Name: Tom Springer
Age: 61
Address: 19012 Moorepark Road, Three Rivers, MI 49093
Occupation: Communication Consultant
Incumbent: Yes
Family: Married to Nancy Springer for 25 years and we have two daughters together, Abigail and Emily.
How long have you resided in the area you seek to represent? We have lived at our current address in Park Township since 1995.
Why are you seeking the position of Park Township Trustee? I want to serve the people of Park Township as they strive to make this an affordable, safe, socially just and environmentally sustainable place to live.
What is the role of a Park Township Trustee, and why are you uniquely qualified to fill that role? I’ve lived here long enough to know many of my neighbors in the township. I’ve also worked at organizations such as the Kellogg Foundation and University of Notre Dame that have given me perspective on issues such as education, health, land conservation, racial equity, climate change and rural development.
Are you familiar with the poverty rate in the district where you are running for office? Yes, about 7.4 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, although I look forward to seeing new data from the 2020 Census.
Why do you think people are poor? I believe our economic state stems from some combination of “nature versus nurture.” Our innate abilities will always play a role, as will our upbringing and education. Personal initiative certainly affects our financial situation, yet forces such as institutional racism can also hamper advancement for people of otherwise equal abilities. External forces such as global trade and the effects of climate change can also cause poverty in ways that individual effort alone can’t overcome.
What does a Park Township Trustee do right, and how do you intend to maintain or expand this? A trustee does right when he or she takes time to properly understand the workings and finances of local entities such as fire department, library, city government and social service providers. They also do right when they are transparent about the township’s official business. One way that I’d like to expand transparency is by live streaming township board meetings.
What could the Park Township Trustee do better, and how do you intend to facilitate this happening? I can do better by attending more local meetings that give me a clearer sense of social and economic conditions. Many of these meetings have been deferred because of COVID-19, but I look forward to their return.
What is your position on the Black Lives Matter Movement? I support the goals of Black Lives Matter insofar as they promote just treatment for people of color who have been denied equal rights and fair treatment. Their grievances are valid and their resolution is long overdue. I also encourage and support peaceful demonstrations to advance the BLM cause. Yet, regardless of the cause, I oppose any destruction of public and private property as a means to achieve political ends.
What do you think are the central issues behind the Black Lives Matter Movement? Primarily, righting the injustices that still linger after 400 years of slavery, lynching, Jim Crow, redlining, school segregation and racial profiling. Black Americans, and increasingly White Americans, want to see an end to discrimination and racial abuse that infringes on their right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
What is your position on police reform? I believe that reforms to root out racist behavior and abuse, especially among officers with a long history of racial complaints and violations, are necessary and overdue. That said, I also believe strongly in the need for law enforcement and that the vast majority of men and women who serve in uniform are honorable and professional in their duties. However, as a white male, I recognize that my encounters with law enforcement can benefit from assumptions and privileges not always accorded to people of color.
What is your take on the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic? I believe we were slow to respond and that our response has been fragmented, inconsistent and politicized on the national level. As a state – and I say this as a Republican who did not vote for the current governor – I believe we have benefited from the competent leadership of Gov. Whitmer. This isn’t to say that I agree with all her decisions. But compared to states that have re-opened too soon, I believe her policies have saved many lives and untold amounts of human suffering. And, the data bears that out.
What is your take on the COVID-19 response in your district? As a small township, we have little involvement with programs and policies related to COVID-19. Our main response has been to hold township meeting via Zoom during quarantine. Now that in-person meetings have resumed, we provide protective equipment and require distancing for all who attend.
Do you support increased pandemic testing and tracing measures? Yes, as long as these measures are narrowly tailored to balance the rights of privacy with the public benefits of reduced disease transmission. Also, I believe these measures must be discontinued when the pandemic ends.
What will be your response to the climbing rate of jobless claims? As a township, we are limited in our ability to provide relief for jobless claims. Other than steering residents toward state and local resources, we are unable to offer direct support.
What do you think are your prospective constituents’ biggest everyday challenges? Keeping themselves and their families safe in a pandemic; finding or keeping a job to pay the bills; looking after their children’s education, whatever form that now takes.
What measures will you work to put in place to address those challenges? Again, we’re not organized or funded to provide immediate relief. But we can maintain quality of life by ensuring the roads are repaired and that emergency services are available.
With public revenues already significantly impacted by COVID-19 and the economy, how will you address cashflow problems for the public bodies in your district and under your watch? Right now, the township is fortunate to have a fund balance of more than $500K. We will continue to spend judiciously and avoid unnecessary expenses as insurance against possible cuts.
What is your favorite thing about the district in which you are running? People are generally good, decent, hard-working and civil to each other.
What else would you like us to know about you? I really look forward to township board meetings at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month!
