Democratic challenger Allen O’Shea
Manistee businessman, Democrat Allen O’Shea is challenging Republican incumbent Ray Franz to represent Michigan’s 101st District in Lansing. Franz unseated Democrat Dan Scripps two years ago in a GOP and Tea Party tidal wave election.
O’Shea and Franz are currently locked in a tight race in advance of Tuesday’s election. Michigan’s Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette stumped for Franz in Manistee on Monday. Meanwhile, Scripps has been campaigning with O’Shea. O’Shea and Franz faced off in two debates this fall: at a League of Women Voters forum in Manistee on Oct. 23 and at a debate held by the Leelanau Enterprise and Interlochen Public Radio at the Glen Arbor Township Hall on Oct. 25. Listen to that debate here.
Republican incumbent Ray Franz
The Glen Arbor Sun emailed these eight questions to the campaigns of both Franz and O’Shea. Franz opted not to respond. O’Shea’s answers are below.
Glen Arbor Sun: What are the biggest issues you’re pushing this election?
Allen O’Shea: I refer to my three priorities as my three R’s, and when I am elected to the 101st I will work to restore fairness, reinvigorate our economic base in the 101st and reprioritize the importance of a strong public education system to secure our children’s future.
Restore fairness: the Governor and the majority controlled legislature raised taxes on those that can least afford it ($1.4 billion), our middle class, working poor and seniors. This is not shared sacrifice and leveling the playing field! I will work with local leaders, businesses and schools to find a consensus as to how to rectify these wrongs and get the 101st on track for the 21st century. I will work to reinstate the EITC and childrens’ credit ($600) as well as looking at ways to revise or repeal the seniors’ tax increase.
To reinvigorate our economic base in the 101st. I can and will create jobs and I have an economic plan that I will publish after the primary and I will include policies on: outsourcing and required Michigan and US content; move back to Michigan incentives and preserve our 101st; complete the circle of product development, especially in agribusiness, from field and orchard through processing and distribution. Work to provide more incentives for distribution and food processors. Alternative Energy 101st and statewide CLEAN energy strategy. It fits with our northern Michigan communities.
Re-prioritize education. Demand an equitable statewide education strategy (not just a school aid revision). Close the gap and raise the foundation grant to $7,700. Start and fund early childhood school programs. Integrate our local colleges to our seniors and create data guideposts in every county in the 101st.
Sun: How will you create more jobs for Michigan?
O’Shea: Focus on current successful businesses and what can be done to preserve and grow them. Work with each county in the 101st District on developing detailed economic investment plans that retain jobs and attract new businesses. Complete the circle of product development, especially in agribusiness, from field and orchard through processing and distribution. Work to provide more incentives for food processors and distributors. Organize an energy efficiency project for northwest Michigan to provide jobs by focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy striving for net zero energy consumption for industry and small businesses, significantly lowering their energy costs.
Not only will this save money, it will also provide new investment in our region and protect our quality of life. Develop a clean energy strategy that includes all renewables, including natural gas. The plan will include a smart grid, research and development, manufacturing and installation. Bring in experts to work with local businesses and entrepreneurs on startup businesses. Also bring in venture capitalists and other investors to provide upfront funding for innovative, viable startups. Work with regional leaders on a job strategy to bring young people back to northwest Michigan. Reinvigorate local efforts to teach young people business and entrepreneurial skills, creating a Junior Entrepreneur program, to encourage youth to pursue their own small business. Work in Lansing to reverse cuts to public education. Shortchanging public education shortchanges our children and their future. Initiate the Education Promise program for college scholarships for small businesses
Sun: How will you support northern Michigan’s tourism industry?
O’Shea: Our Pure Michigan campaign gives the 101st a strong leg up compared to other areas of Michigan which is a bonus for us. When in Lansing, I will look for ways to increase funding and prioritize options that will work for long-term funding.
Sun: Do you support President Obama’s bailout of the auto industry? Why or why not?
O’Shea: Yes, I support the President’s bailout. It has been the most important aspect of Michigan’s recovery during this very severe recession. If it was not for the increased employment and growth of the auto industry, Michigan’s recovery would not have been nearly as successful as it has been. Most of the increased jobs in Michigan are directly or indirectly due to the automotive industry.
Sun: How should we respond to the changing energy landscape and to what extent do you prioritize climate change?
O’Shea: I am all for the Michigan 25% by 2025 program. Fracking is not acceptable as it stands. We need to put a moratorium on fracking and develop policies that will represent the 101st and preserve clean water and still look to extract our state natural grass reserves. We need our Natural Gas reserves and it should be available to all Michigan residents. There are ‘waterless fracking’ developments that should be encouraged. We import over 90% of our Michigan energy so we need a statewide energy program. My 40 years experience in all forms of energy qualifies me as the best candidate for the project. I plan to sit on the energy and technology committee.
Climate change are two of the most important words that will be uttered in the 21st century. They sum up our past mistakes and emissions, our current dilemma and our goals to overcome for our USA and world’s future. The 3,300 high temperature records in the country is staggering and the probability of something like this happening is equivalent to all the stars in our universe or 3.7×10-99 power a number considerably larger than all the stars of our universe! This is NOT a political game and the sooner folks realize that the sooner we can get to work and solve our dilemma!
Sun: Name one valuable and one humbling lesson you’ve learned during your political career.
O’Shea: I have learned in knocking over 4,000 doors that we have some very proud and hard working people in our communities. They have been damaged, many without jobs or minimal employment and yet they are the proud, honest, hard working people of the 101st District. It makes me feel so grateful and blessed to be working for them during my quest to be the new State Representative of the 101st District.
Sun: Why you have you chosen your party affiliation? And how do you see your party changing in the years to come?
O’Shea: My party affiliation has been a lifelong commitment. I have never wavered in my efforts to help the less fortunate and those in my community. Although I am a small business person and fiscally conservative in my viewpoints of balancing budgets and improving growth in the community, that doesn’t have to come on the backs of seniors and working middle class families.
Sun: What should be done to re-open Sugar Loaf ski resort? Should local government play a larger role in that endeavor?
O’Shea: I have a few thoughts on Sugarloaf or any large closures in the 101st District.
The first item on the agenda would be to have a county wide forum on the subject, bringing together owners, stakeholders, elected officials, township officials and investors to seek resolution to reopen this valuable entity. County government can play a role by bringing together stakeholders, seeking solutions and as a last resort, consider options like IFT’s or bonding that might assist private owners. First and foremost, we would need to build a consensus in Leelanau County to see if the general public has the will, desire and fortitude to make this a reality.