Candidate Profile: Vicki Barnett, Farmington Area MI Senate

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI — Farmington Hills Mayor Vicki Barnett is running for the Michigan State Senate in a district that includes the Farmington Hills area. The Michigan primary elections are on Aug. 2.

Here's how she filled out her candidate profile:

Name

Vicki Barnett

Campaign website

https://www.VickiForStateSenat...

City or town of residence

Farmington Hills, MI

Office sought

Michigan State Senate

District, if applicable

6th

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

MBA from University of Michigan -Dearborn, 1991

Occupation

Mayor, Farmington Hills, MI, 7 years

Family

Married to Mark Steckloff for 41 years; daughter Samantha Steckloff (Brandon Sundheimer); son Jordan Steckloff (Holly Hopkins) and 1 year old grandson Leaf Steckloff

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Samantha Steckloff, State Representative

Age

68

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Mayor of Farmington Hills, 2019-Present
State Representative and Democratic Whip, 2009-2014
Mayor of Farmington Hills, 2003-2007
Farmington Hills City Council Member, 1995-2003

Why are you seeking this office?

The new 6th State Senate District includes all of Farmington and Redford Township, most of Farmington Hills and Livonia and Northwest Detroit. The common thread throughout the new 6th District is aging infrastructure, access to quality and affordable health care (including reproductive health services) and expanding our public education system to include pre-kindergarten through college/job-training. As the most experienced candidate in the race – having served as a City Council Member, Mayor and State Representative -- I have extensive knowledge of the political process, numerous contacts and good relationships with current legislators and lobbyists and know how to work across the aisle to solve Michigan’s problems.
<b>Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>

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

Knowledge, experience and integrity. I am the most experienced candidate in the race – having served successfully and with complete integrity as a City Council Member (1995-2003), Mayor (2003-2007 and 2019-Present) and State Representative (2009-2014). I have extensive knowledge of the political process and Michigan law, numerous contacts and good relationships with current legislators and executive branch staff. I have served in both the majority and minority, was Democratic Whip in the House, and have the respect of sitting Senators. I can use my knowledge, relationships and experience to bring attention to and address the problems of the District (and the State).
Finally, I have always been in politics for the “right” reasons – to improve the lives of my constituents. Special interests know this. I have served for almost three decades in elected office without the slightest whiff of scandal or corruption. Indeed, according to a 2011 Detroit Free Press study of all of the 148 State Representatives and Senators in Lansing (https://www.newspapers.com/image/118492312/?terms=lobbyists&match=1), I accepted the FEWEST lobbyist gifts and “freebies” (namely, $1.79 for a cup of coffee) over the six-month period studied. Meanwhile, many of my colleagues received over $10,000 in reportable gifts over the same period.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I am running for a newly created open seat.

Do you think the federal government can or should do more to curb inflation, which has led to an increase in prices for food, gas and other goods?

Yes. While prices are rising, corporations are reporting excessive profits. Congress must act to end price gouging and lower the price of prescription drugs.
At the state level, our Legislature can ease the burden of inflation by increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit and by eliminating the pension tax on retirees.

Do you support changing the state’s constitution to ensure that women have to right to get an abortion?

Yes.

Do you support the Raise the Wage ballot initiative, which would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027 and provide cost-of-living increases in later years?

Yes. No one who works full time should be living in poverty. Michigan currently has several minimum wages in effect: $9.87 an hour for adult workers; $8.39 an hour (85% of adult minimum wage) for minors aged 16 and 17 increases; $3.75 an hour for tipped employees; and a

training wage of $4.25 an hour for newly hired employees ages 16 to 19 for their first 90 days of employment.

Would you support an election initiative to require another audit of the 2020 presidential election, to transfer authority over the audit from the Secretary of State to a newly created auditing panel, and to change how elections are reviewed in the future?

No.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

1. Improve our public education system: I will work to fund universal pre-k through associates/advanced training degrees; reduce class size to 20 students; limit chartering and oversight of charter schools to State Board of Education; provide funding to upgrade school facilities in struggling districts and increase access to ESL and literacy programs. Moreover, we need to proactively fill the gaps in American History education to address the historic realities for, and contributions of, African-American, Latino, Indigenous, Asian and other communities.
2. As many businesses struggle to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, minority owned small business have been disproportionately impacted. According to a study by the University of Michigan, Black business owners and entrepreneurs received less assistance from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) than non-Black businesses. This inequality is mirrored in grants and other support offered to small businesses in general. Access to loans and other support is much more difficult for Black business owners and there are no indications that this situation is improving. We can reverse this trend by actively supporting our Black and minority owned business by:
-- Requiring a percentage of our state’s purchasing of goods and services to be spent on good and services purchased from Black and minority owned businesses.
-- Ensuring that government agencies and departments facilitate loans and grants for Black and minority owned businesses.
-- The MEDC should create a Black and minority business incubator to assist in entrepreneurial business development.

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

My years of elected service at several levels of government demonstrates I have earned to trust of my constituents. I have been able to work with members of all parties to pass anti-human trafficking legislation, cottage food industry bills (which allow people to produce and sell products at farmers markets), outlawing puppy mills in Michigan and creating intra-state stock exchanges to assist entrepreneurial business development. For my efforts on behalf of public safety, I was named "Legislator of the Year" by the Police Officers Association of Michigan in 2011.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My Dad always told me rules for life:
1. Have integrity -- only you can destroy your good name so protect it.
2. Be careful not to step on anyone as you climb the ladder of success because you may need them to grab you should you fall.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

• Proudly endorsed by the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters, Police Officers Association of Michigan, SEIU, Plumbers & Pipefitters, Planned Parenthood, and MI List.
• I helped save contract arbitration (Act 314) for police and firefighters.
• Fought hard against so-called Right to Work laws.
• I know business and business development well. I have an MBA from the University of Michigan (Dearborn), was a financial advisor (with LPL Financial Services), was Chair of the House Commerce Committee, Vice-Chair of Tax Policy, Democratic Whip and introduced benefit corporations in Michigan.
• I was Chair of the former 11th Congressional District Democratic Party, which covered large portions of Oakland and Wayne Counties.