Candidate Profile: Barb Anness For State House

Barb Anness, a Rochester Hills resident is running for State House District 45.

Age: 53
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:Husband, Tim, and two children Meridith and Wyatt.
Occupation:Small Business Owner (Graphic Designer) - 29 years
Previous elected experience:Trustee, Rochester Community School Board (current) Oakland County School Board Association Government Affairs Committee (current)
Michigan PTA Federal Legislative Chair (current)
Oakland University College of Arts and Sciences Ambassador
Family members in government:NO
Campaign website: https://www.barbanness.com/

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
Our world and Greater Rochester, by extension, are overwhelmed with the effects of the global pandemic from COVID-19. Protecting small businesses, jobs, and the people who have been most affected by this new normal are my top priorities. We must also not lose sight of the issues we faced before COVID as they are more critical than ever. Ensuring our public schools are adequately funded, expanding healthcare, and fixing our infrastructure, besides roads, also includes safe drinkable water and expanding internet connectivity (now more important than ever) and protecting our environment.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
My values. Plain and simple. I will always place a high value on funding public school education, the cornerstone of any successful society, state, or community. I believe that public tax dollars should stay invested in public education and not be diverted for private or religious school choice. I will always value inclusion, diversity, and expansion of the Elliott Larsen Act to include LGBTQ+ individuals, a position that my competitor, as a Rochester Hills City Council member, outright rejected. There is no excuse for denying people civil rights based on whom they love or how they identify. I value our environment and believe climate change is real. Water is a human right, and people are entitled to safe, drinkable water.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
For almost twenty (20) years, I have made supporting Greater Rochester families a top priority. I have done this through years of advocacy at the local, state, and national levels; as a Trustee with the Rochester Community School Board, the Michigan PTA Federal Legislative Chair, and as a community member. These roles brought me to Lansing and Washington, D.C., where I met with our state and congressional leaders to advocate for Michigan families' best educational needs.
Before my school board service, I was part of a citizen's committee that successfully passed a millage renewal and a bond for the Rochester Community Schools district. By doing so, monies for much-needed building and technology improvements were made available, without tapping into general fund dollars earmarked for kids in the classroom.
In these roles, I have seen firsthand the positive outcomes when we support our kids in schools, and how kids with learning differences and special needs deserve that support. If we say we value our schools, we need to put funding into our schools and fiercely protect those budgets. As a decade-long volunteer for the OPC's Meals on Wheels program, I also see first-hand the homebound seniors throughout greater Rochester, which gives me direct insight and perspective into their needs. These involvements in my community will help me bring a collaborative, transparent, and civil voice to Lansing.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
We must ensure that small business bounces back stronger than ever. I propose implementing low to no interest rate loans to businesses affected by the shutdown or to those unable to operate due to the virus. Tax credits should also be implemented to help companies pay employees to reduce job losses.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
We all want to feel safe in our homes, and that's what good governance should be. I strongly believe in investing in public safety and supporting the police. I also think police officers are being asked to do many things that other professionals (like drug recovery and mental health experts) should do, so police can do the work they are trained to do. We must adopt measures to reduce the needless escalation of conflict between residents and police officers and re-imagine public safety as a service that prioritizes caring for all people's needs in our communities. By listening to understand and teaching about the complex history of racial injustice in our country, perhaps all communities throughout our state and nation can reflect the peace and safety we all seek for our own families and households.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
Protecting our environment is critical to Michigan and our local community here in greater Rochester. My opponent supported fracking in densely populated, suburban Rochester Hills. Our natural environment must be protected locally and not fracked or drilled. The acceptability of fracking speaks to a larger issue of values. We need candidates that understand the impact of climate change along the shores of our Great Lakes and its effects on our infrastructure, with higher water levels and damage to communities, and will do everything in their power to protect it.
I would support the Clean Michigan Initiative (or CMI2), which would provide $1.5 billion in funding for water infrastructure, including wastewater treatment, water, and storm water infrastructure, lead remediation, replacement of lead pipes, and clean-up of polluted sites.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I learned the value of empathy young, growing up facing many of the issues that families struggle with: illness -- both mental and physical, divorce, and the challenges of a single-parent household. The ability to see others' perspectives, collaborate, and understand from similar experiences what those needs are is part of good governance.