Detroit News endorses Pappageorge

Editorial: For state Senate: Oakland

The struggling economy requires lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to rethink how they govern

Michigan's budget has been balanced with gimmicks for years as tough decisions have been deferred. Fresh faces are needed in the Michigan Senate. But some incumbents who have tried to foster change should be returned to help the newcomers. These are our recommendations for state senators:

District 13 (Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Madison Heights, Royal Oak and Troy): Troy incumbent John Pappageorge, a Republican, faces a challenge from Royal Oak Democrat Aaron Bailey, a former Army officer and a business consultant. We support John Pappageorge , who has served admirably in the Senate since being elected in 2006 and is an advocate for cutting red tape for businesses and reducing costs in all aspects of government

Excerpt from The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20101029/OPINION01/10290328/1008/opinion01/Editorial--For-state-Senate--Oakland#ixzz13mEOOuxo

Pappageorge earns trust, endorsement of law enforcement

Clawson - State Sen. John Pappageorge (R-Troy) announced today that he earned the endorsement of two prominent law enforcement groups in his bid for re-election– the Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) and the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Michigan (DSAM).

“Public safety is an absolutely critical function of government,” said Pappageorge. “As a former colonel in the United States Army, I understand what it takes to protect our citizens both at home and abroad.”

POAM represents over 12,000 law enforcement employees and DSAM represents over 3,000 members consisting of patrol officers, detectives, local corrections officers, and more. Both are non-profit associations dedicated to the advancement of public safety issues in Michigan.

“I am honored to have the endorsement of both POAM and DSAM and I look forward to continuing to work to protect and improve public safety in Michigan,” said Pappageorge.

Pappageorge served 30 years of active duty in the Infantry and retired as a colonel in 1984. He currently serves on the Homeland Security & Emerging Technologies Committee in the Michigan Senate.

Sen. Pappageorge recognizes Royal Oak Community Farm with White Pine Award

LANSING — Royal Oak Community Farm received a White Pine Award for Environmental Excellence from Sen. John Pappageorge Saturday for its efforts to teach children about farming and enrich the community through agriculture.

Pappageorge presented Royal Oak Community Farm Executive Director David Baldwin with a Senate tribute and a white pine sapling donated by English Gardens of Royal Oak.

“The Royal Oak Community Farm inspires local growth in a multitude of ways,” said Pappageorge, R-Troy. “The farm educates our children about the importance of agriculture and organic farming, provides residents with locally grown produce and encourages community. Acknowledging these admirable initiatives is extremely important and I’m proud to recognize the Royal Oak Community Farm.”

State senators present the White Pine Award to recognize innovative and creative initiatives addressing current environmental concerns.

The organic farm is located on the site of the former Lincoln Elementary School and is a venture of the nonprofit Royal Oak Forward.

According to its website, the Royal Oak Community Farm partners with MSU Extension, Oakland 4H Youth Development and the Royal Oak School District to provide students with the opportunity to join MSU-4H-sponsored groups and be mentored in agriculture and business.

The farm’s crops are sold at the local market, to local businesses and through Community Supported Agriculture shares. Farm profits will go to the Royal Oak Foundation for Public Education.

“Being able to honor the Royal Oak Community Farm for its extraordinary environmental efforts today was a privilege,” Pappageorge said. “I encourage local residents to check out the farm and support this great local resource. It is important that we all work together toward protecting and preserving our environment and its vital natural resources.”

Pappageorge will salute seniors

As reported by the Observer & Eccentric:

State Sen. John Pappageorge (R-Troy) will host the third annual “Southeast Oakland County Senior Salute” on Monday, Oct. 4, at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market.

“The Southeast Oakland County Senior Salute has really grown to be quite an event - and the best part is that it's free of charge to all seniors,” Pappageorge said. “I look forward to the salute every year as an excellent opportunity to meet new friends, break bread and share vital resources with an important part of our community.”

The farmer's market is located at 316 E. 11 Mile Road, two blocks east of Main Street in Royal Oak. Doors open at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The senior salute will feature a hot lunch served by Ponderosa Steakhouse, as well as door prizes, games, health screenings, a cloth bag to store all of the vendor giveaways and much more. Those interested in flu shots are asked to bring their insurance card.

The event is organized by Pappageorge and the Southeast Oakland Community Fund, a nonprofit organization.

American House Senior Living Communities is this year's “platinum sponsor.” Gold sponsors are Beaumont Hospitals and DTE Energy, while silver sponsors include CVS Caremark, Guardian Angel Home Care, Michigan Podiatric Medical Association, Molina Health Care, Oakland Community College, Presbyterian Villages of Michigan and Waltonwood of Royal Oak.

Seniors can obtain additional information about the event by calling (517) 488-7866.

Those interested in sponsoring, donating or volunteering should contact Jackie Mosher in Pappageorge's office at the same phone number.

