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I am walking to Lansing to deliver the
message that it is TIME to RESTORE BALANCE
to Michigan’s State Government.
The great strength of our American Democracy has been our system of checks
and balances combined with a vigorous two-party system.
Today Michigan suffers under the effects of a lengthy one party
domination. All three branches of our government, the Governor, both
branches of the legislature, and the Supreme Court are controlled by one
party, the Michigan Republican Party.
The combination of term limits and one-party domination has left Michigan
in the hands of powerful special interest lobbyists. Here is the effect:
LOCAL CONTROL – With total control
over Michigan’s government, the Republicans in Lansing have abandoned
their own “states rights” and local authority beliefs to take rights away
from local governments and have even seized control of school boards and
cities.
The BALANCE of power between Lansing and
Local Governments needs to be restored.
TAX BALANCE – With One party
government, we have seen the tax burden shifted. Tax cuts have been made
that benefit the well to do among us but left our schools to suffer, our
roads to crumble, and the centers of our once proud cities to lie in
ruins. We don’t need a tax hike;
we need a tax shift.
We need to BALANCE taxes,
balance who pays them,
balance who benefits from them.
WELFARE – One party government in
Lansing has cut individual welfare but increased corporate welfare.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in money and tax abatements have been
passed out to business interests in our state for such things as stadiums
for sports monopolies. It is time
to cut welfare, corporate welfare,
time to restore BALANCE to welfare.
EDUCATION
– The dominant party in Lansing has used its position of power to attack
our hard working teachers and public school systems in Michigan. Charter
schools have been created siphoning off the best students. We must
carefully examine Proposal A to determine if it can be improved while
retaining its positive features. The shortcomings must be addressed, while
keeping the good points, such as reducing the spending gap between poor
and rich districts and maintaining caps on property tax assessments. I
will support lower class size, especially in the early grades. I am a
strong supporter of public education and would fight any attempt to dilute
its present role. Our public schools need our love and support,
We need to restore BALANCE to education,
Balance between rich and poor,
Balance between public schools and charter school
MENTAL HEALTH – With one party rule,
our mental health system has been allowed to deteriorate to a dangerous
level. We need to increase mental hospital facilities by using part of the
tobacco settlement money to pay for it. We can’t allow our jails to become
depositories for the mentally ill. Our mentally ill citizens who have been
thrown out on the streets need our help, as do their families.
We need to bring our health care system
into BALANCE.
ENVIRONMENT -- I am proud of the endorsement of the Sierra
Club and other environmental groups. I earned that endorsement by leading
the fight to keep oil well drilling out of our community and preserving
Woodland Hills as an undeveloped nature park. I oppose drilling in the
Great Lakes and in the sand dunes areas. I will fight hard to contain
urban sprawl. The lobbyists who control Lansing have favored business at
the expense of our beautiful state’s environment.
We need a BALANCED approach to our
preserving our environment and development.
ROADS –
We have neglected our roads for too long. We must plan ahead for many
years so that we no longer are called the “pot hole” capitol of the United
States.
The resources for our roads have been handed out as tax cuts for the well
to do and welfare for corporations.
We need to BALANCE the distribution of our
treasury to address the needs of the working middle class of Michigan.
NURSING HOME CARE – As the Baby Boom
generation moves into retirement age, we urgently need to address the
sorry state of our nursing home care. The party in Lansing has neglected
our nursing homes.
I would support legislation requiring increased staffing, criminal
background checks of employees, air conditioning of the homes and family
councils.
We need to BALANCE the needs of the care for our aged citizens now.
COOPERATION – With one party control,
the Republican party has no need for accommodating all opinions. allowing
the extremists to have their way with our state and its treasury. I have a
proven record as Mayor of Farmington Hills, of respecting people of all
parties, nationalities, and faiths. How else could I have been elected by
a traditionally Republican electorate?
We need BALANCE of opinions, of young and old, working class and business,
of nationalities and ethnicities to represent the great and diverse people
that comprise our great state. It is time for a
change,
time to restore two party democracy to Michigan,
time to restore BALANCE.
Remember of August 6 and November 5, 2002
Vote for
ALDO VAGNOZZI
DEMOCRAT
FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE
37TH DISTRICT
Farmington and Farmington Hills
248-553-0436, 248-884-0551, 248-474-3655
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