Glen Arbor Sun interview: Tom Stobie, challenging for Michigan 101st House

From staff reports

Following is the Glen Arbor Sun‘s interview (vie email) with Democrat Tom Stobie, a former teacher and football coach at Frankfort High School, who is running against incumbent Ray Franz to represent Michigan’s 101st district (Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee and Mason counties) in Lansing. Franz has held the seat for two terms, since riding the Tea Party wave in 2010. Franz’s campaign chose not to answer our questions.

Our coverage of Franz during his two-terms in office has included stories about his support for drilling for oil under the Great Lakes, his effort to privatize food service for school cafeterias, his move to cut funding for Pure Michigan, which has enabled the local tourism industry, his opposition to wind energy and denial of climate change, and his opposition to teachers’ unions.

Sun: What do you view as the core functions, and key responsibilities, of the position of State Representative? How has incumbent Ray Franz done during his four years representing Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee and Mason counties in Lansing?

Stobie: More than anything else, an elected representative should always put the needs of all their constituents first. In Northwest Michigan, we value our children, seniors, veterans, farmers, tourism, small businesses, and environment. That’s why many of us are troubled by the job Rep. Ray Franz has done in Lansing. Time after time, he has put the desires of downstate special interests ahead of families like yours and mine. For instance, he supported the restructuring of Michigan’s tax code, which has resulted in families and seniors paying 32 percent more in taxes, while big corporations in Southeast Michigan are paying 83 percent less, according to the House Fiscal Agency. He voted to strip our schools of $1 billion over the past three years, making it much harder for our kids to get the kind of education they need to prepare for the best colleges and careers of the future. He’s even supported legislation that imperils our sand dunes, which attract millions of visitors and sustain hundreds of businesses that employ thousands of people. Ray Franz is out of touch with the people of Northern Michigan, and we deserve someone who will be on our side.

Sun: What will you do to help businesses create jobs in this district?

Stobie: We should give everyone in Northwest Michigan who is willing to work hard the opportunity to earn the American Dream. Our economy thrives when we have a strong middle-class. We should cut taxes for the middle class by restoring the $600 per child tax deduction, restoring the Homestead Property Tax Credit for seniors and eliminating the Snyder-Franz Retirement Tax. Simply put: I oppose Ray Franz’ tax increases and will fight to repeal them.

Unfortunately, in Northwest Michigan, unemployment is far too high and good-paying jobs are too hard to find. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in our area are almost 50 percent higher than statewide and we all know Michigan unemployment itself is too high. Too often Lansing has focused on giving breaks to downstate big businesses rather than doing the hard work to support our small businesses. My wife and I run a small business — a vacation cottage rental firm — so we know about meeting payrolls, balancing budgets, and dealing with government regulations. Now, the state can’t create jobs, but it can create an environment where local businesses can create jobs and put our neighbors back to work. We should work to make it easier for small businesses to get access to loans, credit, and capital, while eliminating unnecessary regulations that hold these businesses back. We need a first-class infrastructure system. Too many of our roads in Northwest Michigan are in poor condition and we simply cannot attract and keep businesses if we cannot offer them cost-effective ways to bring products to market. We need to support our small town downtowns with innovative solutions that are already working in places like Ludington, Manistee and Frankfort. In addition, when the state offers contracts to businesses, we should give local, Michigan companies the first opportunity to do the work. We should be supporting Michigan companies that employ Michigan workers, and not sending taxpayer dollars to out-of-state companies, or corporations on the other side of the globe. We should do everything we can to keep Northwest Michigan money in Northwest Michigan. Finally, we must find creative ways to make sure that young people can get the support they need to buy their own family farms so we can sustain our vibrant agricultural heritage which is a key part of our economy. If we create the conditions where businesses need to create jobs we will be able to thrive economically and be a place where our young adults want to stay and raise their families.

Sun: Our area relies heavily on tourism to support the local economy and jobs. What will you do to support tourism? Do you support funding for the Pure Michigan campaign?

