Oakland County Executive: Challenger Andy Meisner Makes Case for Democratic Primary Nomination
“My opponent is someone who was chosen by politicians, I’ve been elected by the people” says Oakland County Executive candidate Andy Meisner.
Michigan’s state and local primary election is Aug. 4.
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Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson is committed to highlighting candidates on the ballot.
Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner is running against incumbent Dave Coulter, who was interviewed last week on Detroit Today, for Oakland County Executive.
Interview: Andy Meisner
“I think my career in public service is characterized by broad transformational change.” — Andy Meisner
Click play to hear Meisner make his case for Oakland County Executive.
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Candidate Brief
Key experience: Meisner has served as Oakland County Treasurer since 2009. He also served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives and is an attorney with experience in the nonprofit and private sectors.
Major endorsements: MI Dems Jewish Caucus, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Young Democrats of Michigan
Issues
- Transit: Meisner criticizes Coulter for allowing Macomb County to opt-out of discussions of regional transit. “I’ve been very consistent. I support a regional transit plan that encompasses the entire region,” says Meisner.
On some of the regional division over a mass transit plan, Meisner insists that his stance has been consistent for an all-or-nothing approach. “We need to go to these communities and look at the expenditures they’re making right now on mobility and figure out how our regional transit plan could help amplify what they’re trying to do,” says Meisner. “I don’t support a Swiss cheese approach to transit.”
- Economic Development: Meisner also says he doesn’t agree with Coulter’s emphasis on defense industry spending to spur economic development. “I’m much more focused on entrepreneurship, shifting out efforts to support entrepreneurs and to follow the playbook of the Detroit Regional Partnership, which calls for each of the counties to do work building their entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
- Education: “I’ve got a detailed plan focused on universal access to early childhood education for every kid in Oakland county,” says Meisner. He says he wants to adopt the Kalamazoo Promise model for the entire county so that every kid gets a chance to go to either community college, university, or trade school.
- Tax foreclosures: Last week, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled against Meisner in a case that involved a rental property his office foreclosed on because the owner owed $8. This has led to a slew of attacks from Coulter’s supporters on how Meisner handled this situation, claiming the treasurer also opposed the county’s efforts to outlaw the practice of “foreclosure-for-profit” last year.
“As county treasurer, I have taken an oath to defend the county and its interests and I take that very seriously,” says Meisner. “That’s why I’ve worked to administer the law while also working to make it much fairer.” If elected, Meisner says he is looking forward to working with the Michigan Legislature to enact a new law that is fairer to property owners, townships and cities, and to taxpayers that pay on time.
Detroit Today student producer Lauryn Azu wrote this article
