8 MiMfg Magazine January 2017
Q
& Conversations A Key
Interview with Speaker of the House Tom Leonard
Q : Tell us about your background and what led you to aspire to the role of Speaker of the House ?
Speaker Leonard : I began my career as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Flint and later as an assistant attorney general . Those positions gave me an opportunity to experience the challenges many people face every day and the way public servants can stand up and make a difference . I then ran for state representative and have spent the past two years on the current leadership team in the House , which allows me to see how the speaker can have a unique positive impact on the work we do in the Legislature and on the future of our state . This will be a demanding and challenging role to take on , but I believe I can lead this chamber and help us all make the most of our opportunities .
Q : What are some of the top priority issues and challenges you plan to work on during the 2017-2018 Legislative Session ?
Speaker Leonard : The No 1 issue among Michigan residents is still job creation and personal income growth , and that needs to remain our priority in the state Legislature . Michigan has made incredible progress in this area , with hundreds of thousands of new jobs and income growth that is leading the Midwest and among the fastest in the nation . We are moving in the right direction but there is still more we can do to make hiring easier for job creators and create an even better environment for growth in Michigan .
Two other areas that have long been important to me are mental health and vocational education . We simply must make improvements in these areas to
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Speaker of the House Tom Leonard ( R-Dewitt )
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First elected to serve Michigan ’ s 93rd District in November 2012 .
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Previously served as assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan
provide critical services to Michiganders in need and provide opportunities to our next generation . These are two issues that I ’ ve been working on in previous terms and that I will continue to work on as the speaker of the House .
Q : How do you plan to continue the bolstering of Michigan ’ s manufacturing-driven economy ?
Speaker Leonard : Michigan manufacturers can fight and win , as long as we prevent foolish barriers to success . For many years , overzealous government regulation trying to shape our economy threatened our state ’ s long manufacturing tradition and the jobs of thousands of Michigan families . In the past few years , we have gone the other way to open up opportunities , lower taxes and remove harmful regulatory burdens . This is the right approach , and it is something we need to continue .
Personal Property Tax reform was a major help to many Michigan manufacturers beginning last year and this is a great example to follow . PPT was a long overdue reform that made smart , modern changes to our old tax code . Going forward , reforms to vocational education can provide the talent base Michigan needs to remain the world ’ s manufacturing leader by embracing its own smarter , more modern changes . We need to find a better way to promote skills that will literally build the 21st century economy . 6
Michigan manufacturers can fight and win , as long as we prevent foolish barriers to success . For many years , overzealous government regulation trying to shape our economy threatened our state ’ s long manufacturing tradition and the jobs of thousands of Michigan families . In the past few years , we have gone the other way to open up opportunities , lower taxes and remove harmful regulatory burdens . This is the
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right approach , and it is something we need to continue .