STATE SENATE / 7TH DISTRICT / DEMOCRAT
JASON HOSKINS
Jason Hoskins of Southfield has a BS degree in political science and a master in public administration from EMU and a law degree from University of Detroit Mercy. He is currently a member of the Michigan House of Representatives and was a member of the Southfield City Council. He is a member of the ACLU, Sierra Club and the local party organization.
Government transparency
Michigan is one of only two states where the state legislature and administration are not subject to Freedom of Information Act requests. Although Governor Whitmer has promised in 2018 to extend the FOIA to cover her office and the legislature and the senate pass legislation in 2025, the House has still left these bills in the House Government Operations Committee with no movement. Do you support extending the Freedom of Information Act to cover the legislative and administrative branches of state government?
I strongly support extending the Freedom of Information Act to cover the legislative and administrative branches of the government for the state of Michigan. Reforms such as allowing for FOIA requests within our state government would bring Michigan in line with over 40 other states throughout the country that have already implemented these standards. Michiganders have enjoyed the right to submit FOIA requests to their city council, public schools, public universities, and state government agencies for years and I support extending that to the executive and legislators.
Data Center Farms
Large scale data centers have become an important issue in Michigan. Should the state be providing incentives to attractive large scale data centers? What regulations should be enacted to protect residents from possible increased electric rates and impact on water sources in the state? Lastly, there have been concerns that the state could intervene in the local approval process along the lines of what has been done on alternative energy projects in the state. Would you support the state taking more control of the local approval process?
The expansion of data centers, especially “hyperscale” facilities, has become a serious and legitimate concern for residents across Michigan and the country. Whether you face daily economic pressures, care deeply about the environment, are skeptical of promises made by large tech firms, or believe in transparency in government contracting, there is good reason to be paying close attention to this issue right now. As elected officials at the state level, we have a responsibility to listen to these concerns and respond with policies that match the seriousness they deserve. As a candidate for state Senate, I support requirements that data center projects be built with union labor, subject to local hire requirements and job quality standards that guarantee a living wage. I will also support local investments in workforce development to ensure that communities hosting these facilities share in their economic benefits. Additionally, I will support banning non-disclosure agreements between tech companies and local governments. The costs and impacts of these facilities cannot be hidden from the very communities that they affect. We must also ensure that data center developers pay their own way. Ratepayers should not face higher utility bills simply because a new data center comes to town. I support strong ratepayer protections that require data center developers, not consumers, to bear 100 percent of the infrastructure, generation, and transmission costs needed to serve their facilities. I also support strict environmental and labor standards for data center development. Developers should be required to fully disclose water usage, adhere to rigorous efficiency and wastewater standards, and avoid sites that threaten aquifers, private wells, and sensitive ecosystems. They should also be required to achieve Energy Star, LEED, or equivalent certification, and to meet fair labor standards, prevailing wages, and safe working conditions. As a state Representative who has served a district slated for significant data center growth and as a former city councilman who has seen firsthand how important it is for local communities to retain control over decisions that affect them, I have a direct stake in getting this right. I strongly support preserving local control on this issue while significantly raising the regulatory floor for new data center development statewide.
Economic incentive policy
There has been ongoing debate in both parties in Lansing about past and current administrations’ economic development policies for attracting new business to the state. What is you position on the current economic development efforts?
Last term, I had the privilege of chairing the House Economic Development and Small Business Committee, where I pursued a broader vision of what economic development in Michigan should look like. For me, economic development is not simply about offering incentives to corporations to relocate to our state. As chair, the most consistent message I heard from businesses of all sizes was that Michigan faces a significant workforce talent gap. Addressing that gap requires investing in the conditions that attract and retain talent: housing, childcare, transit, and a world-class education system. We also need to modernize our permitting processes and ensure that shovel-ready sites are available to developers and businesses looking to grow here. On incentives specifically: I believe Michigan should move away from its current incentive-heavy approach. Most states do not offer incentives at the rate Michigan does, largely because they have already built the underlying infrastructure that makes their state competitive. We should be doing the same. If we make Michigan a place where people genuinely want to live and work, we will not need to rely on financial incentives as our primary recruitment tool. That is why last term I joined my colleagues in introducing the Make It In Michigan Fund, a proposal to transform Michigan’s existing SOAR Fund from a traditional incentive vehicle into a community-based investment accelerator focused on growing people and places, not just companies, while also including proposals for expanded housing and education funding. These are the investments that will make Michigan competitive for generations, not just for the next corporate announcement.
