A well-known local businessman and longtime public servant, born and bred in Oxford, is hoping to bring his brand of common sense governance to the state Legislature.
‘I look at what’s going on in Lansing and government overall, and it’s really discouraging for the average person out there,? said Oakland County Commissioner Bradford Jacobsen (R-Oxford). ‘There are no jobs. All of our 401(k)’s have gone in the tank. Things are just horrible and for some reason Lansing, and on the bigger scale Washington (D.C.), just doesn’t seem to get it that there’s a problem out there.?
Jacobsen, a 1975 graduate of Oxford High School, wants to help the Lansing crowd ‘get it? by running for the 46th district seat in the Michigan House of Representatives.
On Monday, Aug. 10, the 52-year-old lifelong Oxford resident will formally announce his candidacy at Jacobsen’s Flowers (545 S. Lapeer Rd.) in Lake Orion.
The kickoff event, at the local business his family’s owned and operated since 1920, is from 4-7 p.m. with a short program at 4:30 p.m.
Jacobsen indicated his candidacy’s motivated by his enduring ‘love? of public service, not the need for a job, so don’t expect him to offer voters the moon like some politicians.
‘I don’t want to promise people things I can’t deliver,? he said.
The seat Jacobsen’s running for has been occupied by Rep. Jim Marleau (R-Lake Orion) since 2004. Marleau cannot seek re-election next year due to term limits.
The 46th District encompasses Oxford, Orion, Addison, Brandon, Groveland, Rose and Holly townships along with the villages of Oxford, Lake Orion, Leonard, Ortonville and Holly.
So far, the only other candidate to publicly toss his hat into the ring for Marleau’s seat is Oxford Township Trustee Joe Bunting, a newcomer to public office. Elected to the township board as a Republican in November 2008, Bunting announced his candidacy for the state House back in April.
Jacobsen’s no stranger to public office. He served as an Oxford Township Trustee from 1984-2000 and was elected to the county Board of Commissioners in November 2006.
He was asked to run for the county position when Republican Commissioner Bill Patterson, Jacobsen’s father-in-law and the former owner of Patterson Prescription Pharmacy in Oxford, passed away less than a month before the election.
In terms of community involvement, Jacobsen’s served as chairman of the Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority and is currently a member (and past president) of the Oxford Rotary Club, Orion/Oxford Eagles, North Oakland Elks Lodge and Sons of the American Legion Squadron 108.
‘I’ve always enjoyed public service ? being out there and available, trying to help folks,? said Jacobsen, who has three children with his wife of 29 years, Teri. ‘I enjoy trying to work to better our community.?
He also sits on the advisory board for Crossroads for Youth, a nonprofit agency in Oxford that helps troubled youth.
In order to help get the state’s troubled economy moving again, Jacobsen, who’s vice president of his family’s floral company, wants to bring to Lansing the kind of ‘levelheaded? business perspective that comes from having spent a lifetime in the private sector.
‘Jobs are the key? to the state’s economic recovery and future well-being, so that means ‘we’ve got to keep businesses going,? according to Jacobsen.
Particularly small businesses like his family’s stores.
‘They’re the ones who employ the vast majority of people,? explained Jacobsen, who started working for his family’s business while in junior high, then came aboard on a full-time basis following his graduation from Michigan State University in 1979.
Although he’s extremely thankful General Motors decided to keep its Orion plant open, Jacobsen said the state can’t keep overlooking the fact that 40 small businesses can employ a similar amount of people
Unfortunately, it’s the small businesses that are getting hit the hardest by state taxes and even local ones like the 18-mill non-homestead tax that school districts levy, via state law, on commercial properties.
‘It’s the mom-and-pop, the entrepreneur, the small business people that have been getting run over by taxes,? Jacobsen said. ‘You can’t just keep passing on taxes to the business people.?
Jacobsen said ultimately businesses pay for those taxes by either raising their prices or cutting employees.
‘You’ve got to look at the bigger picture of how it all fits together,? he said.
If Michigan’s ever going to turn around, the state must create an ‘environment more conducive to business.?
‘We’ve got to get a business model set up in Lansing,? he said. ‘For all the lip service that’s been up there, it’s not happened.?
Lower taxes are part of Jacobsen’s model, but so is curtailing the state’s spending habits.
‘If you don’t have it, you don’t spend it,? Jacobsen said. ‘You can’t keep running up debts year after year and spending more money than you know is going to come in.?
Even though the state’s ‘supposed to have a balanced budget every year,? Jacobsen said politicians in Lansing never seem make it happen.
‘They do some smoke and mirrors and make it look balanced,? then ‘within three months,? they announce the state’s going to have a deficit in the millions or billions, according to Jacobsen.
Having worked on budgets for Oxford Township, the county and his own business, Jacobsen feels he has the experience to help the state spend less and more wisely.
To keep his family business going during these tough times, Jacobsen said, ‘We’ve been playing our cards close to the vest and not spending a nickel we don’t have to.?
Like his grandfather, who was first generation Scottish-American, Jacobsen said he’s ‘not cheap,? he’s ‘frugal.?
‘I don’t mind spending money, but I want to make sure I get all my money’s worth,? he said.
In order for things to truly change in Lansing, Jacobsen believes two fundamental things must happen. The first is looking farther into future and coming up with long-term solutions.
‘It’s too bad nobody in Lansing pays attention to anything other than what’s happening in the next six or 12 months,? Jacobsen said. ‘They’re putting out fires all the time. If you’re putting out fires, it’s hard to look forward.?
Even so ‘you still have to have some vision about where we’re going to go and what we’re going to do,? Jacobsen noted.
The other thing Lansing needs more of is cooperation.
‘There just seems to be a constant infighting going on in government. People are really disgusted,? Jacobsen said. ‘There’s no cohesion. There’s no willingness to pull things together.?
Jacobsen believes there needs to be a ‘meeting of the minds? and a willingness to ‘find something that works for the majority of the people.?
He feels that’s one of this strong points.
‘I get along with people very well,? Jacobsen said.
When he served on the township board, Jacobsen said ‘the only time we every talked politics was at election.?
‘After the election was over, it didn’t matter what side of the fence you were on, once you got back to the township board meetings, everyone wanted to do what’s best for the community. That’s what I see lacking in Lansing.?
In Jacobsen’s opinion, if Lansing can get its act together and help get the state economy moving again, Oakland County will once again lead the way thanks to the leadership and vision of county Executive L. Brooks Patterson and the team of financial experts he put together.
‘The pump is primed and ready to go when it turns around,? he said. ‘Oakland County’s going to be right on top of things.?
For more information on Jacobsen and his campaign please visit www.bradfordjacobsen.com.