make a later victory all the more worthwhile.

Top three-five issues

Inflation: People are struggling out here. Everything is up and continuing to rise. Overspending: The ballooning budget is a massive concern and must be addressed. The state is wasteful and lacks efficiency and accountability to us, the people. Liberty: When the government goes unchecked, and feels they have a mandate, then our rights and freedoms suffer the most. When that occurs, we as citizens also have a duty to step up and put the government in check.