OAKLAND COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Four year term

DEMOCRAT

DAVE COULTER

Dave Coulter has been Oakland County Executive since 2019, when he was appointed following the passing of L. Brooks Patterson, and was elected to his first full term in 2020. He previously was mayor of Ferndale from 2011-2019, and an Oakland County commissioner from 2002-2010. Coulter received a bachelor of arts degree in social science and education from Michigan State University and an Executive Education certificate from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Oakland's climate change efforts

Environmental Sustainability is one of the eight goals that make up Oakland County’s Strategic Framework and the county’s leadership in sustainability has been recognized by a number of organizations, including the statewide Michigan Green Communities Program, which recently awarded Oakland County gold certification for exemplary action toward sustainability goals. The Office of Sustainability is leading Oakland County’s efforts to help communities achieve the county’s overall emissions goal, both by serving as a key regional partner in applying for federal grants to fund programs to reduce carbon emissions in communities throughout Southeast Michigan, and to design and implement programs within Oakland County to achieve the same. One recent example is the county’s Oakland Saves program, which was recently recognized by the White House for its success. Oakland Saves used $5 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to help more than 1,000 individuals make improvements to their homes to make them more energy-efficient, reducing their carbon footprint while saving them money on their future utility bills.

Septic testing at point of sale

Ensuring that residents have access to clean and safe drinking water is a top priority of my administration. We have worked with the Board of Commissioners to make key investments using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to support initiatives to replace lead service lines in our communities and to extend a sanitary sewer in Genesee County to northern Oakland County. These projects will mitigate the risk of failing septic systems. Water knows no geographic or political boundaries, however. Which is why I believe a comprehensive approach is best. Michigan is the only state in the nation without a statewide sanitary code, leaving local governments responsible for setting standards for septic systems. The state legislature is currently considering bills which would create a statewide septic code requiring periodic inspection of septic systems. If this important effort fails to advance in Lansing, I am prepared to work to build consensus among interested parties in the county to ensure the safety of our water.

Mass transit

In all corners of the county, local “on-demand” transportation services are now available, and ridership has already doubled in these areas. Moving stories of how our senior citizens are now getting to doctor’s appointments, reconnecting with friends and physical fitness opportunities can be found from Holly to Hazel Park. Operational hours are expanding; and the discounted rate of $2 per ride is universal among all providers. This is a major step forward for improving the lives of our residents whose lives were limited by few or no transit options. The SMART bus system has also expanded routes to job, entertainment, and education centers in Novi, Rochester, Auburn Hills and White Lake Township. Workers who once rode to the end of the line and Ubered the rest of the way to work are now getting to work quicker and more affordably. As SMART hires more drivers, brings more buses online, and improves route efficiencies, these routes will see an increase in ridership. Our next steps include improving flex – or Uber-like service – for all residents and providing local communities with grants to improve access to transit through sidewalk, bus stop, lighting, and other needed mobility solutions.

Pontiac revitalization

This project is the result of the convergence of elected leaders with shared priorities in Oakland County, the Governor’s office and the state Legislature, and the city of Pontiac. It involves a transformational investment in the heart of our county seat from a number of sources including the largest enhancement grant – $50 million – in the state’s budget for fiscal year 2024, as well as funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. Other resources are available for the project, including state and federal tax credits and grants. By moving as many as 700 employees to downtown Pontiac, Oakland County will both mitigate capital improvement costs of as much as $54 million on the existing county campus, as well as play a vital role in the transformation of our county seat.

Public museums tax

In past years, Oakland County residents have demonstrated their willingness to support regional institutions like the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Zoo. Legislation which would give counties the ability to create a similar authority to provide funding of up to .2 mills for up to 10 years for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Detroit Historical Society has passed the state House but has not yet been considered in the Senate or been signed into law by the Governor. The legislation should ensure that these institutions are subject to the same governance requirements as the DIA and Detroit Zoo. Should the legislation become law, and the board of commissioners create an authority and place a millage on a future ballot, I trust Oakland County residents to assess the benefits to them and to county institutions and to make an appropriate decision, as they have done before.

