VOTER GUIDE - League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund Michigan House District 2 November 4, 2014 General Election 2 Candidates for ONE 2-year term Duties: The Michigan House of Representatives shares responsibility with the Michigan Senate to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws. Qualifications: State Representatives may serve a maximum of three full terms. They must be at least 21 years of age and a registered voter in their district. There are 110 State House districts which are re-apportioned after each census. Questions: (625 character limit for each) 1. Priorities: What are your top three state legislative priorities? Why did you select them? 2. Education: The test scores of Michigan students, once among the highest in the country, have dropped, making Michigan one of the lowest achieving states. What measures would you support to improve educational results? 3. Economy: What should the state government do to strengthen the state's economy, reduce unemployment, and address the widening income gap? ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Daniel J Lamar, Republican Did Not Respond in Time for Inclusion Alberta Tinsley Talabi, Democrat Campaign Website: Pending Occupation / Current Position: Community Program Executive and Founder of Mack Alive, Inc/ State Representative - District 2. Education: Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Social Work - Eastern Michigan University - Ypsilanti, MI Fellowships at Washington State university in Boston Ma, and Warden School in Philadelphia PA. Qualifications / Experience: I have committed by professional career to serving my community. I currently serve in the MI House of Representatives-District 2. and have also served as a City Council Member and a Wayne County Commissioner. I founded the Coalition Against Billboard Advertising of Alcohol and Tobacco - and the Partnership for a Drug Free Detroit - Detroit, MI. Questions: 1. 1. Creating Jobs. 2. Quality public education 3. Strong/safe communities - First, when people are working they are able to provide for their families as well as help build strong local economies. We must create employment opportunities for all, not a select few. Second, quality public education has the second most direct impact (families first) on the ability of our children to learn and succeed. Every child must have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Finally stable/safe communities where home ownership is protected and blight is eliminated will bring people and new ideas/energy to Michigan. 2. Schools need additional funding that focuses on the learning environment. Pre-school education must be expanded so that at-risk parents will have resources to help prepare their child to learn. Teachers' education/preparation and on-going professional development must be a state priority. We must adopt standards that apply to administrators as well as teachers to ensure that students are learning using the most advanced and most effective methodologies available. Student achievement must be measured in a way that reflects true learning/educational growth and in real-time. Website: www.lwvmi.org E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (517) 484-5383 Copyright - League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund 2014 Page 1 Michigan House District 2 - General Election 2014 (Continued) 3. State economic development must work more closely with local governments to better understand and incorporate local employment opportunities. We must continue to diversify our economy through increased investment funding for new entrepreneurs. Current Michigan employers should receive incentives for re-training existing employees to new workplace technologies. We must protect the right to collective bargaining. Finally we must have quality public education that better aligns learning with not only post-secondary education but also current and future job opportunities and market skills. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan national organization whose purpose is to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League never supports or opposes any candidate or political party. Candidate responses are included as submitted and have not been edited except in cases where the replies have exceeded the stated word limitations. Spelling and Grammar were not corrected. The inclusion of candidates’ statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and in no way is to be construed as an endorsement by the League of Women Voters which takes no responsibility for any views or facts stated by the candidates. Website: www.lwvmi.org E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (517) 484-5383 // Copyright - League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund 2014 Page 2