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Where I Stand on the Issues |
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Talking with you - Working for you |
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Isabella County Commission District 4
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Bill Dailey
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Growth Isabella County has fared moderately well given the state’s economy, and we should be thankful for that. Students are applying to CMU in record numbers, and we have a small oil industry that benefits from the current increase in crude prices. Casino revenues are off some, however. We should be doing what we can to attract small business, especially smart businesses and light manufacturing to the area. One can’t have a healthy community without a healthy economy to support it. Township Independence Recently, a bill has come forward in the state legislature that would move authority for tax collection and elections from the townships to the counties. Theoretically, revenue that the state shares with the townships would be held by the state with some going to the extra expenses now laid upon the counties. I am not in favor of removing local control from the people immediately affected. Unless it can be demonstrated that the people would be better served by consolidation through the counties, we should work on improving and adapting the current system rather than abandoning it. Intergovernmental Cooperation I am in favor of, and will work for, reasonable dialogue among the city, the townships and the county. I will try to play a mediator role and keep lines of communication open as well as looking for problem solving opportunities. Relations with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Just as I will work to enhance dialogue among governments in the area, I will work to do the same between the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and its sister governments in the county. I am not opposed to the designation of the tribal lands in Isabella County as “Indian Country.” Even the Isabella County website claims we are the home of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. At that level, I wouldn’t be opposing the current law suit pending in the courts. I think any reasonable person, however, would need to know the ramifications of such a designation on matters like legal jurisdiction and public safety before giving clearer support or not for the suit. One would be remiss if one were not concerned that a complicated system of legal jurisdiction might leave a citizen unprotected where legal authorities needed to intervene in one situation or another, for example. The Environment I celebrated the first Earth Day and have always thought it is important to be a good steward of the environment. I was awarded the first Recycler of the Year award in Isabella County for getting my neighborhood to recycle. I was part of the Master Composter program. I designed a composting facility while earning a Chemical Engineering degree. I worked in the solar energy industry in Colorado in the late 70s and early 80s. I would support efforts to make recycling easier for people, such as satellite collection sites outside of the city. Student housing in Union Township would seem an excellent place to start. I would favor a county wide effort to examine how we could conserve energy. It would be extremely exciting to investigate the possibility for developing wind power in the county. As far as the proposed new coal plants in Michigan, I am at this time opposed. In the modern era, the electricity generated would simply be sold to the highest bidder, not necessarily reserved for Michigan users. Also, coal, which is an abundant American resource, is still a major source of greenhouse gas and pollution under present technologies. The Commission on Aging I support the Commission on Aging and the fact that it is financed due to a millage put to the voters. It is a wonderful facility and serves a very deserving community in many capacities. It provides an excellent meeting place for many different public, social service, and nonprofit groups. The active senior support system which derives from the commission has also initiated a number of senior volunteer spinoffs such as seniors helping other seniors with taxes. Many of these volunteers would not be so active were it not for the Commission on Aging. Farmland Preservation I think it is exciting that we have a program that can, possibly, help preserve agricultural lands and benefit the farmers that would have otherwise sold the land. As the county has not actually made an agreement with a farming family that would preserve the land, I am not sure this program can do what is hoped. We may have to reconsider the guidelines and see if we can make some adjustments that will make for packages that the county and the farming community can agree to. Diversity As the saying goes, “we are all in this together.” America is supposed to be the land of equality. Mistrust, bias, prejudice, recrimination, blame and the like end up hurting us all. Whatever we can do to improve understanding, interaction, and respect among the races, religions, and cultures that occupy this land would meet with my support and approval. |
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Paid for by the Committee to Elect Bill Dailey, 3215 N Concourse Dr, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, 989-772-0008 billdailey4isabella@hotmail.com |
