State House candidate Erik Almquist says there are not red issues of blue issues. The Democrat says lawmakers have to figure out what they have in common to produce legislation with long lasting impact.
Almquist who works for Apple is currently a member of the Fennville City Council. He is running for the Democratic nomination in the 80th state House District, which includes most of Allegan County.
Almquist says education in Michigan is not on a level playing field. He says companies running charter schools don’t have a financial incentive to close those that are poorly performing. Almquist says Allegan County could use more community college and vocational training.
Drinking water is another issue that Almquist says he plans to focus on. He says clean drinking water should be a basic human right. Almquist says the state should move to shut down Enbirdge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. He says a massive spill could be disastrous.
Almquist says the state should be looking to work with businesses to grow companies. He says that could include simplifying regulations. Almquist says the craft beer industry is an example of how government can help an industry grow.
Asked about roads, Almquist says the state should some of its rainy day fund on fixing roads. He says better infrastructure is needed to import jobs and export products.
