Matt Koleszar

Matt Koleszar earned a bachelor's degree in history teacher education from Saginaw Valley State University in 2006 and a master's degree in English studies from Eastern Michigan University in 2011. Koleszar's career experience includes working as a high school social studies teacher with Airport Community Schools.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a public school teacher of 12 years who decided to run for office after a working through a decade of bad choices being made in Lansing. Constant support of funding cuts and privatization by my predecessor encouraged me to run for office.

I served in the State House for five and a half years and am proud of the work my team and I have done to serve the district and the state.

I was the lead sponsor of Michigan's distracted driving law which has proven to have reduced distracted driving accidents and fatalities.

I also sponsored a fix to the Police and Fire Survivors' tuition grant that now ensures that any child of a Police Officer or Firefighter that dies in the line of duty, can go to college tuition-free in Michigan.

I am proud to have the endorsement of multiple state and national organizations including the UAW, MEA, AFL-CIO, Police Officers Association of Michigan, Michigan Professional Firefighters Union, The Small Business Association of Michigan and more.

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?

Restoring our public schools to their former top-10 status is crucial to attracting and retaining talent in Michigan. As chair of the Education committee, we have started repairing the damage that has been done to our public schools for the past 40 years.

We have taken action to reign in unfettered charter schools, helped retired teachers return to the classroom, address the literacy crisis, and make our schools safer.Clean air and clean water our vital to our state's survival. Not only in the literal sense, but for the purposes of tourism and agriculture. it is crucial that we protect our environment.

Corporations who pollute our waterways should be held fully responsible for the cleanup. Fines for violations should be swift and severe to ensure compliance.

I was proud to work with the AG to hold a local landfill accountable for over a decade of air quality violations that were making the air of many Northville residents horrible to breathe.I am proud to support the working families in Plymouth, Northville, and Livonia. I support a worker's right to join a union to ensure they are paid fairly. I was proud to vote in support of the expansion of the EITC, and universal school meals.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic my office helped over a thousand constituents in getting the unemployment benefits they deserved. We helped small business owners by opening direct lines of communication so that they could be up to date with public health orders.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education, Environment, Labor Rights, Voting Rights, Reproductive Healthcare Access are all extremely important to me and those of the 22nd District.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would love to leave a legacy of someone who has made teachers once again feel appreciated by their government. So many states (even Michigan, up until recently) have treated teachers as if they are all on trial and we have started the process of righting that wrong.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Growing the state population, reversing the learning loss COVID that has been seen nationally, continuing green energy development will all be crucial to the success of our state.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

MEA, UAW, AFL-CIO, IBEW, POAM, MPFFU, Equality Michigan, MiList, SBAM, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, EmGage, SEIU, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, Michigan Nurses Assn., Liuna, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Credit Union League

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I was proud to support the financial transparency requirements for elected officials and candidates. I think we could still do more around lobbying expenses.

Matt Koleszar did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Matt Koleszar did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

Fully funding our public schools in Michigan.

Protection of the environment.

Protecting and expanding workers' rights.[4][5]

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

First and foremost, public education. I have spent my adult life as a teacher and as a State Representative I will fight on behalf of teachers and students, ensuring that our schools are safe and set students up to succeed. I don't believe that guns have any place in our schools and the thought of arming teachers is obscene to me.

I am also a staunch advocate for the protection of our great lakes. We need to prevent pollution and hold polluters accountable for the full cost of their damages. We need to ensure that all Michigan have access to safe, affordable drinking water.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[5]

[the profile publisher] also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Matt Koleszar answered the following:

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else that best describes your political philosophy?

"Backpack Full of Cash" a film about how the negative effects of the prioritization of for-profit charter schools and the DeVos family. I recommend it to everyone interested or concerned about the issue.[5]

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Legislators should prioritize accountability and accessibility to their constituents, above all else. This means attending debates/forums and answering constituent calls, legislators unwilling to be accessible don't deserve the right to serve.[5]

What qualities do you possess that would make you a successful officeholder?

As an educator, I have learned the skills of leading by example and being the best role model I can be for our next generation. I believe that our youth can accomplish incredible things, when provided with help and support they need.

As an A.P. government teacher, I have studied our nation's governmental system from top to bottom and have seen the pitfalls that come with ignoring crucial parts of our constitution, like the separation of Church and State.[5]

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy as someone who truly represented their district and stood up for working families, not corporations. I would like to be part of getting our public schools back on the path back to their former glory with a top-10 ranking. Most importantly, I want to leave the state house knowing that I did everything that I could to ensure that our future generations have a Michigan with clean air and water, with vibrant cities and beautiful green spaces. I want to leave a Michigan that has great public schools that ensure that every child has a fair chance at success.[5]

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

While I see some value in legislators having previous experience, I see more value in electing those that are actually representative of the constituency. Specifically, I think that more occupations should have their seats at the table. As a teacher, I will be a steadfast advocate for our public schools and for the teachers and students of the public school system. My firsthand experience will make me a valuable resource for my colleagues.[5]

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Michigan's greatest challenge ahead of us will likely be insuring that our lakes and rivers in the strate are clean of pollution and harmful chemicals, such as PFAS. Without our great lakes and vibrant green spaces, Michigan stands to lose a lot of its tourism revenue in addition to the health issues that we will suffer.[5]