Two years ago Bill Farmer came within less than 800 votes of winning a seat in the state House.
He nearly defeated Republican House Speaker JaseBolger who was plagued by a scandal involving a last minute party switch and placing a phony candidate on the ballot. Farmer is trying again this year in the 63rd District, which includes part of Kalamazoo and Calhoun Counties. He won't face Bolger who cannot run again because of term limits. Farmer sat down with WMUK's Gordon Evans. A summary:
Education
Asked where he would get more money for public education, Farmer says the school aid fund should only be used for K-12 schools. He says tax changes have also led to less money for schools. Farmer says this election is about fairness, and he says that should include a fair tax structure.
Taxes
Farmer says the state's current tax system creates an imbalance between the rich and the middle class. He says everyone needs to pay their fair share for services. Farmer the people he talks to in the district want responsible government that protects their interests.
Roads
An increase in the gas tax and vehicle registration fees has been proposed to pay for road repairs and maintenance. But Farmer says increasing the gas tax would hit low-income and middle-class families hard. He says changing the state's tax structure would help raise the money for roads.
Election Reform
Farmer says voters deserve to know how much money is being contributed and where it's coming from. He also wants to limit, the contributions, which he says represents the "purchase of political power." Farmer acknowledges that limits on contributions would likely come into conflict with the U.S. Supreme Court's "Citizen's United" decision. But he says the state needs to try, and at least shine more light on where money is coming from.
Campaign
Asked if the close election from two years ago indicates a trend two years later, Farmer says the scandal surrounding Bolger helped him come very close in the 63rd District two years ago. But he says discussions with voters have shown him that people are listening to his message and are willing to vote for him regardless of their party affiliation.
More on education
Farmer says the state's education system should include high-quality pre-school so children are ready for school when they start kindergarten. He says it should also include home health care workers and visiting nurses going to the homes of at-risk families. Farmer says that would help ensure that children are getting proper nutrition. Farmer says the Kalamazoo Promise is an example of how quality education can help improve other areas. Asked if that means he wants to launch a statewide scholarship program similar to the Promise, Farmer says "we shouldn't limit ourselves."
Discrimination
There has been discussion of adding protections for sexual orientation and gender identity to the state's Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Farmer says he would "absolutely" vote to protect LGBT people from discrimination. He says history shows that "today's prejudice are really tomorrow's guaranteed civil, economic and social rights."
Marijuana
Farmer says he has some reservations about legalizing pot. But he says there are too many people ending up in jail for possessing small amounts of marijuana. Farmer says for now he would say it should be legalized. He says Michigan could watch what happens in Washington and Colorado where marijuana was legalized for recreational purposes in 2012.
