Candidate Profile: Jody LaMacchia For State House

Jody LaMacchia, a Oxford resident is running for State House District 46.

Age: 48
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:wife, Samantha LaMacchia, 49; son, Cameron, 17
Occupation:Custody and parenting time specialist, 19 years
Previous elected experience:Precinct Delegate
Family members in government:my parents retired from the state. My dad worked for MDOT and my mom retired from MSP. I work for Oakland County.
Campaign website: https://jody2020.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
I believe the single most pressing issue facing Michigan and, in fact, our county, is the divisiveness and polarization in our government. We face many challenges. Education is underfunded, infrastructure is crumbling and people are struggling to afford their healthcare and prescription drugs. These challenges require legislators who can negotiate, compromise and find common ground to get things done.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
My opponent is an extremist. He is anti-government, anti-science, and unknown by most residents in the 46th other than his most ardent supporters. I believe in good government and listening to the experts, doing your homework when voting on an issue and being engaged in the community you represent. Most importantly, I believe in working together with Republicans and viewing each other as Americans and neighbors not adversaries.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I have spent the last 19 years at Oakland County working with parents involved in high-conflict custody and parenting time disputes, sometimes in the thick of their divorce. I help them to find common ground and resolutions to their disagreements regarding their children so that they don't have to spend a lot of time and money fighting in court. If I can help parents agree at the worst time in their lives, I believe I can bring this skill of negotiation and common sense to Lansing where it is desperately needed.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
I think the most important thing we can do as a state government is ensure people are taking this pandemic seriously. Too many elected officials are not treating this deadly disease with the gravity it deserves. Our businesses will not grow and thrive if everyone is sick. The economy and this pandemic are intricately entwined. We need to conquer this crisis for the health of our people, our economy and our small businesses.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
I believe that we can support law enforcement and fight for racial justice at the same time. The majority of police officers wear the badge for the right reasons, to serve and protect. It benefits everyone, including our law enforcement, to have training in de-escalation and anti-bias. There is no downside to this. I also believe we have to break the school to prison pipeline by nurturing healthy communities, universal pre-k, community policing, creating good paying jobs, affordable healthcare and prescription drugs. We need to ensure fairness and equality in sentencing and give people trapped in the web of addiction alternatives that benefit them and society such as drug courts and treatment instead of jail.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
I believe we need to invest in public education and our kids and teachers. We need to fix our crumbling roads, bridges, sewers, damns. Businesses want to invest in states that invest in themselves and are desirable places to live and work. We need to ensure that people can have a good job that puts food on their tables and a roof over their heads and don't have to worry about prescription drugs or healthcare costs wiping out everything they've worked so hard for.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
My entire education and career has been focused on helping people suffering from addiction, people who have had their children removed, children removed from their parents, children caught in an abusive living arrangement, parents going through the worst time of their lives and fighting over their children. People have always been my focus. They will continue to be my focus if I have the honor of representing the 46th district. I will be a voice to the people of my district and I will be accessible and show up.