By Bette Pierman, Benton Harbor

I find the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and reports of their increasing purchased influence on our state legislation deeply disturbing.  The fact that MI 59th District Rep. Matt Lori is listed as a member of this group should be troubling to any elector.

As I sat and listened to the candidates’ responses at the Oct. 24 debate, I noticed many of Lori’s statements seemed to be straight from the ALEC playbook. I do not recall him ever stating or referring to any specific local businesses or agencies he had helped during his elected tenure although he readily discussed the travel sacrifices he had made for the district and his pay cut.

Mike Moroz’s apparent researched responses to the questions were entirely different. As a resident and business owner in the district, Moroz spoke of his commitment to the people of the 59th District.  He spoke of conversations he had had with various members of the community, volunteer work he has done, the importance of middle class values and how he hopes to represent all of the residents and taxpayers of the area with common-sense solutions rather than the purchased special interests of a select few.

The choice seems clear to me.  You can go to the polls on Nov. 6 and re-elect someone who is beholden to a special interest group and their established agenda, or you can elect your next true representative of the people by voting for Mike Moroz.