New taxes to offset Medicaid cuts
Michigan is facing major cuts to federal funds for Medicaid, thanks to the 2025 adoption of President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. To counteract these cuts, Governor Whitmer had proposed increased taxes on tobacco and vape products and new taxes on digital advertising, which were ignored by legislators in recent budget sessions. Would you support similar tax proposals in the future? Why or why not?
I support Governor Whitmer’s revenue proposals. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is projected to cause nearly 300,000 Michigan residents to lose Medicaid coverage beginning in 2027. This is a public health crisis that demands a serious state-level response. When the federal government cuts funding for programs that millions of Michiganders depend on, states must find creative solutions to fill the gap. While I do not support increasing the tax burden on everyday working Michiganders as a matter of general principle, the proposals Governor Whitmer has put forward are targeted and reasonable. Her Medicaid stabilization package raises revenue through increases on tobacco products, new taxes on vaping and non-tobacco nicotine products, a new tax on digital advertising, and updated tax structures on sports betting and online gaming. The proposals are predicted to collectively generate an estimated $780 million annually to offset lost federal dollars. These are not broad-based taxes on working families; they are targeted levies on industries and behaviors that carry their own public health costs. Protecting access to healthcare for our most vulnerable residents, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities is not optional. I would support similar revenue proposals in the future to provide the state a viable path to Medicaid stability.
Financial disclosure
Voters approved financial disclosure for all state office holders and candidates. Are you satisfied with the regulations developed by lawmakers or are there changes you think need to be made? Explain.
Michigan only recently passed its first-ever disclosure law, and while it was a step forward, it does not go nearly far enough. We need to expand requirements to cover more appointed officials and department heads. We should broaden gift disclosure rules. Under the current law, officials are only required to disclose gifts that lobbyists are already required to disclose under state law. They are not required to disclose gifts from other sources, and would not be required to disclose the kind of secret junkets taken by former House Speaker Lee Chatfield, who is under criminal investigation for alleged financial impropriety. We also should significantly increase fines and penalties for failing to file or filing inaccurate disclosures. A law without real consequences is not much of a law at all. Some states have independent ethics commissions with subpoena power which may help with accountability. I also believe transparency itself is a form of accountability. When the public can see what financial interests officials hold and what gifts they are receiving, voters can draw their own conclusions at the ballot box. An informed public is the most powerful check on elected officials that exists.
Top three-five issues
What are the top three-five issues you want to address if you are ultimately elected?
My top three policy priorities are economic opportunity and affordability, civil rights and equal protection, and strengthening democracy and public trust because these issues directly shape people’s daily lives and Michigan’s future. Affordability - First, I will fight for economic opportunity and affordability by addressing the rising costs of housing, healthcare, childcare, and everyday life while expanding access to good-paying jobs. I also want to expand public transit options here in Michigan. Michiganders deserve more than just getting by; they deserve real opportunities to build stable, successful lives. Protecting Civil and Human Rights - Second, I will champion civil rights and equal protection because everyone deserves dignity, safety, and fairness under the law. That means protecting LGBTQ+ rights, workers’ rights, reproductive freedom, and equal opportunity so that progress reaches every community. Strengthen Democracy - Third, I believe we must strengthen democracy and restore public trust in government. At a time when too many people feel disconnected or disillusioned, we need transparent, accountable leadership that puts people over politics. That means defending free and fair elections, passing the Michigan Voting Rights Act, increasing government transparency, reducing the influence of special interests, and ensuring government delivers real results. Democracy works best when people trust that their voices matter and that elected officials are accountable to them.
Why vote for you
Why should a primary voter select you over another candidate?
Whether it’s been as a state Representative, Southfield city councilman, or as a legislative staffer for almost 10 years, I’ve been delivering results bringing resources home – like the $25 million in appropriations I brought to my district, creating jobs – like when I created the Michigan Innovation Fund to help fund small businesses, and standing up for our rights when it mattered most – like when I banned conversion therapy in Michigan, protected IVF, helped expand the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to cover the LGBTQ community and most recently introduced the Michigan Voting Rights Act in the Michigan House to help safeguard our democracy. Right now, too many people are struggling while some politicians play games. We need experienced leadership that knows how to get things done on day one. I’ve been in the room. I know how this works. I’m proven, tested, experienced and I know how to get the job done for my community.
