By Mitch Hotts
June 25, 2010

While the Michigan Republican Party hosted a televised debate featuring four of the five gubernatorial candidates in Grand Rapids Thursday night, Rick Snyder was hosting a pasta dinner event in Macomb County.

Instead of gaining exposure with GOP supporters on the west side of the state, the Ann Arbor businessman opted for personal face time with voters at Villa Penna’s Banquet hall in Sterling Heights.

“You may wonder why I chose to be here,” Snyder said to about 350 attendees who dined on free pasta and salad before settling in for town hall discussion. “I’m fed up with bickering and sound bites. I’d rather hear from real people and real substance.”

It’s that kind of unconventional campaigning from a candidate who describes himself as “one tough nerd” that Snyder hopes will set him apart from the other Republicans seeking the governor’s seat: Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard and state Sen. Tom George.

Snyder, who continues to poll in third place behind Cox and Hoekstra for the August GOP primary, outlined his vision for a “customer service form of government” that centers on a “new approach” in dealing with issues in Lansing.

He said state lawmakers are overpaid and lack a sense of urgency in dealing with the state’s chronic economic woes.

“It drives me crazy that they’re talking about legalizing fireworks and they can’t even pass a budget,” Snyder said.

Summarizing his 10-point plan for Michigan, Snyder said he would replace the Michigan Business Tax with a simple 6 percent corporate income tax; reduce the regulatory rules for business and grant company permits automatically if the state fails to meet specified deadlines; and trim the bureaucracy.

The first-time candidate said the state’s re-invention could be gained through teaming the struggling manufacturing base with the brainpower of universities and colleges to create a new “era of innovation.”

In a question-and-answer segment with the audience, Snyder expressed reservation for building a second bridge to Canada in Detroit unless Canadian support is there and private funding is used.

For education, he proposed a bonus pool for administrators and teachers who work as a team to improve academics rather than merit pay for individual educators.

That caught the attention of Jim Bezy, 32, of Sterling Heights, a teacher in Madison District Public Schools in Madison Heights.

“I like his ‘nerd’ commercials and I have him on my Facebook,” said Bezy, who attended with his wife, Dawn Grattan, and their 6-month-old son, Alexander. “I wanted to hear more of his ideas in person because I like that he’s an educated person who has a background in business.”

The entire article is available on the Macomb Daily's webpage, here.