Michigan House candidate: ‘Lansing is ready for action’

(The writer is a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 2 primary for the new 74th District seat in the state House of Representatives.) 

I am running to be the next state representative for the new 74th House District in the Democratic primary election on Aug. 2 because residents in south Lansing and Holt are facing urgent crises that require immediate action.

Affordability: Rising inflation and gas prices are pushing families under water who are already struggling to stay afloat. When our residents cannot afford to pay their rent and put food on the table, it’s obvious that action is long overdue. We need to raise the minimum wage, strengthen labor unions, make housing and healthcare affordable and make sure our social safety net programs are accessible to all.

Education: Our schools have survived many uphill challenges during the pandemic.Now it is time to recoup and rebuild.In Lansing and Holt Public Schools, graduation and attendance rates are down and performance metrics have consistently lagged behind other area school districts. We need to increase per-pupil funding and funding for school nurses and mental health professionals. By strengthening the quality of our education systems, we can strengthen our communities and encourage people to stay and raise their families here.

Climate: As our average temperature rises, Michigan experiences more frequent life-threatening heatwaves and excessive flooding from intense rainstorms, which cause algal blooms in the Great Lakes and increase the likelihood of catastrophic dam failures. As the price of oil rises, it is even more urgent that we transition away from fossil fuels and invest in local and reliable clean energy sources. Michigan must have all hands on deck to lower our greenhouse gas emissions and transform our energy systems to ensure a secure future for our planet and our economy.

With so many pressing issues that require urgent solutions, what the residents of south Lansing and Holt need is a strong progressive leader who is willing to champion these causes in the halls of the Capitol. Unfortunately, the sitting representative whom I am facing in this primary has proven unable to pass legislation on these issues. We need to elect someone who understands the importance of policy solutions and knows what it takes to pass a bill into law.

I was born and raised in the Lansing and Holt communities, just as my dad was. I know what it’s like to live and work here. Having grown up in a working-class family, I also know what it’s like to struggle financially at times. With no savings or financial support from my family, I worked in customer service jobs to pay for college and still had to take out student loans. I earned a master’s in public policy and a bachelor’s in political science so that I could learn how to make things better for my community through effective legislating and working in government. Over the past year and a half, I worked for U.S. Sen. Gary Peters in his Lansing office serving the communities of Mid-Michigan. Through this experience, I learned what it means to be an effective legislator and how to advocate for my community within a complicated government bureaucracy.

I have the experience, knowledge, passion and grit to represent Michigan’s new 74th House District. I believe that running in this new district is a risk worth taking because we deserve real action from our representatives. I am willing to work relentlessly for our communities to make the changes we need to see happen. As your representative, I will be responsive to the needs of every resident in our district, regardless of your race, nationality or party affiliation. I will continue to build relationships with our neighbors, community leaders, members of the party, and those across the aisle so that I can pass meaningful legislation to directly improve the lives of our residents. 

Together we will build a brighter future for Michigan. I look forward to earning your vote in the Democratic primary election on Aug 2. 

For more information, please visit our website at www.Vote4CarleeKnott.com.