WHAT I’LL FIGHT FOR IN LANSING
District 96 has real needs. Roads that need fixing. Families that need support. Workers who deserve good-paying jobs close to home. These are not abstract policy debates -- they are the conversations happening at kitchen tables across Bay County every day. Here is where I will focus when I get to Lansing.
Priority 1: Infrastructure & Roads
Bay County roads are not just an inconvenience -- they are a cost that working families pay every day in damaged vehicles, longer commutes, and lost time. Michigan has made investments in infrastructure, but too many communities in this district are still waiting to see results. In Lansing, I will fight to make sure the funding flows fairly and that District 96 is not left behind.
Fix the roads and bridges our families and businesses depend on, invest in water systems, and make sure every community in District 96 gets its fair share.
Priority 2: Mental Health & Family Services
I spent 14 years running an organization that served people with disabilities and worked alongside the behavioral health system every day. I have seen what works and what does not. Too many Bay County families are waiting weeks or months for mental health services. Too many people in crisis end up in emergency rooms because there is nowhere else to go. That is a failure of policy, not of the people seeking help. I will push for real funding and real solutions, not just talking points.
Expand access to behavioral health care, support families in crisis, and make sure people can get help close to home without a waitlist.
Priority 3: Public Safety
Safe communities are not built in Lansing -- they are built by the officers, firefighters, and first responders who show up every day in our neighborhoods. My job as a state representative is to make sure they have the resources, training, and support they need. I have worked alongside public safety professionals as a city commissioner and mayor, and I know that safe neighborhoods and strong community relationships go hand in hand.
Support first responders, invest in community policing, and give local departments the resources they need to keep neighborhoods safe.
Priority 4: Affordability & Good-Paying Jobs
People in this district are working hard and still falling behind. Costs are up, wages have not kept pace, and too many young people feel like they have to leave Bay County to find a future. I will fight for policies that support small businesses, protect workers' rights, invest in workforce training, and bring good-paying jobs to this region. Economic development is not a slogan -- it is making sure families can stay here and thrive.
Support local businesses, fight for workers, lower costs for families, and bring the kind of jobs to Bay County that you can actually build a life on.
Priority 5: Commerce & Small Business
Big box stores and corporate chains do not build communities -- local businesses do. The hardware store, the diner, the family-owned shop that has been on the same corner for 30 years -- those are the places that sponsor Little League teams, hire your neighbors, and keep money circulating in our local economy. In Lansing, I will fight for policies that make it easier to start and grow a small business in Bay County, cut through red tape, and make sure state resources reach the businesses that need them most.
Keep dollars local by backing the small businesses that are the backbone of our towns and townships across District 96.
Priority 6: Training & Workforce
Bay County has good workers. What it needs is more pathways to good jobs. Too many young people graduate high school without a clear route into a skilled trade or a career that pays a living wage. Too many adults looking to change careers do not know where to start. I will push for stronger partnerships between community colleges, apprenticeship programs, and local employers so that workforce training connects directly to real jobs in this region. We should not be exporting our talent to other parts of the state.
Connect people to skilled trades training and good-paying careers right here at home so families do not have to leave to find opportunity.