Candidate Profile: Matt Koleszar For State House

Matt Koleszar, a Plymouth Township resident is running for State House District 20.

Age: 39
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:Kim Bush-Koleszar (Wife)
Occupation:Public School Teacher of over 12 years.
State Representative serving a 2 year term, elected in 2018
Previous elected experience:State Representative, 20th District.
Member of the Education and Health Policy committees of the Michigan House.
Family members in government:No
Campaign website: https://mattformichigan.org/

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
COVID-19 and the path forward to recover and move past it. During this term, I introduced legislation that would all the legislature to hold remote session during time of emergency and disaster.
This would have allowed the legislature to act swiftly, even when in-person meetings are inadvisable. This could prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 back to all 110 house districts, in a worst-case scenario.
I support legislation to improve our unemployment system here in Michigan. I have also sponsored legislation to create a fund to help businesses get back on their feet.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I have experience in both the classroom and the committee room. Before running for office I taught civics and AP Government. Between my teaching experience and my time in the legislature, I have an in-depth understanding of government and how it works.
I have good working relationships with local officials, business leaders, and the local education community.
I have the endorsements of many public safety organizations, including: the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union, the Police Officers Association of Michigan, the Fraternal Order of Police.
I also have universal support from the Public Education, Environmental, and Labor communities, as well as the Small Business Association of Michigan.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I have introduced multiple pieces of bipartisan legislation, have worked directly with constituents resolving over 750 unemployment claims, and have worked collaboratively with local officials as well as state officials to hold the Arbor Hills Landfill accountable for multiple violations.
In addition, I founded the Downtown Business Coalition to work directly with local business owners to find solutions from the community up and not Lansing down. This allowed business owners to have a direct line of communication to the Governor's and AG's offices when the path was unclear for many.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
The most crucial thing that the state can currently do is to extend unemployment benefits so that we can still have a circulating economy, and the state should also work directly with business owners to create good policy to weather this pandemic.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
I fully support those fighting for racial justice and police reform. I co-sponsored HB 5837 introduced by Rep. Peterson (D-Ypsilanti) that would require: De-escalation technique training, Implicit bias training, Procedural justice training, and Mental health resources and support available for law enforcement officers.
As a teacher of 12 years, he believes that the line items that some police departments use to buy military equipment would be better spent by being reinvested in the community and public school district serving the residents.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
I fully support and want our state to fully fund public education. This means incentivizing teachers to go into and stay in the profession, addressing our literacy crisis through access to literacy coaches, school libraries, and other supports. It also means eliminating the for-profit motive in education that has diverted taxpayer dollars away from our schools and into the accounts of Education Management Organizations that aren't located in our community.
I also have introduced bipartisan legislation to support our first responders by making sure that a child whose parent died in the line of duty can go to any state university or community college tuition-free.
I believe that we should hold corporate polluters accountable when they harm our environment and create difficult living conditions for our residents.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
Every vote I take is based on community input, local stakeholders, and my background which is rooted in community service.
I pride myself on accessibility through coffee hours, calling many constituents back personally, and maintaining an open door policy with residents, business owners, educators, and local elected officials.
It has been an absolute honor and a privilege to serve the 20th district and I would honored and privileged to continue to do so.