Candidate questionnaire: Matthew Mosher, County Commission, First District

Watershed Voice sent out questionnaires to over 75 candidates running for elected positions in St. Joseph County and the surrounding area. In the days leading up to the Michigan Primary on August 4, Watershed will publish the questionnaires it received back as well as an election preview. Matthew Mosher, an independent candidate for First District county commissioner, filled out our questionnaire, these are his answers.

Editor’s Note: To clarify, Mosher will be on the ballot in November but not in the primary, as he is running as an independent.

Name: Matthew Mosher

Age: Left blank

Address: 402 N Douglas Ave, Three Rivers MI 49093

Occupation: Property Manager

Incumbent: No

Family (optional): Left blank

How long have you resided in the area you seek to represent?

10 years

Why are you seeking the position of 1st District County Commissioner?

To help our community make changes. The current systems are not working for many people. St. Joseph County continues to struggle with many issues that create hardship and a lower quality of life for many residents. It seems many government decisions are made that only benefit a select group of people and not the entire community as a whole. I seek to hold those accountable to either make needed change or get out of the way.

What is the role of a 1st District County Commissioner, and why are you uniquely qualified to fill that role?

A county commissioner works to adopt ordinances and resolutions to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of county residents while being responsible for the budgetary and administrative duties overseeing general county operations. The county commission in general also implements federally funded programs and mandates. 

I have worked as a volunteer/employee at the city, county, regional authority and federal levels of government. I have also been employed by private companies and non-profit organizations. 

I have served 3 terms of service in AmeriCorps National Service program and have lived/worked/studied throughout the U.S.A. including Puerto Rico. I grew up in this area, left at 18 years old, and returned to Three Rivers over 10 years ago to start a family.

I bring a unique perspective of diverse talents, experiences, and knowledge gained from working/volunteering at many levels of government (throughout the United States) combined with private sector positions and faith-based volunteering.

Are you familiar with the poverty rate in the district where you are running for office?

Yes, the official poverty rate for St. Joseph County is 13.6 percent. The Three Rivers Community School district poverty rate for ages 5 to 17 is 17.6 percent. This translates to 523 of our community children living in poverty. We also must take into account the numerous families that may not fall under the official poverty rate but are still only one paycheck away from financial disaster.

Why do you think people are poor?

If we are talking about lack of monetary income this is a huge political and societal issue. It starts with the Federal Reserve issuing fiat currency that decreases in purchasing power every year due to monetary inflation. Stagnant wages combined with a high cost of living always creates living conditions that become a constant struggle. If, as a society, we are honest with ourselves a low-income labor class to exploit is required for a capitalistic economy to function. A true free market solution would solve this problem.

What does the 1st District County Commissioner do right, and how do you intend to maintain or expand this?

I feel the current county commissioner/commission does try to solve problems in the community. I intend to expand the types of problems trying to be solved. I also intend expand the problem solving to those groups that are often ignored. I definitely will expand the types of solutions that will be offered.

What could the 1st District County Commissioner do better, and how do you intend to facilitate this happening?

The county commissioner/commission could value the entire community rather than just selects groups. There are definitely hard times for America on the horizon and this county must become more inclusive to not only survive, but to thrive.

I intend to reach out to as many people in the 1st district and St. Joseph County as a whole in order to create a more comprehensive and inclusive direction for the county. Many people have great ideas that are often overlooked. Many people are not asked and/or feel that they cannot give honest feedback to government offices without fear of retaliation. This culture must come to a stop.

What is your position on the Black Lives Matter Movement?

The BLM movement seems to have separated from the BLM organization in the eyes of some. I will respond to the BLM movement that revolves around racial equality. I 100% support racial equality and recognize the racial disparities in the United States. The fight for equal treatment, regardless of race, is a fight all Americans should support. The BLM movement highlights the unique struggles that Black Americans experience in a country built on white supremacy & systemic racism originating with colonialism and chattel slavery.

What do you think are the central issues behind the Black Lives Matter Movement?