Stobie: We are blessed to live in the most beautiful place in America. Our lakes, beaches, dunes, forests, rivers and wetlands are invaluable resources that not only give us plentiful recreation opportunities, but that also sustain businesses that cater to tourists. We all know tourism – be it summers at the lakes, fall color and harvest visits in autumn, hunting and fishing year-round, or winter sports — is the life-blood of our economy. High tourist season is when our businesses make their profits and tourism is the basis of so many jobs. That’s why so many of us were shocked when Ray Franz voted against fully funding the Pure Michigan campaign in 2011 and then voted not to fund it at all earlier this year. I’ve talked with dozens of business owners, from a restaurateur in Northport, to a charter boat captain in Onekama, to a hotel owner in Manistee, to an art gallery owner in Ludington, and they all told me how important Pure Michigan is to bringing tourists and their money to their businesses. Not only do they mention in-state tourists and visitors from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, but also those from across America and around the world (from Japanese golfers to European winery visitors). Research shows for each dollar spent on Pure Michigan, over $6 dollars are generated in state tax revenue and even more dollars to local businesses. I will do everything I can to promote tourism and fully fund Pure Michigan. I’ll also make sure we have the roads, parks and infrastructure that insures visitors have a good time in Northwest Michigan so they return again and again. Of course, we must preserve our natural beauty so that it will go on creating jobs and recreation opportunities for us and future generations.

Sun: Under Governor Rick Snyder, Michigan seems to be radically changing its approach to public education? Are we on the right or wrong track? Do you support funding for public schools, charter schools or somewhere in between? Explain.

Stobie: Our schools are the focal point of our communities. As a lifelong educator and recent superintendent of the Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools, I’ve always put our kids and their education first. Education has been my life’s calling because I care about all our children and understand that Michigan needs good citizens with the skills to be successful in the economy. But good schools do so much more. A good school is a community asset that attracts investment and families, maintains property values, and keeps our communities stable.

Lansing has done a great disservice to our kids by taking $1 billion out of our kids’ classrooms. Superintendents and school board members from all corners of Northwest Michigan have told me how they have been forced to cut important programs and lay-off teachers and support staff. As a result, our kids are crowded into classrooms that often don’t have even the most basic school supplies, like textbooks and technology. In schools throughout Northwest Michigan, vital programs like music, art, reading support, vocational education, home economics and athletics are being eliminated due to Snyder’s and Franz’ education cuts. We can’t shortchange our kids like that and expect them to get the high-quality education they deserve. We also must hold all schools accountable to the same standards of accountability and transparency. Lansing politicians, including Ray Franz, have resisted efforts to make charter schools and for-profit cyber-schools play by the same rules as our community schools and demonstrate how they are using taxpayer dollars to teach our kids, rather than line corporate bank accounts.

Our kids deserve the very best, but unfortunately, they’ve not been given that in recent years. I’ve spent 40 years in schools so I know what works in education: caring, talented and well-trained teachers, using proven teaching techniques and technologies in classrooms with a reasonable number of students so they can give each child the attention they need to succeed. If we focus on that and parent engagement, we’ll be on the right track for our students and our future.

Sun: Do you support marriage equality (gay marriage rights) in Michigan? Why or why not?

Stobie: There have been a number of court cases around the country, including here in Michigan, that are changing the legal landscape surrounding this issue. I believe we should allow the court cases to play out, and I will respect the courts’ decisions. My values are that we should treat every human with dignity. I believe Americans are against discrimination.

Sun: Should medical marijuana be legal in Michigan? Why or why not?

Stobie: Voters issued a decision on this matter in 2008, and I believe the state legislature should respect the will of the people.

Sun: Do you support Gov. Snyder’s emergency management law, or do you stand more with local municipalities to make their own decisions?

Stobie: Two years ago, by rejecting Proposal 1, voters told the governor and lawmakers that they didn’t like the emergency manager law. But rather than respect the voice of the people, legislators, like Ray Franz, and the governor rushed through a nearly identical law. I believe there is room for some form of emergency management if a city fails to balance their budgets, but we should be careful to ensure that citizens’ right to elected representation and to hold their political leaders accountable are safeguarded. In general, when I think about government, I think it works best when we have local control. I’m against Lansing micro-managing our affairs, as I’ve seen it too often in the education arena.

