Meet the Candidates: Steven Kaplan

Steven Kaplan

Education

• Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Oakland University
• Juris Doctor Degree, Cum Laude, Detroit College of Law.

Professional background

• Currently an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, homicide division, for Wayne County
• Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Macomb County, 24 years
• Staff Attorney to Federal Judge George La Plata
• Adjunct Law Professor, Michigan State University College of Law, 1997-present.

Residence

Resident of West Bloomfield since 1995.

Family

Married to Lisa Kaplan; two children, Erin and Stacey, both of whom are graduates of , and are full-time college students.

Activities or key endorsements you'd like to mention?

• Endorsed for township trustee by more than 500 West Bloomfield residents.  Key endorsements include Nick Hersh and Bruce Tobin.
• I also have been endorsed in the 2012 primary by (1) United Auto Workers; (2) Michigan Building Trade and Construction Council; and (3) Michigan Operating Engineers, Local 324.

Why are you running for trustee?

As a for eight years, I am seeking to be elected for my third four-year term.

My wife, Lisa, and I are active in the community, and we believe in contributing to West Bloomfield, which we consider to be the best area to live in Michigan.

My background — serving eight years as an elected school board trustee, eight years as a township trustee, four years as a planning commissioner, and 25 years as an assistant prosecuting attorney — enables me to analyze the issues in a capable and thorough manner.

Do you have new ideas you’d like to suggest for the position or township?

• Collaborate with the West Bloomfield School District to avoid having board meetings held on the same date.
• Expand the township's high school externship program.
• Provide opportunities to college students to serve internships for credit at the township.
• Hold an annual career fair in conjunction with the and the .
• Decriminalize the township's code ordinances, in order not to charge residents with misdemeanors for inadvertent infractions.
• Carefully prepare agendas to avoid having meetings that last beyond 10 p.m.
• Hold an annual house tour to showcase many of the township's fabulous homes.

What do you think are the biggest issues facing the township? How would you handle them?

• Continued enforcement of the township's environmental ordinances.
• Restoring residential property values.
• Attracting new businesses to West Bloomfield to fill vacant stores. 
• Expanding the township's downtown district.
• Maintaining the township' fund equity balance to avoid potential financial duress.
• In light of the economic downturn, maintaining the public safety departments at full staff levels.

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Who else is running? Meet the candidates for the West Bloomfield Township Board Patch has interviewed so far: