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Bill Matt
Lansing City Council, Ward 3
Bill, a member of the Lansing City Council, is a great voice for working families in Michigan. He is running for reelection this fall.
Bill's website
Here are his answers to our questionaire:
Why are you seeking office?: To represent my neighbors and provide leadership for the city.
What qualifies you to represent working families?: Full time employed married father of three.
What are the main issues affecting the people you would represent?: Older housing stock and poor public schools are driving families to the subburbs, straining our revenue and threatening services.
What is your position on the “Right to Work” issue?: Union shops should be allowed to collect dues from employees whether the employee joins the union or not. The employee benefits from collective bargaining and this law weakens unions bargaining leverage.
Do you feel government entities should change zoning laws to accommodate big
block retailers like Wal-Mart? If "like Wal-mart" you mean non union shops, then no. In Michigan we do have a similar "Big Box" store Meijer which allows employees to organize, and they would be welcomed.
How would you use your position to address America's health care crisis?
Universal National Health care subsidized by the Federal Government should be implemented to cover all Americans and help keep us globally competitive.
What is your position on living wage ordinances? Should be required by all municiple governments.
What is your position on trade agreements like NAFTA, CAFTA and the WTO?
Sounds like they hurt our manufacturing as some jobs are lost to cheaper labor markets like Mexico, though I'm not an expert on the subject.
Tony Trupiano, Candidate for U.S. Congress (MI-11)
Tony
was unsuccessful in his 2006 bid to overtake the Republican incumbent
in last year's elections. He is still stumping hard for working
families through his radio show.
Tony
Trupiano was born in Detroit, Michigan in March of 1961 the grandson of
Italian immigrants who initially settled in Milford, Michigan in the
early 1900’s. Tony’s connection to Michigan’s 11th Congressional
District not only has history but geography on his side. Tony is a
1980 graduate of Lakeland High School in Milford, Michigan, where he
and his one brother (deceased) and three sisters were raised. As a
small business owner Tony successfully ran and operated two
restaurants, one in Pontiac, Michigan and one in Waterford, Michigan.
In
1990 Tony married his wife Anne, and by 1993 was enjoying raising their
children Christopher (23), Anthony (15), and Dominic (12). Tony’s son
Christopher recently received an honorable discharge from the United
States Navy and currently serves in the Naval Reserves. In 1995 the
Trupiano family moved to Dearborn Heights, Michigan where Tony’s career
began to transition from the owner of a small Public Relations firm
into his most recent career as a nationally syndicated radio show
host.
Over the course of the last decade, Tony enjoyed
considerable success as a national morning show host, moving into
overnights in 1998. Tony’s evolution into political talk was
solidified on September 11, 2001 when his then employer, Boston-based
Talk America Radio Network, called upon him to host a marathon nine
hour live radio broadcast. From that point on Tony has dedicated every
single hour of his program to the fundamental ideas and truths of the
Democratic Party and his values as a passionate Progressive.
Tony
is considered by many to be the voice of the middle class and his
reputation is well known as the voice for labor. Whether taking his
show to cover unfair labor practices or walking the picket line or
sitting at the negotiation table as a member of organized labor, Tony
has and always will believe that the only safety net between the middle
class and poverty is unions; a relationship that must be protected and
strengthened.
Tony’s activism came of age while he was a
student at Alma College in the early 1980’s. Through his leadership
Tony has left a permanent mark as he successfully lobbied the college
administration to computerize the student newspaper, an investment that
pays dividends to this day. Under Tony’s leadership while a student at
Alma College, a social revolution took place on campus as he and six of
his classmates in a protest over hazing by fraternities and sororities
founded the Sigma Cha fraternity, where Tony was elected as its
Founding President. As a result the Greek system at Alma College
adopted new rules and regulations for acceptable behavior, and the
values that Tony and his founding fraternity brothers instilled on
campus have created the strongest fraternity on Alma’s campus today.
While
serving as the elected president of Alma’s Student Congress Tony, along
with a select group of students, rewrote the constitution and bylaws of
student governance at Alma College. That document guides Alma students
to this day. As a student member of the Alma College Board of
Trustees, Tony served along with such great American’s as ABC newsman
Ted Koppel and award winning musician George Shearing.
From
1985 until 1992, Tony was the owner/operator of two restaurants in
Oakland County, Michigan. While serving this community, Tony was
appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the North
Oakland Medical Center. In addition to this civic duty, Tony was
active with many community groups for underprivileged children. In
1993, Tony was also appointed (state appointment) to the Oakland County
Foster Care Review Board (a Board that determined if children in Foster
Care should be returned to the homes they were removed from). Tony
sold both restaurants to concentrate his efforts on his Public
Relations firm, and to spend more time with his growing family.
Tony was also the Drama Director at his High School alma matter, Lakeland High School, for two years.
As
a public speaker, Tony has spoken to many diverse groups and
organizations. His motivational message has moved many people to
become more personally engaged in society, and have moved many to
social and political activism as well.
Through Tony’s work on
the radio, his guest list is a “Who’s Who” of pop culture and the
political arena. Comfortable talking any issue, Tony has been credited
with making the most difficult issues understandable to everyone.
Never afraid of asking the tough questions and demanding answers, Tony
has helped shape the public debate on issues for over a decade.
Passionate about Health Care, Labor, Education, Civil Rights, Senior
issues, Social Security (hands off, thank you!) and many others issues,
Tony’s voice provides leadership and authority.
As a moderator
of many Town Hall Meetings and as a participant as well, Tony’s
progressive ideas have helped bridge the gap between myth and fact as
it relates to the political arena. Clearly willing to explore all
sides of an issue, Tony prides himself on independence, while embracing
Democratic ideas.
Tony’s Progressive voice has also seen him
appear on many radio shows as a guest, and his commentary and opinions
have been sought after by news organizations like Fox News.
Tony Trupiano is the author of two books, The Best Deals in America Today (1995, out of print) and The Emancipation of Thomas J. Everyman: Ten Step to Discovering Your Personal Power (2002, Author House http://www.1stBooks.com/bookview/10116).
Tony
believes the Congressional race in Michigan’s 11th District is not just
about this District, but about a bigger battle: the battle for
America. As Tony prepares for his battle, it is important you
understand that this is your battle, too.
Tony's webpage
Feel free to contact Tony with your ideas and issues at tony@tony4congress2006.com.