Melanie Macey

Melanie Macey earned a bachelor's degree from Haverford College in 2002, a graduate degree from the University of Michigan in 2004, and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2008. Her career experience includes working as an attorney.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a mom of three children in public schools, wife of a union lawyer, and a Michigan Law-trained attorney with a legal aid background running to champion our progressive values of inclusion, justice, equity, and compassion in Lansing.

I'm a Royal Oak City commissioner first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021, both times being the top vote earner. Since graduating from University of Michigan Law School, my professional career has been devoted to creating a more just and equitable society. I worked as a legal aid attorney and as an advisor helping Michigan law students connect to public interest and government careers.

I'm a member of the Royal Oak Middle School PTA board and the district Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion Council, serve as vice-president on the Royal Oak Library Board, and lead a social justice book club for local students.

I’ve done Election Protection work as a volunteer attorney with the ACLU and with a national hotline, and every year that I’m not on the ballot I do that work on election day as well.

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?

I have the experience, the temperament, and the values to be an effective leader. The newly drawn 7th district is a safely Democratic seat. It isn’t enough to just be a reliable vote. I want to bring progressive values to the table - - focusing on justice and equity, to provide for those that are too often left behind. I am aware of the existential challenges facing us and aware of the need to rise to those challenges. But I’m also committed to doing the work and actually getting things done. Rhetoric is not enough. We need results, and I’m ready to deliver.I will fight for regular people, for the marginalized, the people whose rights are under attack. To that end, I will fight to: Equitably fund schools to pay for resources students need; Increase teacher pay to retain hardworking teachers and recruit new educators; Invest in our workforce by raising minimum wage, encouraging unionization, providing paid family leave, and increasing the EITC; Protect civil and constitutional rights under attack: abortion rights, voting rights, LGBTQ+ equality; Enact sensible gun regulations; Reform the criminal justice system; Create a clean energy economyIn 2018, we voted to place Citizens and Not Politicians in charge of our redistricting process. The new, recently-drawn maps have given Democrats a real chance to win control of both State Houses for the first time in four decades. As a long-time resident in this district, I think now is the time to change the way we approach politics. We need to focus on people, not politics. It is not about the politicians. It is about the people that we serve.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1- Education: Every child deserves a high-quality education that prepares them for life. For us to achieve this we must increase our commitment to and investment in public education. This begins with Michigan equitably funding schools to pay for the resources that our students desperately need. Increasing pay for teachers and paraprofessionals helps keep the hardworking teachers we have. We need to do better for our public schools.

2. Economic Opportunity: We must raise the minimum wage to $15. Repeal Right-to-Work on Day 1. Enact true paid family and medical leave. Expand the Michigan Earned Income Tax Incentive to 30%. The future of the economy is clean energy. We need Michigan to be at the forefront of that revolution, the way it was at the forefront of the automobile revolution. We need to train the next generation of workers, particularly investing in skilled trades opportunities.

3. Protecting Our Rights: I have been increasingly alarmed at the coordinated attacks on our rights and core values in politics. It was a real wake-up call in 2020 with Trump’s attempts to steal Michigan’s electoral votes. I was at the TCF Center on election night in 2020 when Republicans were trying to intimidate election workers. And we are seeing these attacks on multiple fronts now, from voting rights to abortion to LGBTQ+ to the justice system and the environment.

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

Our education system is failing students and teachers. The “reforms” brought on by the Snyder-led government must be reversed. We need to move towards a system of equitable rather than equal funding of students. Districts with higher percentages of students with learning disabilities, students whose primary language is not English, and lower-income families should receive increased funding. We need to train the next generation of workers, particularly investing in skilled trades opportunities. College should not be a requirement to get a high-paying job. For those who do attend our amazing public colleges, we need to keep them affordable and then provide incentives to get them to stay in Michigan and reinvest their knowledge and skills in their communities.

In addition, we need to protect fundamental Constitutional rights, including abortion and reproductive health rights, voting rights, non-discrimination applied to everyone, including LGBTQ.

Finally, gun reform must happen NOW. We need to move forward immediately to close background check loopholes, ban assault weapons, limit magazine size, enact safe storage laws, and enact red flag laws.Domestic abusers should not be able to acquire guns and should have existing guns removed.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, relationships are critical. When you run to serve in a legislature, you are one voice in a large body of opinions and voices. It is not enough to just vote the right way when votes come up. You have to build relationships with your colleagues to get support for your ideas and move bills forward. Those relationships can be in your party and across the aisle. In building those relationships, you have to demonstrate honor and integrity to earn and keep the trust over time.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Redistricting should be done as it is in Michigan -- by an independent body. Voters not politicians should draw the districts.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

The legislature should provide the governor with emergency powers necessary to deal with situations that arise -- be they natural disasters or pandemics! If a governor abuses those powers, then the legislature has an obligation to curb those powers. But, legislation takes a long time to pass -- even in an emergency, and the Governor needs to have the tools necessary to deal with unforeseen emergencies.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

We have seen at both the state and national level that government can stagnate when groups prioritize subverting each other rather than doing the work their constituents demand. Often, compromise is necessary for policymaking. The best cannot be the enemy of the better. My approach will always be to see what steps we can take to make the lives of Michiganders better.

These compromises differ from compromising core principles and values. We cannot betray core rights of equality, inclusion, and autonomy. These rights are non-negotiable.