Why do you want to run for office and what makes you different?
I am running for the 28th District State Representative because I believe that we need to bring reform to our government to become more efficient. We need to look at what areas of our government can be cut/combined with others instead of raising our taxes to further fund programs. We need to make our government transparent to its residents. We need to know where every dollar of our taxes goes, and should be posted on the State of Michigan website for its residents to see. I will hold regular town hall meetings with the 28th District to listen to and answer concerns, and PERSONALLY answer emails and return telephone calls, not a campaign manager or a member of the staff.
What changes can you bring to Lansing?
If I am elected to represent the 28th District, I will bring an independent voice to Lansing. I will put your interests above party interests; meaning that I will not vote along party lines.. The people of the 28th District is what would elect me into office, not the leadership of the party that I represent. You can rest assured on that.
What type of prison reform do you think we need?
Currently prison spending takes up around 20% of the states general budget. There needs to be cost cutting that can be found through greater government efficiencies, privatization of services and reducing the number of state employees. One of the most basic services of state government is protecting the general population. I am not opposed to tethering certain non violent offenders to help reduce our prison population.
Some groups have proposed raising the gas tax to help fund our roads. What do you propose?
I am against raising any type of taxes. I believe an increase in any taxes, let alone a gas tax is a bad idea. Most of us are struggling to fill up our tank with gas to go back and forth to work. Adding more money to the price of gas is an all around bad idea. What we need is our state politicians to stop dipping into the road fund and using that money for other projects.
Do you support embryonic stem cell research? Why/Why Not
I do not support embryonic stem cell research. Adult stem cell treatments have been used for many years to treat successfully leukemia and related bone/blood cancers through bone marrow transplants. Using adult stem cells do not require the destruction of an embryo. More US Government funding is being provided for adult stem cell research.
What are your thoughts on the current pay of our legislature?
Our legislature is far overpaid. In fact, they are the second highest paid legislature in the nation. I believe that our legislators should make no more than $40,000 per year. Our legislators should also not receive lifetime benefits.
How will you address the following issues?
• Dramatically improved school and college completion rates.
• Reigning in excessive state prison spending.
• Balance the protection of natural resources with sustainable economic development.
• Ending or lengthening term limits to combat inexperience in Lansing.
• Growing an entrepreneurial, job-growing culture and instituting a fair and simple business tax.
• Manage large and growing public sector employment pension and health care costs
a. Improving school completion rates on a K-12 level could be done by reducing classroom size and by ensuring that our school funds are distributed equally across the board. We also need to allow districts the flexibility to manage and teach in ways that best fit their individual schools.
b. Reigning in excessive state prison spending can be accomplished through greater government efficiencies and privatization in services, and possibly release non violent offenders with the use of electronic tethering.
c. Protecting our natural resources for our state is important. We need to be mindful of protecting our state parks and Great Lakes while using them for our economic advantage for tourism.
d. While I do not believe in ending term limits, I believe that they should be extended.
e. The business tax needs to be simplified and existing regulatory barriers need to be looked at more closely and lowered. We have a state that has a growing entrepreneurial base, and in order for them to succeed we need to give them the tools for success.
Have any questions for Jason that you would like to see answered on this site? Contact him at jasonbalaska @ yahoo . com (without the spaces).
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
I am a lifelong resident of Warren for 32 years and a homeowner for 10 years. I am married to my wife Jennifer; we have a 3 year old daughter, Natalie. I graduated from Fitzgerald High School in 1995 and have remained in the community since.
For the past 9 years I've been employed with a major Telecommunications company and I am currently studying Business Administration at Baker College. I have been actively involved in state and national politics for around 13 years. I have primarily worked on state campaigns helping to go door-to-door, raising funds, chairing meetings, and working in phone banks.
I believe we need to reform our government to become more efficient and more transparent to Michigan's residents. We see where every dollar of our money goes in our personal finances, and I believe that as taxpayers we need to see where every penny of our state budgets goes, right down to the two-dollar light bulb used to help light an office desk.
We need to fight to keep jobs within our state and attract new jobs to Michigan. We need to boost economic development by cultivating an entrepreneurial culture and providing greater support for our states growing new economy of entrepreneurs. I will work to accomplish this by challenging Lansing to simplify the business tax, lower existing regulatory barriers and use tax incentives to encourage new business development.
We need to make sure that the teachers in our schools have the resources they need to give our children an excellent quality education. Reducing classroom sizes, measuring student achievement more broadly than through standardized testing and ensuring equitable funding across all school districts has to be a major focus. Having a superior education available from preschool through lifelong learning through collage and beyond is pivotal for us as a state to grow, retain and attract new talent to Michigan.
We need to focus on promoting energy conservation and become leaders in the research, development and manufacturing of alternative forms of energy. Converting to green fuels and alternative energy makes good environmental sense.
I believe that our elected officials are servants to the people. If I am elected as the 28th district State Representative, I am committed to maintaining contact with the District, whether it be through regular town hall meetings, e-mails or phone calls. One thing is for certain – you will always hear from me, never from somebody on staff. I am committed to working together on both sides of the political isle and putting interests above party politics. Our state legislators must do the same in order to help Michigan succeed.
For the past 9 years I've been employed with a major Telecommunications company and I am currently studying Business Administration at Baker College. I have been actively involved in state and national politics for around 13 years. I have primarily worked on state campaigns helping to go door-to-door, raising funds, chairing meetings, and working in phone banks.
I believe we need to reform our government to become more efficient and more transparent to Michigan's residents. We see where every dollar of our money goes in our personal finances, and I believe that as taxpayers we need to see where every penny of our state budgets goes, right down to the two-dollar light bulb used to help light an office desk.
We need to fight to keep jobs within our state and attract new jobs to Michigan. We need to boost economic development by cultivating an entrepreneurial culture and providing greater support for our states growing new economy of entrepreneurs. I will work to accomplish this by challenging Lansing to simplify the business tax, lower existing regulatory barriers and use tax incentives to encourage new business development.
We need to make sure that the teachers in our schools have the resources they need to give our children an excellent quality education. Reducing classroom sizes, measuring student achievement more broadly than through standardized testing and ensuring equitable funding across all school districts has to be a major focus. Having a superior education available from preschool through lifelong learning through collage and beyond is pivotal for us as a state to grow, retain and attract new talent to Michigan.
We need to focus on promoting energy conservation and become leaders in the research, development and manufacturing of alternative forms of energy. Converting to green fuels and alternative energy makes good environmental sense.
I believe that our elected officials are servants to the people. If I am elected as the 28th district State Representative, I am committed to maintaining contact with the District, whether it be through regular town hall meetings, e-mails or phone calls. One thing is for certain – you will always hear from me, never from somebody on staff. I am committed to working together on both sides of the political isle and putting interests above party politics. Our state legislators must do the same in order to help Michigan succeed.
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