Planet Detroit Candidate Survey
What are the three most pressing environmental issues facing the communities you seek to serve? Please rank them in order of priority and briefly explain why you chose each.
Homeownership (Homeownership is a cornerstone of long-term financial stability and security, primarily because it builds wealth through property appreciation and equity paydown and it gives happiness), Healthcare (Healthcare is crucial because it saves lives, prevents illnesses, and dramatically improves the overall quality of life), Jobs (Having a job is important because it provides the financial stability required for basic needs and future planning for families).
Michigan law requires utilities to reach 100% clean energy by 2040. If elected, would you support maintaining this law, or would you support revising or repealing it?
Maintain the current law and timeline
Explanation for Question 2 (1-2 sentences)
I support maintaining the 2040 clean energy law to ensure long-term rate stability, create green jobs, and mitigate the severe economic risks of climate change.
More than two dozen Michigan communities are considering or have approved large-scale data center developments. What role should state government play in overseeing data center development, and what guardrails should the state legislature enact?
To protect communities, the Michigan state government should establish centralized permitting, mandate strict grid and water use standards, and enforce noise and environmental limits. Lawmakers are actively weighing these guardrails to balance massive utility demands with local quality-of-life concerns.
PFAS contamination has been detected across Michigan. What is the single most important step the officeholder in this position should take on PFAS in the next term?
The single most important step the officeholder should take is to revamp and fully enforce strict, permanent "Polluter Pays" laws. By establishing joint and several liability, the state can force the corporations responsible for the 11,000+ potential sites to fund remediation, taking the financial burden off local municipalities and waiting communities
Do you support requiring Michigan regulators to assess cumulative environmental and health impacts on overburdened communities before approving new permits for polluting facilities?
Yes
Explanation for Question 5 (Optional 1-2 sentences)
Assessing cumulative environmental and health impacts before approving polluting facilities is a key goal for environmental justice advocates in Michigan.
Should elected officials play a greater role in holding utility companies accountable for rate hikes and rising energy costs?
Whether elected officials should play a greater role in utility accountability is a subject of significant debate in Michigan, driven by relentless rate hike requests and worsening affordability. Stakeholders and lawmakers are fiercely divided on the best approach to balance utility reliability with consumer financial protection
What is your position on Line 5?
Line 5's future is a complex balancing act between energy security and environmental protection in the Great Lakes. My position, the debate centers on shutting down the 1953-era pipeline to eliminate spill risks, versus building a proposed \(0.5\) billion underground utility tunnel to secure and modernize the crossing.
Would you support legislation to cap water bills for low-income Michiganders and add certain shut-off protections?
Yes, implementing a statewide framework for water affordability is a critical measure to protect vulnerable Michigan families. The push for legislation is driven by a stark reality: nearly 1 in 10 Michigan households face water affordability issues, forcing families to choose between clean water, food, and medication.
Do you support or oppose legislation to hold polluters accountable for cleanup costs?
Support
Please explain your position on polluter accountability.
Corporations (polluters), rather than taxpayers, should bear the cost of cleaning up toxic land and water.