October 7, 2008
Making their pitches
Incumbent state representatives touted their records and their opponents argued for sweeping changes during a candidate forum Monday night that covered topics as diverse as the state's economy, smoking bans and an expansion of the bottle deposit bill.
State Rep. Kate Ebli, D- Monroe, fielded questions along with Republican Jeanmarie Dahm and John Eleniewski of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, who want her 56th District seat. State Rep. Kathy Angerer, D-Dundee, sparred with Frank Moynihan, Republican challenger for the 55th House seat.
About 70 people attended the 90-minute forum at Monroe County Community College's Meyer Theater, moderated by Bobb Vergiels, a Monroe Public Schools employee and public address announcer for the Detroit Tigers and various other sports teams.
Answering questions that originated from the audience and The Monroe Evening News staff, the candidates sometimes answered succinctly, sometimes obtusely and sometimes took shots at one another.
Mr. Moynihan fired the first volley with an opening statement that accused Rep. Ebli, Rep. Angerer and Gov. Jennifer Granholm of being part of a party "that's taking us down the wrong road in Michigan. We've been losing jobs, we've been losing people and our taxes are going up tremendously and change has got to come," he said. "We must change course 180 degrees.
"We cannot continue to chase business out of Michigan. We cannot continue to chase wage-earners out of Michigan. We cannot continue to put special interests above the public weal."
Rep. Angerer said she's made efforts to be responsive to constituents and worked to retain jobs in Michigan, including at the Holcim (US) plant in Dundee.
Ms. Dahm said she shares the frustration of many voters with government. "We are moving in the wrong direction," she said, adding that if voters want change, "change does not come by voting for the same old people who are in office now."
Rep. Ebli said "my No. 1 priority as a state representative is to create good-paying jobs here in Monroe County."
But she added she has been in Lansing and "seen how the system is truly broken."
Mr. Eleniewski, who's affiliated with the Michigan arm of the Constitution Party, said Rep. Ebli's seat was ranked as fourth in vulnerability in Michigan "and, I think, for good reason." He said she voted to raise taxes and has done little to improve the economy. "I'm fearful of losing my job right now because the economy is so bad," said the fuel wholesaler and father of five.
Candidates sometimes were asked questions directed to them as a group and some aimed at them individually.
On bottle bill expansion
Ms. Angerer: We need to better enforce the current bottle bill before expanding it.
Mr. Moynihan: The issue is one that needs to be studied with an eye toward balancing aesthetics with economics.
Ms. Dahm said efforts should be made to encourage voluntary recycling.
Mr. Eleniewski said such measures can bankrupt a business. "We need to teach our kids by example and we don't need a law to do that."
Ms. Ebli said expanding the bottle deposit bill "would not be a good economic strategy at this time."
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Full article at: http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081007/NEWS01/110079994