Systemic racism and white supremacy resulting in unequal treatment for black people in every system in the United States. The criminal justice system, policing, public schools, higher education, jobs, housing, etc. are examples of systems that black people must struggle through. 

What is your position on police reform? 

Policing must be reformed as a whole if the profession hopes to continue. Over 10 years ago trends analysis was predicting the current blowback from the changes being made then. The militarization of police, the culture changing from peace officer to law enforcement, the lack of accountability, etc. contributed to what we see in the streets currently. 

We now have at least two generations that have witnessed police brutally attacking citizens for months. Regardless of how anyone feels about the protests and who is at fault for the violence, the scenes have made it to a generation that will grow up to fear and hate police. They will also eventually become voters.

If we want to continue the concept of police, and protect the lives of our officers and citizens we must change the way we view police and policing. We must stop putting officers in risky situations that should not be handled by police such as a mental health crisis and give the tools to our communities to help protect our neighbors.

What is your take on the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic?

I have experience responding to emergency events around the U.S. The Federal response has been negligent at best and criminal at worst. Covid-19 is a nationwide contagion event that must be responded to on a national level. Until a nationwide response is done, the U.S. will continue to have this patchwork of mitigation efforts that will just continue the social, economic, and political damage we see every day.

What is your take on the COVID-19 response in your district?

The health department seems to be trying their best, although falling short. After reaching out to county commissioners on the health agency board and receiving very concerning responses I feel that a lack of knowledge, funds, and experience has contributed to lack of response and mitigation efforts.

I know that early in the event the county health agency, sheriff department, and City of Three Rivers did not have proper PPE (Masks) for employees. A local group I cofounded, River Country Resilience Circle, donated these much-needed supplies to these entities.

I personally requested the release of the covid-19 cases by zip code from the health officer which I did receive and has now been made public every week. I also requested potential covid-19 exposure locations to be publicly disseminated to help mitigate the spread in our community. Many private businesses have stepped up to provide this information to the public due to their desire for transparency.

I was very pleased that testing sites were eventually opened.

I would also like to commend the inter-agency cooperation to achieve the free food distribution throughout the county. 

Do you support increased pandemic testing and tracing measures?

I definitely support testing for all, for any reason. I also support potential exposure location information alerts. All contact tracing must be done with consent though.

What will be your response to the climbing rate of jobless claims?

We must attempt to ease the damage and suffering due to the wave of job losses coming in the near future. We must keep people housed and fed. We will also have to help provide opportunities to assist those workers when their previous job my never return. This can be done through education and training programs.

What do you think are your prospective constituents’ biggest everyday challenges?

Quality of life is the overreaching theme. This can be broken down into job security, housing, wages, higher education and job opportunities, crime rates, diversity appreciation, corruption, public schools, recreation, etc. 

What measures will you work to put in place to address those challenges?

I would eliminate governmental hurdles, reduce government punitive responses, increase government support for life improvement initiatives, and lower the tax burden among other things.

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?

We would definitely have to reconsider how to streamline services to the most efficient way possible. The goal would be to eliminate waste, redundancy, and unnecessary expenditures. If at all possible cut budgets without cutting jobs.

What is your favorite thing about the district in which you are running?

The people and the place. The first district is home to a wonderful, diverse group of people that strive to create a community that is a great place to live and raise a family. 

The place is a hidden gem in our area with all the rivers, lakes, farms, and unique, one of a kind businesses, places of worship, and attractions.

What else would you like us to know about you?

I advocate for freedom first. Freedom is one of my core values. I want to advocate for the concept of freedom in all county decisions. I personally believe that elected officials and government employees are in service to the citizens. Elected officials are representatives, not leaders. Free people can lead themselves.

Too often government forgets that it works for us and is supposed to serve everyone.

I am running as a candidate without party affiliation so I can represent all citizens of St. Joseph County and not be beholden to a political party ideology or a specific group of people and interests.

Please help break the two-party system that actually benefits them both. Help me fight for freedom, consent, equality, and citizen centered government.