Sun: Should the minimum wage be raised? If so, how high? Based on your understanding of household economics, what’s an appropriate living wage that allows a citizen to work, own a home and raise a family in your district?

Stobie: I am pleased with the recent bipartisan effort that resulted in an eventual 25 percent increase to the state’s minimum wage. People who put in an honest day’s work have earned an honest day’s pay. When families have economic security, they can spend money in local shops and restaurants, which creates more jobs and improves the economy for all of us. Obviously, I didn’t think Ray Franz represented hard-working families when he voted against raising of the minimum wage to a prudent level.

Sun: What can be done to enable affordable housing in the district?

Stobie: Housing is an important issue, because the people who work in our local businesses need to be able to afford to live here. I’ve talked with many families who are concerned about their ability to buy a home and live the American Dream. As summer vacationers and retirees continue to learn about our wonderful communities, they will keep moving here and driving up home prices. We have to make sure middle-class families can afford a home in their community given those market pressures. I would welcome discussions with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, local developers, housing advocates, local governments, and other stakeholders to find workable solutions that will help local families afford to live, work and raise a family here in Northwest Michigan.

Sun: Should public transportation or alternative commute options be enhanced or expanded in the district?

Stobie: I’ve been a board member of the Benzie Bus and I am a supporter of public transit because I know it works for people. Public transportation gets people to their jobs, their doctors, local stores, and their places of worship. For example, the Benzie Bus route into Traverse City allows many people the opportunity to live in Benzie County because they know they can get to jobs there from here. I’ve heard from seniors who decided to retire to communities in Northwest Michigan because they knew they could use dial-a-ride and not be trapped in their homes when they no longer could drive a car. I look forward to working with everyone who wants to find transportation solutions that will move our communities forward.

Sun: What is your awareness of, and what do you think about, the politics of water quality and water rights as the state and country grapple with the growing awareness of these issues?

Stobie: Our water is a valuable commodity that helps create jobs, attract tourists and improves our quality of life. Business opportunities have been created for hundreds of local businesses because of our lakes, rivers, wetlands and ground water, which is good for our local communities.

Sun: How about fracking and the expansion of natural resource extractions? What policies do you support? A laissez fair approach, state regulation, or an outright moratorium?

When oil and natural gas companies use hydraulic fracturing, they must prove that they are doing so in a way that is safe for people who live and work near the fracking site and does not harm the environment. We need common-sense safeguards that protect our groundwater and inform our communities about the chemicals that are being injected underground. I support a package of bills that have recently been introduced which would do just mandate safety and transparency. Fracking companies must operate responsibly, or they shouldn’t be allowed to frack in Michigan.

Sun: Anything more you’d like to add?

Stobie: Allow me to address a few additional issues. There is no greater proof of the failure of Lansing politicians than our roads. All those potholes speak volumes about the ineptitude of politicians in the legislature. Michigan’s crumbling roads and bridges are an embarrassment. According to the State of Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council, 34% of the roads in the 101st district are in poor condition (the worst rating possible). Poor roads cost Michigan motorists $2.5 billion a year in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs. Among the ways to start fixing our roads are fighting to get more of our tax dollars back from Washington to end our status as a donor state and dramatically improving our oversight of road construction contractors. We need a representative who will fight to repair and replace our local roads in Northwest Michigan, not see our money spent on yet another highway widening in Detroit.

As a Navy veteran, I’m embarrassed that Michigan treats my 700,000 fellow veterans so poorly. Michigan ranks last among all 50 states in per capita spending for veterans. We must do everything we can to make sure that those that put their lives on the line for our country and our freedoms get the benefits they earned.

Families who live in Northwest Michigan deserve a representative who will take their priorities and concerns to the state Capitol. You deserve a leader who puts you first, not the wants of big downstate corporations and special interests. I’m not a career politician. I’m just a citizen who retired from his profession but still feels he can help his community. I have no grand ambitions for higher offices. If elected, I’ll serve in the State House and then retire (again). I won’t be beholden to special interests and won’t toe the line for party bosses. Should you elect me, I promise I will work hard to be your voice in our state Capitol, and put you, your family, and Northwest Michigan first.