Candidate Questionnaire for the 89th
​​District Michigan House of Representatives
Name: _____Tim Meyer______________________________
Employer: ___Owner – Rock n Road Cycle_______________________________
*Please feel free to attach a separate sheet if the space provided is not sufficient.
General:
1. Why are you running for office?
We can do better passing meaningful legislation in Lansing. I’ve worked with Ottawa County
Townships, Road Commission locally and I’d like to do that in the state house.
2. What qualifications/experience do you feel you possess that will enable you to fulfill the
responsibilities of the elected office you are seeking?
Working with local governments, boards, commissions for projects including paved shoulders on
Lakeshore Drive, twice making that happen in the face of huge obstacles. Two terms on CBDDA
Board
3. Have you ever run for political office before? If yes, please explain.
Grand Haven School Board
4. With all the challenges currently facing our State and Nation, what skills would make you the best
candidate to represent Northwest Ottawa County?
State QuestionnairePage 1 Proven ability to work with people across party lines, bringing in additional points of view in order
to cooperate and agree on solutions.
5. If elected, what would be your top priorities and why?
Fund roads from gas taxes instead of “unspecified budget cuts” in order to save education and
fully fund roads providing jobs and educating our state’s future workforce.
Economic Development and General Policy:
1.
Please describe your general economic development philosophy for our State and Northwest
​
Ottawa County?
I’ve successfully owned and operated a growing business here for over 30 years. It’s a growing area
that attracts a variety of successful people. We must continue to support our parks, roads,
infrastructure, services and schools here and across our state as well.
2.
What is your tax policy in regards to spurring economic development?
Restore gas tax revenue lost through higher mileage vehicles to fund roads instead of robbing the
education budget. Economic development requires a skilled educated workforce, not empty
political promises about lower taxes.
3. How would you address the perception of over-regulation of business by government? Please give
specifics.
I’ve run retail stores for over 30 years, been a landlord of over 20 units for decades, and, do not
know of a place in the world where I’d rather do business or could find less regulations, except in
places economically depressed.
4.
How would you address and resolve the challenges our small businesses and entrepreneurs are
facing in securing and retaining financing of their businesses working capital and growth needs in
the current economic climate?
It’s a free market for financing. Overall interest rates are set by the FED, not state government.
State QuestionnairePage 2 5. What ideas and policies would you support to help r​
e​
build o
​ur existing​
workforce ​
as well as
attracting and retaining​
workers to assist businesses fill the many technical, skilled trades and entry
level positions that are going unfilled today?
Vocational training needs to be re-emphasized in our schools. This cannot be done by lip service of
current party in power while they reduce education expenditures.
6. Occasionally state and federal governments will reduce spending in selected areas, but necessary
programs are frequently held hostage so taxpayers either pay more in fees and/or taxes. What
would you do to consistently eliminate wasteful spending and channel those funds to important
projects like education ​
and infrastructure​
?
We have too many people in jail for one example, while politicians talk “tough on crime”, we’re
better off spending more on education, less on non-violent criminals held with minimum
sentencing.
7. With the emphasis of the last few years moving toward regionalization of Economic Development
and Workforce Development, how do you plan to insure the needs of Ottawa County , and more
specifically Northwest Ottawa County, are met.
The quality of life, schools, parks, mental health, and roads are all things which help attract and
retain a quality workforce to NW Ottawa County. I know, I came here, opened a business and retain
a quality workforce. We do this through passing millages to provide the services, and I support that.
8.
Would you support changes to term limits? If so what changes would you support?
​
House six terms, State Senate three. I strongly support those changes, even though at my age I’m
not interested in a long political career.
9.
If the post Labor Day school start legislation is passed, what impact do you feel it will have on
Michigan’s tourism industry?
Barely significant, my business is affected by tourism and I don’t see the impact.
10. What is your position on the “Pure Michigan” campaign? Do you believe funding should be
maintained, increased or decreased and why?
State QuestionnairePage 3 Well, when you poison Flint’s water, allow pipeline breaks to pollute rivers, the campaign can fall
flat. But maintain funding. Love it here.
Education:
1. What do you see as the most critical challenge facing Michigan’s educational institutions in the next
one to three years?
Further unwarranted support of charter schools to the detriment of our public system, further delay
in a complete solution to DPS and a willingness to accept education cuts in order to only
inadequately fund roads all loom to usurp our state’s education.
