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September 29, 2002Despite expanse, issues, ideas similar in 107th raceBy KEITH MATHENYRecord-Eagle staff writer PETOSKEY - Though involved in one of the more spirited state House races in northern Michigan, Republican incumbent Rep. Scott Shackleton and Democratic challenger Gary McDowell hold similar views on their most important issues. On education, both candidates in the 107th District, which includes the Eastern Upper Peninsula and Emmet County, support providing schools with more funding and helping rural northern Michigan schools facing declining enrollment and larger transportation expenses. And on health care, both support increasing Medicaid reimbursement for hospitals, the money used to offset health care costs for the poor and uninsured. "The state has shifted its responsibilities over to insurers, who shift it to employers, who shift it to their workers," said McDowell, 50, of Rudyard, chairman of the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners. "We have a legal and moral obligation to fund (Medicaid). It is health care for our poor, our elderly, our blind and our handicapped." Said Shackleton, "The state must increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate. That helps hospitals so that they don't have to shift a greater portion of the cost onto everybody else." Shackleton supports using existing state programs to help with affordable health care. He touts expansion of the EPIC program to help seniors with prescription costs, and the MIFamily program, modeled after the MIChild program for uninsured children. "We need to help working families make the transition so that they can go off public assistance without losing their health insurance," he said. McDowell noted the state's missed opportunities to adequately fund Medicaid, including the $350 million tobacco lawsuit settlement and previous years of economic well-being. "All through the '90s, when we had record surpluses, we had only a 1 percent increase in Medicaid," McDowell said. "I would make health care the priority it should be." McDowell, a hay farmer and retired UPS employee who has served as a Chippewa County commissioner for 22 years, said he was motivated to run for state office by the "need for change" he perceives in how state business is conducted. "Somebody has to stand up for the working families, and not the special interests," he said. "My goal is to bring civility, integrity and honesty back to government. Everybody should be allowed at the table; every point of view should be respected." Shackleton holds a typical incumbent's advantage in fund-raising, outpacing McDowell in funds raised and spent by about 3-to-1. As of early September, Shackleton had raised $91,201 and spent $73,195, while McDowell had raised $29,306 and spent $5,822, according to post-primary campaign finance records filed with the Secretary of State. Many of Shackleton's largest contributors are fellow Republican politicians - with the "leadership funds" of gubernatorial candidate Dick Posthumus, U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Raczkowski and state Sen. Ken Sikkema having each contributed $5,000. McDowell's main campaign contributors include many labor union locals, contributing in the range of $1,000 each. The 107th is one of the more unique districts in the state, spanning across the Mackinac Bridge. "It's a huge district. It's 5,000 square miles," said Shackleton. "There are communities that are vastly different from one another, in terms of demographics and how they look. But my experience has been, when you go door-to-door, when you talk to people, they are all northern Michigan folks, and they all care about the same issues." McDowell said his environmental goals include to bring back strong local advisory boards, reconnect the departments of natural resources and environmental quality, and provide more and better enforcement of existing environmental laws before adding new ones. Shackleton supported his record in the state House since his election in 1998, including the 34 percent increase in the amount of state funding returning to the region. "I've taken on a lot of fights on behalf of Northern Michigan - declining enrollment in schools, transportation funding, banning directional drilling under the Great Lakes was my legislation," he said. "I think my batting average is very good. I don't win them all, but I always try." Keith Matheny is the reporter for Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties. He can be reached at (231) 536-0345, or at tcre_keith@yahoo.com |
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