Key issues

Oakland County is well positioned for the future. We have fully recovered from the COVID pandemic and are stronger than ever going forward. Through innovative county programs created under my Administration we are focused on small businesses, advanced manufacturing and expanding educational opportunities for adults seeking to improve their careers and graduating high school students. We are also addressing the challenges many families face in housing and health care costs, and improving our mental health programs, parks, and public transit system. Through careful financial planning and maintenance of the county’s coveted AAA bond rating, we are ensuring that Oakland County remains a magnet for individuals seeking a welcoming, safe and diverse community for their family and businesses seeking skilled and talented employees.

REPUBLICAN

NIK GJONAJ

Nik Gjonaj attended UCLA, LA Pierce College, Wayne State University and Macomb Community College, where he was educated in political science and film. He has been a restaurateur and started an Eastern European IPTV streaming service, as well as working in the insurance industry.

Oakland's climate change efforts

The county’s current efforts are designed to meet the objectives outlined in this question. I do note that as part of the Office of Sustainability they consider DEI to be a major part of their effort. I fail to see what the implementation of DEI has to do with county climate change efforts. The county soon will be spending more than one million taxpayer dollars on DEI efforts within the county. At the same time some state governments such as Florida and some private sector companies such as Microsoft are eliminating DEI programs. I think advertising DEI as a reason the county will meet its climate change objectives is a clear overreach. Reaching those objectives has nothing to do with DEI.

Septic testing at point of sale

I support the adoption of requirements to protect service and underground water supplies providing those requirements do not become onerous.

Mass transit

It is important for Oakland County to have a mass transit system for those who do not have any other form of transportation. However, the county also has a responsibility to taxpayers. You indicate ridership is “fairly anemic.” “Fairly anemic” is an understatement. As it stands now, the mass transit system provides on average service to one person every three hours. It costs $284 to operate one bus for one hour. Therefore, it costs Oakland County taxpayers $852 for every rider. This is absurd. Despite this “anemic” traffic, it still costs the county $457,000 in transit employees. The transit tax will grow from about $70 million today to $81 million in just four years. This is a 16 percent increase in taxpayer dollars for a transit system that costs $852 per ride. In terms of increasing ridership, the first steps should be to conduct surveys of the current riders and residents of the county to determine 1) their knowledge of the bus system, 2) whether they ride, 3) why they do or do not ride, and other questions related to bus ridership. Until a survey is conducted, you cannot draft a plan for increasing ridership.

Pontiac revitalization

I am skeptical of the plan to spend $60 million in state and county money because it is going to cost an additional $90 million. Many of the workers will be coming from the 10 year old L. Brooks Patterson Executive Office Building designed for consolidating various county services in a central location. The cost of the project is prohibitive and depends on county workers spending money from Pontiac stores. If you have 700 employees going to a restaurant twice a week, that means there are only 280 people going to lunch each day. That is hardly enough to keep more than two or three restaurants busy. This plan is another example of wasteful spending. In the past four years county spending and taxes have increased by 25 percent. County Executive David Coulter has kept Oakland County’s tax rate at it’s maximum projecting tax revenue will rise by 10 percent after three years. Additionally, by 2027 Coulter will have increased spending by 49 percent in only eight years. Obviously, if you increase spending by 49 percent you ultimately have to increase taxes by the same amount. As we saw in Detroit with Dan Gilbert, only the private sector can really revitalize a downtown.

Public museums tax

I oppose creation of this authority, and I oppose the tax until we are able to find out more information about the financial position of the museums that would receive these taxpayer dollars.

Key issues

Oakland is facing a multitude of important issues. First is public safety. Second, property taxes are too high. And third economic growth has stagnated and declined under Dave Coulter’s leadership. It is so bad that our population is on the decline and too many young people want to leave the region. Public safety will once again become a top priority. Sheriff Bouchard must get the necessary resources and latest technologies to combat crime. We are also proposing a 25 percent tax cut so that property owners and tenants are not punished by run-away inflation caused by bad government policies from Washington DC, Lansing, and Pontiac. We will put more money back into our taxpayers’ pockets. Oakland County is in economic decline. The tax cuts will help. We also will make it easier to conduct business, reinvigorate construction, emerging technologies and manufacturing sectors, and again be the economic leader in the Midwest. People will want to not only stay here but move here.

Finally, we need to address our aging population, from adequate medical care, to transportation, we want our make sure the most vulnerable amongst us are taken care of.