For Immediate Release: July 29, 2010
Kalamazoo Gazette Endorses Mike Bouchard for Governor
Oakland County – Mike Bouchard, Republican candidate for governor, today gained the endorsement of the Kalamazoo Gazette newspaper. This latest endorsement is one of many Bouchard has garnered from West Michigan including endorsements from the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Friends of West Michigan, the Home & Building Association of Greater Grand Rapids, the Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo, and the Kalamazoo Friends of Housing PAC.
“I am proud to have the endorsement of the Kalamazoo Gazette,” said Bouchard. “I find my values liken to West Michigan values and I am pleased the Kalamazoo Gazette recognized that. Going into the last few days of the primary I look forward to reaching out to all voters across Michigan. This latest endorsement from the Kalamazoo Gazette shows our momentum is continuing to build.”
In an editorial in today’s edition of the Kalamazoo Gazette, the editorial board issued the following statement explaining why Mike Bouchard is best suited to be Michigan’s next governor.
Kalamazoo Gazette Editorial
“In a crowded field of GOP contenders, the Oakland County sheriff offers the best combination of attributes and expertise to enable him to succeed.
Bouchard, 54, has an impressive resume and significant legislative experience, having served in the state Senate, including as assistant majority leader. He chaired the Education Committee for four years in the Senate and identifies education as his top priority, along with public safety. He proposes moving more money into the classroom by “squeezing” it out of the pipeline. The state, through its policies, can incentivize education reforms to drive more dollars to the classrooms, he says, but it’s important to preserve local control in that process. “Lansing and Washington don’t have a fountain of answers anymore.”
He certainly knows the legislative process for moving bills through the Legislature, which is crucial given that more than half of today’s legislators will be gone from the seats they now hold.
Bouchard has been a small business owner and a police officer. In addition, he has experience administering a government agency, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. He runs one of the largest sheriff’s departments in the country and, in that role, has found creative ways to cut spending without sacrificing vital services. For example, he privatized the county jail’s food services contract, which saved the county $1.6 million. And we like his idea to privatize highway rest stops.
In the context of our state’s budgetary challenges, these aren’t huge savings, true, but his actions show an ability to implement innovative ideas that bring substantive change to an entrenched system. Michigan needs that.
Bouchard has yet another factor in his favor that would make him more effective and ensure that West Michigan voices are heard: Terri Lynn Land is running with him for lieutenant governor. The Byron Center resident has been very effective in two terms as secretary of state, reducing the size and cost of government while expanding services.
Together, they could accomplish the difficult jobs of reforming state government and growing prosperity.
That said, we must point out that state Sen. Tom George, of Texas Township, who also is seeking the Republican nomination, performed an invaluable service for the voters during this campaign by pointing to the flaws in his opponents’ plans.
Sen. George is an intelligent realist who understands the difficult challenges ahead and makes no flowery promises so common in election years. He impressed us with his candor in pointing out, for instance, that those candidates who promise to cut taxes and, at the same time, promise to provide additional money for selected programs will end up either breaking their promises or bankrupting the state. “Do the math,” he said.
Like Bouchard, George has legislative experience and is a persuasive advocate for his ideas, but we believe Bouchard has the edge when it comes to implementation.
The other Republican candidates, Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra and businessman Rick Snyder, all lack either the specific experience, leadership skills or workable ideas to be effective as governor.”
For more on Bouchard’s vision to fix Lansing and get Michigan back to work visit, www.BouchardforGovernor.com.
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Paid for by Mike Bouchard for Governor
P.O. Box 1433
Royal Oak, MI 48068
