LONG-TERM STRATEGIES FOR MICHIGAN'S ECONOMY
50 years ago, Michigan's economy was one of the fastest growing in the nation. During the 1950s, Michigan boasted the ninth-highest per capita income of any other State. The population of Detroit nearly doubled as Americans flocked to Michigan for its high-paying jobs in the auto industry.

Times have changed. Today, Michigan is ranked a distant #1 for the highest unemployment rate in the nation. While States like California and Texas are adding tens of thousands of high-tech jobs each year, Michigan has lost over 400,000 jobs since 2000. In 2007, Michigan was one of only two States in the entire country to have lost population (Rhode Island is the other State). Also in 2007, our flagship city of Detroit was again ranked as the nation's most dangerous city.

Enough is enough. In 2008, we are overdue for a new generation of Michigan leaders to fight for change and move Michigan forward.

As a State Representative, John Kuriakuz will focus on long-term strategies to make Michigan an even more prosperous State than it was 50 years ago. Through tax incentives for job-creating businesses and investment in research and education, Kuriakuz will improve the business climate in our State and make Michigan an attractive place for out-of-state employers to open up shop. Kuriakuz will also push for an aggressive and coordinated approach similar to North Carolina's "Research Triangle" involving State and local government, research institutions, private employers and investors.

These days, far too many Lansing politicians are tied to the old economy.

A practical thinker with long-term vision, John Kuriakuz understands that the economy of tomorrow will look much different than the economy of yesterday. As times change, industries change. As a State Representative in the 21st century, John Kuriakuz will focus on bringing 21st century jobs to our State in the fast-growing and high-skilled areas of alternative energy, biotechnology, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

With your support in 2008, John Kuriakuz will begin a new generation of Michigan leadership that applies long-term solutions to making Michigan more strong and prosperous than ever before.

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION
John Kuriakuz firmly believes that a quality education is the bedrock of any society. Kuriakuz also strongly believes that providing our children with a high quality education is one of the fundamental responsibilities of our government.

Unfortunately, whenever our State government has problems balancing its own budget, Lansing politicians give our children's education the short end of the stick.

As a State Representative, John Kuriakuz will make certain that our children's education is made a top priority. Kuriakuz will make sure that education funding is targeted toward recruiting and training high quality teachers, reducing class size, integrating 21st century technology into classrooms, providing safe and educational after-school programs, and holding schools accountable for the educational progress of their students.

John Kuriakuz also supports funding for higher education. Michigan's 2007 budget crisis produced a sharp increase in tuition costs by as high as 12% for in-state residents at Michigan's public universities.

Higher education is an important key to building new opportunities and promoting economic growth in our State. Keeping tuition costs down will make it easier for middle-class families to send their children to college and ensure that Michigan maintains a highly skilled workforce.

As a State Representative, John Kuriakuz will stand up for our children's education and make sure that Lansing politicians don't get away with cutting corners on our children's future.

HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
Anybody without the luxury of full coverage understands the urgent need for health care reform in Michigan and around the country. John Kuriakuz firmly believes that in a modern society, no working family should struggle to afford health care services. Kuriakuz also strongly believes that health care decisions should be made by a patient in consultation with his or her doctor -- not by insurance companies.

State Legislators have treated health care reform as a low priority for far too long.

As a State Representative, John Kuriakuz will fight to reduce the number of uninsured Michigan residents and make health care coverage more affordable and efficient. Kuriakuz supports both public and private measures to control health care costs and provide more expansive and accessible coverage for preventive, primary, acute and chronic health care needs.

With your support in 2008, John Kuriakuz will fight to make Michigan a role model for health care reform around the country.

LOWERING PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
For many senior citizens and others, the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs can impose a significant drain on household income. John Kuriakuz believes that prescription drugs are a critical component of our health care system and should not cause Michigan residents financial agony.

John Kuriakuz supports programs to bulk-purchase prescription drugs, thereby lowering the cost of prescription drugs through economies of scale. Kuriakuz also supports measures that make it easier for Michigan residents to purchase American-manufactured and FDA-approved medications from Canada where Canadians now offer American-made drugs at prices oftentimes 35% lower than the same drug sold in Michigan.

As a State Representative, John Kuriakuz will fight to ensure that a trip to the pharmacy doesn't end in financial distress.

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS
As Michigan residents, we enjoy the privilege of living among more than 11,000 inland lakes, more than 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, over 3,200 miles of shoreline, and approximately 6.6 million acres of natural forest land including around 230 campgrounds.

State Legislators are contacted frequently by special interest lobbyists who wish to take away a portion of that privilege for their own private commercial benefit.

Many of those State Legislators were elected by their constituents with the promise of protecting our envrionment. As your next State Representative, the buck stops here.

John Kuriakuz is committed to a zero-tolerance approach to those who seek to exploit our State's natural resources for private commercial benefit.

John Kuriakuz believes that as responsible citizens, we have a firm duty to provide future generations with at least as clean an environment as that which we received.

BANNING CANADIAN TRASH ONCE AND FOR ALL
An alarming 29% of trash dumped in Michigan's landfills is "imported" from Canada and other States. In addition to the environmental hazards caused by the import of trash, heavy trucks that haul trash into Michigan from Canada and other States take a heavy toll on our roads and put our communities at risk.

For far too long, Lansing politicians have offered excuse after excuse for failing to put an end to the dumping of out-of-state trash in our landfills.

Among other aggressive measures, John Kuriakuz supports an increase in Michigan's dumping charge to a level that will force trash exporters to take their trash elsewhere.

With your support in 2008, John Kuriakuz will take action to ensure that Michigan is no longer a dumping ground for other people's trash.