2. Would you change proposal A enacted in 1994? What specific method of funding would you
propose to support a quality educational system?
Local governments must get the funding from state as contained in proposal A. Fund roads with
gas tax instead of education cuts.
3.
How would you suggest the current public school system be improved or changed in order to
​
better prepare a world-class workforce, particularly a workforce possessing necessary high-tech
skills?
Vocational training targeted at jobs important to Michigan businesses. Schools must be funded in
order to teach students. Our current representative’s idea of legislating reading levels while cutting
funding for education is ludicrous.
4. School Calendars to not currently allow time for career exploration, job shadowing, internships, or
industrial arts for high school students. How would you address this issue?
Sure it does. I’ve had students working in my bide stores and in my apartments for three decades,
Many are still in the industry, running their own businesses in service or other positions.
5. Legislation is currently proposed to change the post Labor Day school start that was enacted a
number of years ago, do you support this change? If so why or why not.
Not the most important issue facing our state.
State QuestionnairePage 4 Environmental Policy:
1.
What is your philosophy regarding additional regulations, fees, and taxes as they relate to
​
environmental protection or enhancement?
Tax and subsidy as forms of public policy may be effective ways of promoting growth, protecting our
environment and quality of life and balancing our state budget.
2.
How would you suggest green space be preserved while at the same time sustaining economic
development and growth?
Preserving green space does sustain economic development and growth. Just look at the spaces in Ottawa
County that the Parks Dept. has purchased with it’s millage and the housing developments around those
areas. For example Forest Park next to Hofma Park, all the development surrounding Kirk Park. In Holland
Park Twp “suffers” from growth while Laketown Twp actually does suffer from lack of it with few parks on
Lake Michigan.
3.
Do you support incentive programs that promote Brownfield redevelopment, and/or the
revitalization of functionally obsolete or abandoned property? Why or why not?
Yes. Otherwise abandoned areas are a blight on the community.
4. How would you contribute to protecting and preserving West Michigan’s natural resources as an
elected official?
Depends what resources we’re talking about and whether they’re renewable, replaceable and what harm
impacts whom upon extraction.
5. What action/policy would you support to control invasive species of fish in the Great Lakes?
Current policies.
6. Do you agree with the way Michigan State Parks are currently funded or would you advocate for
change?
State QuestionnairePage 5 There’s a need to balance local input; Grand Haven should have greater say in how it’s park is developed
and maintained for example as it has a substantial local economic effect on the economy. Parks in general
should be individually evaluated on attendance and impact on state’s overall tourism economy, and
funded accordingly.
7. What is your position on Government’s role in providing safe, clean drinking water for the public?
That role is essential and assumed.
Transportation
1.
What is your philosophy regarding mass transit and what would you do, if elected, to incent
regional collaboration regarding mass transit?
Mass transit benefits all; less wear and tear on roads, more efficient travel times for all and greater access
and flexibility for workers to employment and employees for business. Even for tourism, rail access from
Chicago and Detroit to Holland combined with Park Twp. being included in local bus service could provide
more demand for summer housing and tourism.
2. How would you propose to insure accountability of the new transportation funding for Michigan’s
highways and bridges by the Michigan Department of Transportation?
First off there isn’t substantial “new transportation funding”. It’s insecure being based on short term
legislation which could be overturned by the constant turnover of legislators. Substantial funding needs to
be provided through a permanent gas tax which is tied to restoring lost revenue from higher mileage
vehicles and fewer miles being driven. Gas tax revenue needs to go to an earmarked fund, not general
revenue and MDOT allocates the funding to road construction and maintenance.
Tax Policy
1.
What is your position on expanded taxation (such as services) ?
Services are currently taxed as a reflection of payroll taxes. However, I’d be willing to look at that as
part of a bigger package.
Energy Policy
1.
What is your position/plan for reliable, cost effective energy for the State of Michigan?
​
State QuestionnairePage 6 While I’m generally an “environmentalist” in fairness to the overall economy and well-being of all, there
must be long term consistency in energy policy for construction and maintenance of nuclear, gas, coal,
solar wind and other alternative forms of energy production including small scale production by
homeowners and businesses.
2.
Do you support the current state position on fracking? Why or why not?
I would reduce and limit fracking to protect our “Pure Michigan” environment and reputation,
while at the same time encouraging safe gas production in order to continue to reduce long term
reliance on coal.
Please attach additional information regarding your community and business affiliations
State QuestionnairePage 7