Primary candidates face off

ESCANABA - The Michigan House of Representatives 108th District candidate forum was held at the Escanaba City Hall Wednesday night as a precede to the Aug. 5 election.

The four Democratic candidates: Janis Burgess, a private practice attorney from Menominee; Dennis Baldinelli, director of the Dickinson County Brownfield Board from Kingsford; Judy Nerat, a small business owner in Wallace; and David Polzin, a skilled laborer and union member from Menominee.

Mike Falcon of Gladstone is the lone Republican candidate. He attended the forum but was not asked to participate since he has no opposition in the primary election.

The candidates are vying for the seat currently held by Rep. Tom Casperson of Escanaba.

Candidates responded to issues such as the Michigan Merit Curriculum, the continuation of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the improvement of job development in the Central Upper Peninsula.

Concerning the Michigan Merit Curriculum, both Nerat and Burgess cited the fact the new curriculum was unfunded and created a burden of expense on schools as a negative. They agreed its original intent - improving the quality of education in schools - was positive.

Baldinelli said the curriculum caused some educators to "teach to the test" and abandoned vocational education which creates stable job opportunities.

"Vocational education should be emphasized," he said. "It's the hands-on jobs that won't be outsourced."

Polzin also put major emphasis on the issue of keeping vocational education in the curriculum.

All the candidates were divided on the issue of the MDEQ. They all agreed the agency is necessary, but should be streamlined in terms of its enforcement.

"Protecting our resources is primary," said Burgess. "Strong oversight is necessary. The department does have a strong arm attitude and the enforcement personnel needs to understand they are public servants"

David Polzin said the MDEQ enforcement personnel needed to work more efficiently with manufacturers.

"It's a watchdog, but it needs to work with manufacturers to keep jobs," he said.

Concerning the encouragement of job development, Burgess said the key is to utilize the Upper Peninsula's natural sources of biomass and farmland to create jobs in alternative fuel production.

"We need to continue to develop programs to cultivate resources," she said. "I'm talking about biomass, and alternative fuels. We also have a strong agriculture We need to work on the resources we do have."

Candidates Dennis Baldinelli and David Polzin both felt nurturing vocational education in schools would help create and increase skilled labor jobs. In his opening statement, Baldinelli also named improving air service in the Upper Peninsula as a way to develop the economy.

Nerat said a partnership between private investors, the community and legislature was necessary to produce jobs.

"We need to help businesses, perhaps by giving them tax rebates to encourage them to produce good-paying jobs," she said.

In their closing statements the candidates reiterated what issues they felt were most important.

Baldinelli said road repair, the presence of Brownfield boards, health care, and economic development were high on his list of priorities.

Burgess emphasized maintaining the high quality of life in the Upper Peninsula.

"The 108th District is a particular gem," said Burgess. "We are the best of Michigan.""

Nerat said it was important to start with legislation in order to move ahead and make improvements.

Polzin said he is not a politician by nature, but a working man, and said he will keep people aware of what he was doing in Lansing.