10/26/2006

Two vie for 107th seat

Incumbent is a Democrat; foe is from Petoskey

By CRAIG McCOOL

mccoolrecordeagle@sbcglobal.net

Duggan

Mcdowell

PETOSKEY — It's an incumbent with years of public service experience versus a newcomer in the race for 107th district House of Representatives race.

In a debate this week at Petoskey High School, Democrat Gary McDowell touted his years of service, first as a longtime Chippewa County commissioner and, for the past two years, as a state lawmaker.

Republican challenger Jay Duggan, a financial adviser and Petoskey resident, described himself as a "change candidate" to a crowd of students and community members.

"I'm glad I don't have a bunch of government experience," Duggan said. "I don't want to be a politician."

The questions, drafted by students, focused on the three Es: education, the environment and the economy. The 107th covers Emmet, Chippewa, Mackinac and parts of Cheboygan counties.

McDowell cited last year's 21st Century Jobs Fund, a $2 billion statewide grants program for high tech startups, as a way to get the state's flagging economy back on track. He also said recent efforts to promote tourism in northern Michigan are crucial to the region's economic future.

"This is money that we're spending (on tourism advertising) that we're seeing an economic return on almost immediately, that brings tourists up to northern Michigan," said McDowell, 54, of recent advertising efforts.

Duggan, 39, called for lower taxes and fewer regulations on business owners.

"We're chasing businesses out of the state because Indiana or Ohio have more competitive, business-friendly environments," he said.

On education, Duggan said government "needs to tighten the belt" to find more funding for schools.

McDowell said lawmakers should reexamine Proposal A and said too many companies have education tax exemptions under the law.

"Maybe that made sense 10 years ago" when Proposal A was a new law, McDowell said. "But things have changed in 10 years, and we need to take another look."

McDowell said northern Michigan's expanse of open spaces provided a "great opportunity" for ethanol and biofuel production.

"It would put our people to work ... and we wouldn't be relying on foreign countries for oil," he said.

Duggan said he believed fuel cell technology to be a better investment.

"Fuel cells is where companies are investing their dollars, so I look at that as probably a better investment long-term," he said.