State Rep. candidates participate in a forum at the Dearborn Administrative Center – Photo by The AANews.

DEARBORN — In the midst of a shifting political culture around Arab Americans that has placed Dearborn on the national stage, residents have an increased personal stake in both the portrait and legislative affairs of their city.

A new legislator will soon occupy the seat of State Rep. George Darany (D- Dearborn) to represent Dearbornites’ concerns in Lansing. Another race is underway to replace Judge William Hultgren in the 19th Court District. In the courtroom, this judge will be one of three who will determine whether a defendant will go free or serve time in jail.

Dearbornites will help set the city’s course as they head to the polls on August 2. 

On Tuesday, candidates running for both positions sat on separate taped panels at the Dearborn Administrative Center to present their positions on a number of issues. The event was moderated by Paula Bowman of the League of Women’s Voters, an organization that encourages voter participation and which organized the forum. Community members submitted questions.

Five of the nine candidates running for Darany’s 15th District seat participated: Democrats Brian Stone, Roxanne McDonald, Abdullah Hammoud and Jacklin Zeidan and Republican Paul Sophiea.

Stone, a Navy veteran and columnist for the Huffington Post, said that following his return to Michigan after his service and enrollment in a university, he discovered that veterans were being charged out-of-state tuition. Within six months, he organized efforts that helped introduce a proposed amendment to the state Constitution requiring every major Michigan university to charge in-state tuition for veterans.

He said that experience makes him, “the only candidate to push a state-wide agenda.”

Sophiea, a former member of the Michigan Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs, said as a Dearborn businessman for more than three decades, he is running because of his experience and to bring the city to its full potential.

He said he would focus on economic growth, educational opportunity and public safety.

McDonald, who is serving the last year of a five-year term on the Dearborn Board of Education, said she has overseen budgets of more than $250 million. She said that fiscal exposure and a more than 20 year dedication to improving Dearborn communities is more than a badge of qualification; it’s a way of life. 

Hammoud, a health advisor for the Henry Ford Health System, said he is the only candidate born and raised in Dearborn and that he’s built his campaign around issues that residents care about: public education, healthcare, the environment, economy, roads and veterans.

Zeidan, a local business owner and long-time community liaison for the Dearborn Public Schools, said she is the only candidate who has entrenched herself in the community for two decades and understands its culture and needs.

She said her experience in grassroots activism and having a pulse on the community’s inner workings would give her a unique perspective if she represented Dearborn in Lansing.

Infrastructure

Much of Michigan’s infrastructure has been condemned as having been poorly funded for decades. Deteriorating roads and lead-contaminated pipes have earned the state a reputation among many visitors as having some of the most dangerous waters to drink and the worst roads to drive on.

Stone said his concern for Dearborn’s roads and outdated water pipes has earned him the endorsement of Iron Workers Local 25, a labor union that does much of the infrastructure work. He said the key to handling the infrastructure crisis is devising a specific policy agenda that would raise construction standards, ensure contractor accountability and identify
and replace lead-contaminated pipes.

He added that lowering the commercial weight limit for large vehicles and trucks would help better preserve roads. Stone said a tax on diesel, not gas, would guarantee fairness for commuters.

Fiscally conservative Sophiea said Dearborn residents are getting a bad deal, along with terrible roads. He said funds raised to maintain roads are evenly spread throughout all 83 counties, while 40 percent of cars are driven in Metro Detroit. Instead of a 40 percent return on investment, Sophiea said the region earns back close to 15 cents on the dollar. He advocated for a more equitable long-term plan.

Hammoud said funds allocated for infrastructure are not allocated efficiently. One of the major themes of his campaign is the implementation of a reliable public transit system, which he said would lessen road damage inflicted by heavy traffic.

Most candidates revealed an interest in environmental protection. Both McDonald and Hammoud strictly opposed fracking, a technique used to recover natural gases by drilling into the earth and using a high pressure water mixture. Fracking is controversial because of its possible negative health effects.

Sophiea and Stone suggested, however, that fracking could be useful to municipalities that opt to use it. 

Zeidan acknowledged she is unfamiliar with fracking, but is passionate about environmental issues.

Education

The state’s current education budget has been regarded as inefficient in allocating appropriate resources to school districts.

To propel efforts to increase and equalize funding for K-12 schools, Zeidan, who has worked in the Dearborn School District for eight years, said a law that passed in the 90’s, Proposal A, led to an unfair distribution of schools funds from Lansing.

“We need to make sure education doesn’t turn into a for-profit industry,” Zeidan said of her stance on education.

Stone said Proposal A created problems with the way millages are collected, allowing Lansing to disproportionally fund districts throughout the state. Because of that, children in poorer cities are worth less than those in wealthier ones. He advocated for upholding equal value and funding for every student.

He added the political reality is that Republicans— who proposed the bill— are a majority in the State House and will not support a repeal.

Hammoud, on the other hand, opposed the notion that there could not be a clear solution because of a Republican-led government.

He said that fostering a two-party coalition, educating legislators and speaking with stakeholders, teachers and students is the soundest method to revamping a broken education system.

“Everyone has voice in the solution being proposed,” he said.

High insurance rates

Last year, The Arab American News reported that high auto insurance prices in Dearborn are an economic burden on residents and pushing some motorists to drive illegally without coverage. The loss ratio for insurance companies hikes the rates.

One remedy to the financial strain is the implementation of a mass transit system, said Hammoud, whose parents are local
insurance agents.

Hammoud said there would be fewer uninsured drivers on the roads, decreasing the cost of auto insurance because of so many high-risk drivers.

Both Hammoud and Stone suggested a boost in funding for first responders, which would enhance safety and consequently lower insurance rates.

McDonald concurred and said she wants to help deliver a solution that would make it affordable for all households to buy insurance, many of which do not want to break the law by being uninsured, but have no choice.

All panelists acknowledged that an effective public transit system would contribute to enhancements to many road-related issues, although Sophiea raised concerns about the future of the auto industry and its workers.

“What about people on fixed incomes?” he asked, regarding an increase in property taxes required in a proposed mass transit millage.

Law enforcement

Recent outrage due to incidents of police brutality and police shooting of civilians has brought the role of law enforcement center stage. All the candidates lauded Dearborn Police for their distinguished performance and response times, but some advocated for major reforms in the department.

“We need to consider whether we’re asking too much of our police officers,” Stone said.

He said police today are expected to fill the roles of mental health professionals or marriage counselors and to deal with a wide variety of disputes – all while keeping a smile and being paid about $36,000 per year.

Hammoud said he would push for the demilitarization of police and ensure officers are trained in peaceful tactics.

However, Sophiea is a proponent of an aggressive police force and said he would advocate for long-term funding for the research and development of rugged protective uniforms for officers.