Mark Ouimet Candidate for Michigan's 52nd House District

General Information

Name : Mark Ouimet
Age: 63
Place of residence: Scio Township

Family: Donna Hrozencik, wife; Mark (Kelli) and Courtney (Troy); 3 grandsons, Trey, Cole and Miles

Education

College

Attended college : Yes
College : Northwood University
Degree : Bachelor of Business Administration
Year of graduation :1971

Employment Information

I began my career as a bank teller in Ann Arbor, I was able to rise to president and chairman of the board. I also served as chancellor and COO of Northwood University.

Political Information

Party affiliation: Republican
Running for position: State Representative
Chamber/district: 52nd
Incumbent: yes, State Representative
First elected: 2010
Previous elective offices: State Representative- presently serving first term, Washtenaw County Commissioner- served three 2-year terms and Ann Arbor City Council Member – served two 2-year terms

Campaign Manager Name : David Pisano

URLs

Website : www.markouimet.com

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/#!/markouimet52?fref=ts

Other facts

Current public or community service:

Mott Children’s Hospital, Executive Board
Ann Arbor Spark (Economic Development Group), Past Executive Board
United Way of Washtenaw County, Past Vice-Chairman
Red Cross of Washtenaw County, Past Chairman
Ele’s Place, Past Chairman
MSU Extension 4-H
Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Chambers of Commerce, Past Chairman
Local Chambers of Commerce, member

What are three key issues that you're seeking to deal with if elected?

My top priorities continue to be jobs and the economy, education, and government reform. Since taking office in Jan. 1, 2011 we hit the ground running. The days of short term fixes have been replaced with a long term approach that is already yielding real results.

Pro-jobs, pro-economy, pro-hard-working taxpayers:

• Eliminated the job-killing Michigan Business Tax and replaced it with a fair, sustainable tax system that makes Michigan more competitive.
• Cut bureaucratic red tape that tied the hands of business and municipalities.
• Overhauled the tax code to encourage small business growth.
• Made it less expensive to provide jobs and raise a family in Michigan.
• Cut income taxes for every Michigan tax payer by more than $2 billion.

Pro-education, pro-students

• Made real education reform that puts kids first and raised standards.
• Ensure our students have the brightest and best teachers in the classroom.
• Increased the minimum foundation allowance from $6,846 to $6,966 giving $120 per pupil ($100.3 million) to districts receiving the lowest foundation allowance.
• Increased funding to school districts through performance-based incentive grants and best practices grants.
• Making landmark reforms to save the state’s teacher retirement program.
• Empowering parents to make decisions that are in their child’s educational best interest.

Government Reform

• Balanced the state budget with a long-term common sense approach.
• Balanced the last two budgets more than three months ahead of the deadline, in contrast to two government shut downs, allowing schools to know what they are working with to avoid mid-year cuts and businesses the security they need to invest in Michigan.
• Eliminate lifetime health benefits for legislators, myself included.
• Reduced the government long term debt by more than $17 billion and put $501.8 million in the rainy day fund.
• Created a more efficient and transparent government.

Real Results

• Michigan added approximately 140,000 jobs in the last 20 months.
• Unemployment rate has dropped from 14.2 percent in August 2009 to 9.3 percent in September 2012.
• Fitch Ratings upgraded Michigan’s credit rating outlook to positive Moody’s, Standard & Poors and Fitch Ratings gave Michigan’s unemployment bonds the highest possible rating.
• Michigan’s personal income growth exceeded the national rate of growth, our highest in a decade; we had the sixth highest Gross Domestic Product growth in the past year.
• Michigan was rated No. 2 in the Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of the States index, meaning our economy is improving at the second fastest rate in the United States.