Peters Announces Upcoming Community Meetings

Peters Announces Upcoming Community Meetings

Peters Announces Upcoming Community Meetings 

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Gary Peters announced that he is holding four community meetings across Michigan in the coming weeks to provide additional opportunities to hear from constituents. The events are open to the public, and casework staff from Senator Peters’ office will be available to meet with constituents who need help dealing with federal programs and agencies such as Medicare, Social Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the IRS.

“I am proud to represent Michigan in the United States Senate, but I know the best ideas don’t come from Washington. As I travel across our state, I always look forward to hearing from Michiganders about what can be done in Washington to make Michigan the best place to live, work and raise a family,” said Senator Peters. “My office stands ready to aid any Michiganders who may need assistance navigating federal agencies or accessing their benefits, and I encourage residents who may need help to visit with my staff and learn more about how my office can be of service.”

Senator Peters hosts Coffee With Gary in his Washington, D.C. office each week the Senate is in session and rides his motorcycle across the state during his annual #RideMI Motorcycle Tour to meet with constituents, business owners, servicemembers and veterans.

In the U.S. Senate, Peters serves on the Armed Services Committee; Commerce Science and Transportation Committee; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; and the Joint Economic Committee.

Below are more details on the community meetings. Michiganders interested in attending can RSVP here.

  

Ypsilanti Community Meeting

Saturday, June 16th at 10:00am

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Grand Rapids Community Meeting

Saturday, June 30th at 10:00am

Gerald Ford Presidential Museum

303 Pearl Street NW

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Southfield Community Meeting

Saturday, July 14th at 10:00am

Southfield High School for the Arts and Technology

24675 Lahser Road

Southfield, MI 48033

Flint Community Meeting

Saturday, July 28th at 10:00am

University of Michigan – Flint

303 E. Kearsley Street

Flint, MI  48502

 

 

Applications for absentee ballots

Applications for absentee ballots are available now (link to printable application available now).  If you are in need of an absentee ballot please make sure you fill out the application and return it to your LOCAL CLERK for processing.  This will ensure that you receive a ballot when they are sent out before the election.  

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/AbsentVoterBallot_105377_7.pdf

BENSON and OTTAWA DEMS in the news.

BENSON and OTTAWA DEMS in the news.

Jocelyn Benson is the 2018 Democratic candidate for Michigan Secretary of State

HOLLAND — From her beginnings at the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jocelyn Benson has always been committed to addressing voting rights issues and protecting democracy.

Benson, the 2018 Democratic candidate for Michigan Secretary of State, spoke at an event hosted by the Ottawa County Democratic Party at City Vu in downtown Holland on Monday evening, May 21.

“I was instilled with this deep commitment to address voting rights and democracy work in our country,” Benson said. “There has been so much work done to protect the vote and there is still so much work to be done.”

From Benson’s perspective, the secretary of state oversees two very important issues for Michigan residents: voting and driving.

Her campaign is based on increasing efficiency at secretary of state offices to ensure no Michigan resident has to wait more than 30 minutes to get their driver’s license, register their vehicle, cast a ballot or get other services.

The first step in cutting down wait times will be to collect data to see which branches are struggling, then implementing best practices across the state.

Employees from efficient branches could be used to train less efficient branches and there are ways to decrease the frequency residents have to come to secretary of state offices, Benson said.

Banning driver fee increases, ensuring secure elections, protecting the right to vote for all citizens and increasing ethics and transparency in the state are the four other pillars of Benson’s campaign.

In 2008, Benson traveled around the country talking to secretaries of state and documenting best practices. Then she authored a book called “State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process” with her findings.

Join Us For BREWS 2.0!

Join Us For BREWS 2.0!

The Ottawa County Democratic Party is planning our 2018 fundraiser - Brews 2.0!! This “political speakeasy” event will provide local Democrats and progressives an opportunity to listen and engage with our two featured speakers:  
Jocelyn Benson, the 2018 Democratic candidate for MI’s Secretary of State; and - a popular repeat from last year’s event - Brandon Dillon, the Michigan Democratic Party State Chairman.

We are gratified to provide local Democrats and progressive activists the opportunity get to know our candidates and state chair in a casual setting for Q&A and brainstorming.

This fundraiser will help provide the resources necessary for our County party to succeed. We will help our candidates - up and down the slate - wage winning campaigns this fall! We are hoping for a repeat of last year’s "Brews With Brandon” event with a sellout crowd!

May we count on you to attend this event, becoming a key player in helping make sure that the West Michigan Lakeshore joins the 2018 BLUE WAVE - and ensuring change in our current political climate? Please go to www.actblue.com/donate/brews2 to purchase your tickets or consider a sponsorship, today!  

Thank you again, and we hope to see you at CityVu Events on May 21!

BREWS 2.0
Monday May 21, 2018 6:30pm
City Vu - Holland
Hors D'ouvres & Cash Bar
Confirmed Speakers: 
---Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State Candidate
---Brandon Dillon, Chair - Michigan Democratic Party

Tickets will be available for purchase via Act Blue online and in person at the Ottawa Dems May meeting. 

