The right choices.Issue: Three vacancies on the Detroit City Council give the business community a chance to help shape the city's future. Impact: The Detroit Regional Chamber PAC endorses three incumbents and five challengers. After surveying approximately 20 candidates for Detroit City Council, the Detroit Regional Chamber Political Action Committee (PAC) has endorsed eight candidates -- three incumbents and five challengers (see box). The Chamber PAC began the process by developing specific criteria along with a questionnaire for candidates to complete to gauge their position on specific issues of importance to the business community. After reviewing the responses, the PAC selected 18 candidates for personal interviews, including the six incumbents seeking re-election. Several religious, civic and community organizations as well as the Chamber's diversity partners (American Arab Chamber of Commerce, Booker T. Washington Business Association, Hispanic Business Hispanic Business, Inc. is a media company based in Santa Barbara, California, in the United States of America. Founded by Jesús Chavarría in 1979, Hispanic Business, Inc. publishes information for and about Hispanic professionals and entrepreneurs. Alliance and National Association of Women Business Owners The National Association of Women's Business Owners (NAWBO) is an organization in the United States founded in 1975 that has the purpose of networking the approximately 10. ), were invited to participate in the interview process. Although many of these groups are precluded by law from directly endorsing candidates, they clearly have a significant vested interest Vested Interest A financial or personal stake one entity has in an asset, security, or transaction. Notes: For example, if you have a mortgage, your bank has a vested interest on the sale of your house. See also: Right in how the city is governed. The 18 candidates were asked to share their opinions on issues such as the current "school reform" governance structure, the "living wage" ordinance, regional transportation initiatives, binding arbitration for all city employees and privatization privatization: see nationalization. privatization Transfer of government services or assets to the private sector. State-owned assets may be sold to private owners, or statutory restrictions on competition between privately and publicly owned , among others. In the PAC's opinion, each of the eight endorsed candidates: * Supports efforts to reduce and/or eliminate unnecessary red tape in municipal government. * Demonstrates a willingness to advocate on behalf of small business interests. * Possesses a thorough knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of the office. Jeffrey Hunt is senior director, Regional Public Policy, of the Detroit Regional Chamber. For more information on the Chamber PAC's endorsement, call (313) 596-0482 or e-mail: jhunt@detroitchamber.com. Chamber PAC's picks (I) = Incumbent Hansen Clarke Hansen Clarke (born March 2, 1957) is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He is a Democratic member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 1st District since 2003. -- Serving second term in the Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower body of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 Representatives, each of whom is elected from districts having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the U.S. Census. ; former associate Wayne County Wayne County is the name of sixteen counties in the United States of America, some named for the American Revolutionary War general Anthony Wayne:
Sheila M. Cockrel (I) -- Former administrator with the Wayne County Community Mental Health Board; supports the Chamber on a number of key issues. Robert Davis Robert Davis can refer to:
Dennis Wayne Archer (born January 1, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan) is a former president of the American Bar Association and former Mayor of Detroit. and former director of human resources, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG SEMCOG Southeast Michigan Council of Governments ). Godfrey Dullard -- Attorney in private practice since 1982; former foreign service officer, U.S. State Department. Kay Everett (I) -- Former Detroit School Board member; is responsive to issues of importance to the business community. Veronica Massey -- Former chief deputy Wayne County Clerk and former member of the Wayne County Ethics Board. Felix Sharpe -- Vice president of marketing, Strategic Staffing Solutions Inc. and former legislative assistant to the mayor. Alberta Tinsley-Talabi (I) -- Former Wayne County Commissioner; has demonstrated willingness to be accessible and listen to Chamber positions. The top 18 vote-getters in the Sept. 11 primary will compete for nine seats in the Nov. 6 general election. |
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