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WSW: State House Democratic Candidate Jon Hoadley

WMUK

    

Jon Hoadley says he believes in a Michigan that "invests in people."

Hoadley won the Democratic primary for the 60th state House District in August. He is seeking the seat currently held by Democrat Sean McCann, who is running for state Senate. Hoadley sat down with WMUK's Gordon Evans and Sehvilla Mann. 

Education

Hoadley has published a five point education plan, when asked how he would come up with the money for his proposal to create a capital pool for "at-risk" schools, Hoadley says it's a question of setting priorities. He says investing in education has a track record of success for growing the economy. 

On the issue of college affordability, Hoadley says some education post-high school is a necessity. He says that could include skilled trades or a four-year university. Hoadley says the state should put more money back into the higher education system. He says the state has put constraints on itself when it comes to funding higher education. 

Environment

Asked about what the state can about the proposed cleanup of the Allied Paper Landfill, Hoadley acknowledges that the decision lies at the federal level. But he says every avenue should be explored to put pressure on environmental regulators to approve a total clean up of the site. 

A landfill in southeast Michigan has asked for an increase in the level of allowable radioactivity in the waste it takes in. The landfill owner's decision to accept low-level radioactive waste from a fracking operation in Pennsylvania led to a review of state regulations on landfills. Hoadley says the issue shows why regulations are important. He says Michigan should not be accepting hazardous waste from out of state. 

Fracking 

Asked if fracking should be allowed in Michigan at all, Hoadley says he is "highly skeptical." He says so much is unknown about the products used in the process and the possible contamination of groundwater. 

Energy

Hoadley says Michigan is in a good position to lead on the issue of renewable energy. He says the state should be taking advantage of its manufacturing history to create products for generating energy from wind, sun and water. 

LGBT

Asked what it would mean for an openly gay man to the Legislature, Hoadley says it would bring more diversity and different voices to the table. He says Corporate America learned long ago that diverse groups of people bring a diversity of backgrounds and solutions to big problems. 

Discussion of other issues can be heard in the web version of the interview. 

jonhoadley090214-web.mp3
Interview with Jon Hoadley - web version

Common Core

As part of the discussion on education, Hoadley says it's important to create some continuity in school districts nationwide. But he has concerns about strongly linking those standards to standardized testing. 

Tax structure

Hoadley says Michigan's economy has changed, and its tax structure needs to reflect that. He says it should be rewarding investment in new jobs. Hoadley says other states have found that higher taxes combined with higher investment in things like education leads to greater economic growth.

Roads

Finding money for road repair and maintenance has been a major issue in this year's campaign. Hoadley says more revenue will be needed. He says that will likely be an "all of the above" approach that includes higher vehicle fees and an increase in the gas tax. 

Auto insurance 

Hoadley says he would keep Michigan's "no-fault" insurance system. He says there should be more transparency into the finances of the catastrophic claims fund. 

Health

Asked about a recent Citizens Research Council report on obesity in Michigan, and how government can tackle it, Hoadley says the state should work to promote access to healthy food and encourage more physical activity.

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.
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