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/brews2

Letter: No Sunshine in Michigan

Letter: No Sunshine in Michigan

Letter: No sunshine in Michigan

Posted Mar 20, 2018 at 2:01 AM

I celebrated national Sunshine Week (March 11-17) by attending office hours with my State Rep. Roger Victory, R-Hudsonville. I asked Victory if he had supported the Open Records Act (House bills 4148-4157); he said he had supported these bills, but did have some concerns.

The package of bills allowing Michiganders to make Freedom of Information Act requests of our legislators is stalled in the Senate because Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, will not move them out of committee or up for a vote. In a recent Sentinel guest column (“Sunshine Week would be brighter in Michigan with stronger FOIA laws,” March 14), author Jane Briggs-Bunting of the Michigan Coalition for Open Government states that Meekhof “told a group of journalists last year that they are the only ones who care about FOIA.” Our state government has exempted itself from FOIA. The Center for Public Integrity gives Michigan an F grade for transparency.

I find deep irony in Meekhof’s statement that only journalists care about FOIA. I was the Democratic candidate for state representative in the 88th District in 2016. I am a public school teacher with 20 years of service in my current district. The GOP executed a FOIA request for ALL of my work emails when I was a candidate. Apparently, Meekhof’s party cares enough about FOIA to use it against a political opponent, but does not want the public to have the ability to find out about actions taken regarding the Flint water crisis or the Larry Nassar case.

Victory states that his campaign did not file the request; I believe him. On the issue of transparency, Victory and I agree. Let us hope that with new leadership in the Senate after the 2018 elections, Michiganders can finally get behind the curtain and find out what our public servants and employees are up to.

Kim Nagy

Chair, Ottawa County Democratic Party

Jerry Sias in the news

 Jerry Sias in the news

Democrat to challenge Jim Lilly for 89th House District seat

By Jake Allen

Posted Jan 17, 2018 at 2:00 AM

Jerry Sias said he wants to represent the working and middle class people.

Jerry Sias, a Democratic candidate running for Michigan’s 89th House district in 2018, said he wants to represent the people — specifically the working and middle class people.

Sias was born and raised in Grand Haven and is an Army veteran. He is challenging incumbent state Rep. Jim Lilly, R-Park Township, for the seat.

Lilly was first elected in 2016 and the district includes the townships of Grand Haven, Olive, Park, Port Sheldon, Robinson, Blendon, Crockery and Spring Lake and the cities of Ferrysburg and Grand Haven.

Sias served in the Army for eight years and is a decorated veteran of Desert Storm. After his time in the military, he worked on a production line for Johnson Controls, Inc.

He then learned the electrical trade, attended Grand Rapids Community College and worked as a union foreman. Afterwards, he started his own electrical company called Affordable Electric.

However, due to a near-fatal car accident he can no longer work in the electrical field. Sias said he has worn the hat of soldier, student, union foreman, small business owner and patient. He said he knows what keeps the working class up at night.

“I am just like every guy,” Sias said. “I feel I can relate with the masses. I can relate with the working poor because I’ve been there and I can relate with the middle class.”

After 10 years of rehabilitating from the car crash injuries, Sias said he is ready to conquer the world.

One of the biggest issues facing the 89th District is ensuring the protection of the Great Lakes as federal funding is cut, Sias said.

“What drives our community and our county is tourism and people coming here to enjoy our shores,” Sias said. “We really need to keep our lakes and rivers clean.”

Sias said because of his prior experiences, he is very familiar with Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system. He said something needs to be done to make auto insurance more affordable in Michigan, but wanted to dig deeper into the issue.

Sias would like to see a comprehensive breakdown of what is causing auto insurance to cost so much in Michigan, but praised the system’s catastrophic fund.

“I would be homeless right now if it wasn’t for that fund,” Sias said. “I’d be buried in hospital bills and rehabilitation bills without it. It does serve a purpose and it does help the people of Michigan.”

Sias said he would like to see health care reform in Michigan and supports the idea of single payer health insurance in the state.

Net neutrality is another issue Sias would like to address. He said the state should create its own utility for internet and eliminate corporate control.

Two years of free college or technical training is another initiative Sias said he would push for if elected representative. This would put young people in a position where they are not held back by massive amounts of debt, he said.

Overall, Sias said he could bring a different perspective to the seat.

“I want to bring the perspective of the working class and the working poor to the state House,” Sias said. “I know what keeps them up at night and I know what they worry about.”

Sias admitted it will be a challenge running as a Democratic candidate in the right-leaning region of West Michigan.

Lilly defeated Democratic challenger Tim Meyer in 2016 with 61.14 percent of the vote.

Before Lilly, the seat was held by Republican Amanda Price from 2010-16. Price received 67.9 percent of votes in the 2014 election.

“It will be tough, but that’s another perspective I bring to the table,” Sias said. “I can relate with a lot of disgruntled Democrats that are voting Republican especially in this district. There’s a lot of middle class and working poor voting against their best interest I feel.”

Sias said the dynamics of the district are changing and voters are getting younger. He said Democrats have a better shot now than ever to win the seat.

Defeating Lilly will be difficult, Sias said. But he was very critical of his opponent.

“Jim Lilly doesn’t represent the people of Michigan,” Sias said. “I think Jim Lilly represents the corporations of Michigan. We are just going to keep on that and keep on that message and let the people know we are here for them.”

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/20180117/democrat-to-challenge-jim-lilly-for-89th-house-district-seat

— Follow this reporter on Twitter @SentinelJake.