“If you're looking for a fun way to spend a fall day, then you should check out the third annual senior salute. I hope to see you there,” Pappageorge said.

Pappageorge gives back

As reported by the Observer & Eccentric:

State Sen. John Pappageorge (R-Troy) announced Monday he is donating 10 percent of his legislative salary to a new scholarship fund for students at the new Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. The scholarship was created after the senator approached leaders at both institutions with the idea.

Pappageorge presented an $8,000 check to Robert Folberg, M.D., dean of the Oakland-Beaumont medical school that is scheduled to begin classes Aug. 8, 2011.

“These are extraordinarily difficult times in Michigan and as I have said repeatedly, public servants need to be at the front of the line willing to sacrifice. I made the decision some time ago to voluntarily give back 10 percent of my salary as an elected official, but the more I thought about it, the less I was inclined to just give it back to the state,” Pappageorge said.

Pappageroge said he came up with the idea for a new scholarship for the medical school after long deliberations about how the money could best be used to trigger economic recovery and cultivate job growth in southeast Michigan.The medical school has established an “Elected Officials Scholarship Fund” to encourage support from other local, county, state or federal officials. Recipients of scholarships from the fund will be Michigan residents with a documented financial need.

“We are very grateful to Senator Pappageorge for his generous support,” Folberg said. “The average medical school student graduates with more than $150,000 of debt. Scholarships are a primary tool for helping students shoulder the financial burden of becoming a doctor.”

Pappageorge is the incumbent Republican in the 13th state Senate District race. He is facing Democrat Aaron Baily in November.

MMA Supports Pappageorge for the Michigan Senate

Clawson –The Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA) Political Action Committee (PAC) endorsed Sen. John Pappageorge for the State Senate, saying Pappageorge’s strong support for issues of importance to manufacturers and job providers in this state will be a positive force in Michigan’s Legislature.

“Michigan is renowned for its legacy as a hub of manufacturing,” Pappageorge said. “With the right regulatory and tax climate, we can preserve our position as a leader in innovation and productivity. I have a proven plan to reinvent Michigan and I look forward to working with the MMA to put that plan into action.”

The MMA is the state’s leading advocate exclusively devoted to promoting and maintaining a business climate favorable to manufacturing.

MMA represents the interests and needs of thousands of members, ranging from small manufacturing companies to some of the world’s largest corporations in a sector that employs approximately 500,000 people in Michigan.

Pappageorge is the recipient of several business group endorsements, including the National Federation of Independent Business – Michigan and the Small Business Association of Michigan. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and earned his Master of Arts in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland at College Park.

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Pappageorge stays on course during campaign

As reported by the Observer & Eccentric:

By Greg Kowalski
ECCENTRIC STAFF WRITER

State Sen. John Pappageorge, the incumbent Republican in the 13th State Senate race, met with Rick Snyder recently and is still pushing to have a complete audit done of the state's finances.

In other words, it's been business as usual. It's not that he isn't campaigning — he is — as shown by the volunteer roster at his campaign headquarters on 14 Mile in Clawson, but the real push will come after Labor Day.

Pappageorge is too much of a veteran politician to take any election win for granted, but he still can draw some comfort in the results of the August primary in which he crushed two Republican challengers as he garnered 78 percent of the vote.

Pappageorge is going door-to-door through the district, but he is keeping busy in Lansing as well.

“I met with the Michigan Association of CPAs,” he said. His goal is to have volunteer help in auditing the state's operations, with the auditors being paid later from the savings that will be realized in what they find.

The CPAs haven't committed to it, but “they are warming to the idea,” Pappageorge said. It's just one of a host of ideas Pappageorge has floated to deal with the state's continuing economic problems.

At 78, he remains energetic and forward-looking. He has been promoting new technologies, like manufacturing batteries for electric cars, which could help infuse the state's economy. He also has proposed a plan to eliminate the state's budget deficit by having every person who is paid by the state in any capacity, including college professors, take a 5 percent pay cut and pay 20 percent of their health care costs. The amount saved by doing that would almost exactly equal the deficit.

Sounds reasonable, but there has been little movement on that in Lansing, although Pappageorge remains optimistic.

Pappageorge promotes “common sense” over party ideology. It's a lack of that which has caused so many people to embrace the Tea Party, he said. “It's not one political party,” he said, although he does concede the Tea Party philosophy more closely aligns with the conservatives than the liberals.

“What bothers all of us is the concern that we are losing control of our lives,” he said.

That is a fear he sees on the campaign trail from all sides of the political spectrum, he said.

Pappageorge, a Troy resident, was born in Detroit. He is a graduate of West Point and spent 30 years in the military before retiring in 1984 at the rank of colonel.

In the service he did two tours of duty in Vietnam — an experience he still draws from to show how efficiency can produce savings. He was highly decorated, including receiving a Bronze Star.

Pappageorge served in the state House from 1998 to 2004 and prior to that was on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.