Candidate Profile: Jeffrey D. Pepper, MI 15th House District

DEARBORN, MI — Jeffrey D. Pepper is a Democrat running for Dearborn's open seat to the state house. The seat became vacant after former state representative Abdullah Hammoud was elected as mayor of Dearborn.

The special election's primary will be held on March 1 and the general election for the seat will be held on May 1.

Here is how Jeffrey D. Pepper filled out his candidate profile:

Age (as of Election Day)

69

Position sought

State House of Representatives

District number, if applicable (i.e., 3rd District, 10th District, etc.)

15th

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

(Wife) Cynthia Pepper; (children) Bethany (Dan) Caldarona, Patrick (Angela) Pepper, Jeff, Greg (all of Dearborn) and Mike (Seattle); (grandchildren) Sophia and Nick Caldarona and Jameson and Julia Pepper.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Cynthia is the Human Resources Director for the City of Dearborn.

Education

Lindbergh Elementary(1964), Adams Jr. High(1967), Dearborn High School (1970); BA, Communications, Michigan State University (1974); JD, Wayne State University Law School (1977).

Occupation

Attorney/ Mediator (Pepper Law and Mediation Center) 45 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None.

Campaign website

pepforrep.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

There is a vacancy. I am offering to fill it. Dearborn has given and provided me much and and to Dearborn, much is owed. Giving back to my community is what I have done throughout my life and I am not done yet.

The single most pressing issue facing our (state, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it:

The "single most pressing issue," in my opinion, changes. Almost daily. There are macro policy issues, like climate change, which will always be singularly pressing and require urgent forward thinking policies. But "pressing" meaning immediate action required? On May 18th 2020, Governor Whitmer entered an Executive Order re-opening COVID-shut down retail, restaurants and businesses to address a pressing need. The next day, two dams fail in mid-Michigan, emptying three lakes, causing $200 million+ in damage and, Boom! There's a new, unexpected pressing need. 9/10 was a way different day than 9/11. The point is, pressing needs change. We need to elect smart representatives who have the agility, experience and wisdom to assess and respond to pressing needs as they arise and do so with a cool head. One day in Dearborn, reckless driving is the big thing. The next day, everybody's basements are flooded. We need steady hands on the controls. I think the most pressing need now - and always - is to improve the caliber of our elected officials. It starts here in Dearborn. With me.

As to policy specific issues, see answers below.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Okay, but only because you asked.

It is not my opponent's fault that he is 22 years old, nor is it mine. I will state the obvious. He is a college student whose life experiences are those of a college student. His Linkedin profile reveals he has held six different short term internships/jobs as a political operative or campaign worker since he was 16 years old. I'm sure these each have been learning opportunities and experiences and he is better for them. He is a bright, serious, articulate young man and he has the energy and passion of someone his age. I like him.

We are applying and competing to become your state representative in Lansing, where the the agendas are big and the egos even bigger. You will compare our resumes and will hire one of us to jump into that fray. I think one of the resumes is a little thin compared to the other.

I have been representing people, helping people, influencing people, reading law, understanding law, arguing law, bridging division, negotiating resolution, achieving common ground from competing interests and consensus among opposites---all these things, thousands of times during my lengthy and still active law and mediation career. I've got real, varied and deep experience. Life experience. Professional experience. Social experience. Community experience. Raising a family experience. Caring for elderly parent experience. Building a business experience. Decades of developing relationships experience. I've experienced great joy and have been challenged by hardship. It is said that wisdom and good judgment come from experience, the kind you get by doing, not by reading. I believe this to be true.

Thus, when I go to Lansing to legislate with people of similar or different politics, backgrounds, values and priorities, I do so knowing that I can work with them from whatever walks of life they come, and that I bring the wisdom and judgment that only depth of experience can provide. They're not going to be sending me out to get the doughnuts.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Not applicable.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

1. Rebuilding Our Infrastructure
Nearly 20,000 of the 35,000 homes in Dearborn suffered some kind of flooding this past summer, many catastrophically. The failings that led to this must be addressed with urgency. Our roads, schools and parks, including Camp Dearborn, also have needs.

Securing Our Schools
To help prevent tragedies like the Oxford school shooting, Jeff will advocate for sensible gun regulations, while balancing this imperative against the simple truth that the right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment.

Repealing the Snyder Pension Tax
Taxing senior citizens’ retirement/pension distributions was a bad idea when it became law in 2011 and remains so today. Jeff would seek to protect our most vulnerable population by treating all pension/retirement distributions for Michiganders 65 or older as non-taxable income like Military, National Guard and Railroad pensions.

Strengthening Our Democracy
Anti-democratic factions across the US are attempting to undermine democracy and sabotage electoral processes to ensure minority control. This threat is a clear and present danger to democratic self-governance and these efforts must be defeated.

Electrifying Our Economy
The future is electric and the state that put the world on wheels last century must move aggressively to secure the kind of clean-energy business investments that will create good-paying jobs, improve environmental conditions, and maintain Michigan’s status as a leader in innovation in the 21st century and beyond.

Building Climate Resilience
As the effects of climate change become more apparent daily, we must build more resilience into our society. While government has an important role to play in updating infrastructure, it must also invest in risk reduction measures that will help lessen the impact of future hazards — things like early-warning systems, enhanced First Responder capabilities, and incentive programs to help businesses and individuals protect themselves and their livelihoods from extreme weather events

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Successfully persuaded a smart and beautiful human being to be my wife. Successfully raised five most excellent children. Successfully built a thriving law practice from ground up. Successfully guided thousands of clients through the daunting web of law and procedure to just results. Successfully built the largest private mediation practice serving the busiest division of the Wayne County Circuit Court. Successfully helped parties on opposite sides of the table come together and resolve their differences in thousands of mediations. Successfully served my community in leadership roles on dozens of philanthropic, civic, professional and activist boards over five decades.The name of the office, state representative, reflects what I have done for 45 years: represent people and serve them. I deal with the laws that the legislature has written. I advocate as a matter of daily practice. I am experienced at "reaching across the aisle" to resolve differences. I bring a skill set that matches up perfectly with what a state representative does. I know how to get things done. This is not a promise. It is a fact. It is what I do. Every. Single. Day.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I think I can.