Dale Murney

Dale Murney earned a high school diploma from Southgate High School. Murney earned a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University in 1982 and a law degree from the University of Kansas in 1988.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a retired attorney. I am a former Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, a solo legal practitioner, a Magistrate/Court Administrator, and a Family Court Attorney Referee. I have also been an instructor at the Michigan Judicial Institute. I have been a high school softball and baseball coach, and also a public address announcer for high school football and basketball games.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Michigan currently ranks 39th in per capita income and 13th for poverty (that is 37 states are financially better off than Michigan). This is in spite of Michigan being the 10th largest state and ranking 5th in advanced manufacturing. We rank 34th in the percentage adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. We have failed for far too long to value education. Michigan's starting teacher salary is almost 12% below the national average. Adjusting for inflation, our teacher's salaries have fallen by 16% over the past 10 years. In 1970 we ranked we ranked 12th nationally in per capita income and 45th among states in poverty rate (that 6th lowest). Basically, a complete reversal over my lifetime.We rank 34th in the percentage adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. We have failed for far too long to value education. Michigan's starting teacher salary is almost 12% below the national average. Adjusting for inflation, our teacher's salaries have fallen by 16% over the past 10 years. Our lack of an educated workforce in an era of knowledge-based employment has been cited as a key determinant of our economic crisis.We have a housing shortage that needs to be addressed by all stakeholders. We need to work at the state and local levels to streamline the process, make necessary zoning adjustments and incentivize builders to address this issue.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

education, housing, environment (including preservation of family farms)

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Allegan, Berrien, and Van Buren County Democratic Parties; Michigan Rural PAC; Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan; AFSCME Michigan 925