Macomb County is a battleground state in a battleground state where local issues, including a contentious school board election and a battle for control of the county commission, can defy partisanship.
Former Republican President Donald Trump won the state’s third-most populous county twice, but Mark Hackel has held the seat for 12 years and won at least 65 percent of the vote in the past three elections. Hackel now faces Republican challenger Nicole Brandenburg of Macomb Township, a former county commissioner.
Republicans hold a 7-6 majority on the county commission for newly created districts approved by a 4-1 Republican board in 2021. The lawsuit ws filed by former Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer after the new district map was approved to challenge the process.
According to the decision of the Michigan Court of Appeals in January, the adopted plan does not divide cities and towns more than the rejected plan of the Democrats, and the included divisions meet the standards of state law and appear to be necessary to meet the needs of the population for each district.
The Michigan GOP recognizes a new chairman in Macomb County as the race heats up
Most of the current commissioners are on the ballot again, except for Democrats Veronica Klinefelt and Julie Matuzak, who are running for other state positions. Republican Commissioner Jeff Farrington lost the primary to Sylvia Groth, the wife of prominent Shelby Republican staffer Stan Groth, who has been embroiled in political controversy in recent years.
There are no Democratic candidates in the new 7th Commission District.
Macomb County Democratic Leader Ed Bruley said the new lines were drawn in favor of Republicans, but there is a chance the commission could win a Democratic majority. Until 2020, Republicans have never held a majority on the commission.
“It really depends on which voters get out there and vote. There are a lot of close elections and voter turnout is going to be key,” Bruley said. “As a local candidate, you depend on the candidates who are at the top of the ballot because they encourage or don’t encourage their people to get out.”
‘We all hate each other’: Lucido-Hackel battle rocks Macomb County government
Macomb County Republican Chairman Mark Forton said Republicans are set to maintain a majority on the commission. He noted that although southern Macomb County, closer to Detroit, has voted blue in the past, the GOP has made gains there, resulting in a 2020 commission majority.
“We don’t believe it’s Democratic like we’ve been taught all these years. I think the people are mostly Democrats, but they’re also Americans,” Forton said of the southern edge of the county. “It’s not the left hand thing for them to go around screaming and trying to cut our daughters and sons.”
Macomb County residents face two ballot propositions and a variety of local ballot propositions. Buses are an important issue on the ballot as voters will decide whether they want to continue funding and providing access to Metro Detroit’s commuter bus system.
County commissioners approved the Suburban Mobile Regional Transportation Authority, or SMART 0.95, mill upgrade this summer by a 7-6 vote, after several residents spoke out against the bus system, noting that they are for those who those who do not have access are important. cars or people living with disabilities.
“As a disabled person, I rely on public transport to get everywhere. I don’t drive a car. I can’t drive myself,” Eastpointe resident Dawn Hammontree said at the July 14 council meeting. “Taking away that right is my highest ability and it’s disenfranchising a marginalized community.”
Macomb County voters narrowly approved the 2018 election by 39 votes.
Macomb does not allow local municipalities to opt out of paying taxes to SMART, something Oakland County allows but is trying to ban under its redistricting proposal. In March, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved a motion to withdraw from SMART.
Township Treasurer Leon Drolet noted that the SMART buses do not actually serve the township because there is no bus stop in the township.
“When I looked at what our residents paid for the SMART bus tax last year, it was $3.8 million. Our township spent about $3.1 million on road projects and sidewalk projects last year,” Drolet said at the March board meeting. “Our residents pay more for Smart Bus service than they do for sidewalks. They pay more for Parks. and they pay entertainment. It’s a huge amount.”
Another statewide ballot proposition asks voters whether to keep the 0.069 mill property tax for veterans services, which would cost residents 6.9 cents per $1,000 of taxable value.
The city of Memphis is asking voters if they want to ban all adult-use marijuana establishments, including growers, processors and sellers within the city. Chesterfield Township will vote on setting the number of marijuana businesses in the township.
Harrison Township voters will vote on whether to pay an average of $30 more each year for the Harrison Library to make improvements such as extended hours, technology upgrades and staff hires to support early childhood literacy.
Several school districts are waiting on voters to approve borrowing for certain projects.
For voters in the Macomb High School District, there is a bond proposal of up to $97.5 million that, if approved, would allow the district to borrow money for special education construction projects. The district will use the funds to build special education buildings as well as renovate existing educational infrastructure to better meet the needs of students with disabilities such as autism and cerebral palsy.
The Anchor Bay School District plans to spend no more than $169.3 million on renovations and improvements. Armada Area Schools is seeking no more than $26.5 million.
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