Local State Senate Candidate on the Stump

BY NANCY ANGELLOTTI STAFF WRITER
HADLEY TWP. — It’s only March, but we’re well on the path to the August and November elections. In addition to millage issues, voters are going to be hearing more and more from candidates.

Tuesday night, Todd Courser, Republican candidate for State Senate 25th District, addressed residents in Hadley Township during their board meeting and took questions. Courser is a life-long Lapeer County resident who is both an accountant and an attorney with offices in Lapeer.

Courser started out by discussing the impact of the Michigan Business Tax. “It’s essentially the worst business tax in the country,” he said. He said the state must correct the cost of doing business.

He also said that government needs to be cut back at the state level. “Our state is one of the worst states at getting dollars to the classroom,” Courser said. “It gets eaten up by bureaucracy well before it gets to the teachers or the classroom.”

When a resident asked Courser to give some specific examples of areas where he would seek cutbacks, Courser offered up three ideas.

First, even though he acknowledged it was a “holy grail,” Courser said he would look at cutbacks in education costs by providing free market opportunities. He said he envisioned actually being able to provide better education in the process, too.

The Department of Corrections was another area where Courser would look to free up dollars.

Finally, Courser said he would consider welfare for cutbacks. With one in six on public assistance in the state, Courser said, “It’s just not sustainable.”

Courser also confirmed he supported a part-time legislature, noting, “They’re already part-time.” He said that most states do not have a permanent legislature.

Courser met with residents following the meeting.

Lauren Hager and Phil Pavlov have also made appearances on the stump in recent months. They, too, are Republican candidates for the office being vacated by term-limited Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac.

Democrats who have also filed statements of organization to run for the spot include Jason Davis and Jason Blauet.

Several of the candidates have set up websites which include information about their positions on issues.