In preparation for the midterm elections, The Michigan Daily sat down with the candidates for the Michigan State Senate for district 14 to talk about their background, previous experiences and goals for the upcoming term. The contested election will take place between Democrat Sue Shink and Republican Tom Golding. The winner will serve a four year term starting on Jan. 1. Golding did not respond in time for publication.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Sue Shink
The Michigan Daily: What are you running for and where are you from?
Sue Shink: My name is Sue Shink and I’m running for 14th District of the Michigan State Senate. I am currently Chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners.
TMD: Why are you interested in running for this position?
SS: For the last two decades, I’ve worked hard to solve problems and improve lives in our community. I am running for state senate because I know we all do better when we listen and work together.
TMD: How have your previous experiences prepared you for this position?
SS: In my many years of public and private service, I’ve learned how to listen and get work done with and for people. I currently serve as Chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners and before I was a commissioner, I served four years as a Northfield Township Trustee. I got my start in politics standing up for people and participating in community planning sessions — so speaking out about what was wrong — such as spraying trees with cancer-causing xylene or destruction of farmland and natural areas — as well as working with fellow residents to envision what was a better future for all of us, listening to everyone’s voice.
As Chair of the Board of Commissioners, I’ve dealt with every issue that has faced Washtenaw County during the last four years — COVID-19, keeping local businesses operating during the pandemic by helping them get the resources they need, increasing job opportunities in Washtenaw County, the Gelman Dioxane plume, increasing affordable housing, working to support those who experience homelessness and doing our best to get them housing and fighting climate change by getting our climate action planning process going. We’ve hosted Transgender Day of Visibility and celebrated Pride Month as well as Juneteenth for the first time. Under my leadership, our board allocated $100,000 to Planned Parenthood to keep them open when President Trump took away their Title X funding. I also worked with labor organizers to ensure that Washtenaw County pays a living wage of $15/hour. The board also took steps to increase opportunities across the county, expanding broadband to every home by 2025, starting children’s savings accounts to make it more likely and easier for students to attend trade school or college, increased access to child care and home ownership. I also serve on the Parks Commission, which operates incredible, diverse parks, including the Border2Border Trail.
TMD: Tell me about your platform. What are the most important points?
SS: I’m ready to get to work in Lansing to move our state toward a more equitable, resilient future. I will fight for abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights. I will fight climate change and support communities across our state in an equitable and just transition to a renewable future while preparing for severe weather. I will fight for fair wages, safe working conditions and to end “Right to Work,” which has gutted worker rights. I will seek to create good paying jobs so that everyone can enjoy a high quality of life and achieve their fullest potential. I will protect the environment so that every Michigander has clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. I will work to boost access to physical and mental health care, especially for young people who often have to wait months for help, even when they are experiencing a crisis. I will invest in public schools and work to reduce University tuition and explore tuition forgiveness, especially for those who enter public service.
TMD: Is there anything you want to say to college students?
SS: I’d love for students to reach out to me to let me know what is important to you! My email is votesueshink@gmail.com and my phone number is (734) 709-6223.
TMD: Why should students vote for you?
SS: I am working toward a vibrant and inclusive future that provides more opportunities for everyone. We’ve seen here in Washtenaw County that working together to understand and address problems and work toward making things better for everyone really works.
Daily News Reporter Brooke Halak can be reached at bhalak@umich.edu