Meet the candidates running for state House District 8

HAZEL PARK/MADISON HEIGHTS — On Nov. 8, Hazel Park Mayor Pro Tem Mike McFall and Madison Heights resident Robert Noble will square off for a seat representing the newly redrawn 8th District of the Michigan House of Representatives. McFall is running as a Democrat, and Noble as a Republican.

The new district covers Hazel Park, most of Madison Heights, one Ferndale precinct, the city of Highland Park, and part of Detroit. A two-year term has a salary of $71,685. In a series of email interviews, the candidates shared more about themselves, describing their passions, their priorities, and their approach to service.

 

McFall: ‘I’m working to represent everyone in this district’
Mike McFall, 48, is a development associate for a national nonprofit. Locally, he is best known as the mayor pro tem of Hazel Park. He has a bachelor’s degree in community development, as well as a degree in public administration from Central Michigan University.

He has lived in Hazel Park for about five years now.

“I love living in a welcoming community like Hazel Park. Our city has a small-town feel where neighbors help neighbors in times of need, without any hesitation. The people of Hazel Park are truly what makes this community a great place to live,” McFall said. “We have struggles like many older inner-ring suburbs, but we always manage to keep pushing forward.”

He grew up in a blue-collar union family just outside of Flint. He’s now married with no children, but has a dog and a cat.

“My husband and I enjoy traveling,” he said. “We love meeting new people, and experiencing different cultures and food during our travels.”

When he’s in town, he volunteers with several organizations, including Main Street Hazel Park, the Hazel Park Lions Club and Hazel Park Youth Assistance.

“Service to me is simple: You work unselfishly to help others,” McFall said. “I’ve spent much of my career in the nonprofit sector working to make a positive impact in people’s lives. I know the true intent of public service, and have dedicated my life to improving our community and my neighbors’ lives.”

He described the new 8th District as “a true snapshot of what makes our state great,” owing to its diverse array of cultures and languages.

“The district is made up of communities that have a variety of different issues affecting them, but they also have much in common,” McFall said. “Poverty is high in our district, and must be addressed with real-world solutions. Residents want safe neighborhoods, good-paying jobs and secure schools.

“I’ve been knocking on doors and talking with residents throughout the district and listening to their concerns,” he continued. “While the economy and inflation are almost always mentioned by residents, the issues that seemed to top most people’s concerns are a woman’s right to make her own reproductive decisions, gun violence, and having safe neighborhoods and schools. One of my campaign priorities is working to fix our state’s broken mental health care system, which is also an issue that often comes up.”

McFall said that reproductive rights must be codified into law. He also wants to see more common-sense laws for preventing gun violence, including safe storage and red flag laws.

“We also need to recognize that the pandemic — as well as the threat of school shootings — have put a lot of strain on our educators and students, and provide them additional support, including mental health care,” McFall said. “We must destigmatize mental illness and make care affordable and available when people need help, whether in times of crisis or for preventative care.”

He said accomplishing these things will take a bipartisan effort.

“Reaching across the aisle and building relationships is how we overcome hurdles and the toxic nature of politics in Lansing,” McFall said. He added that he’s hopeful the new district map will be “more competitive,” so that no party has an unfair advantage. “I believe that will also lead to a less toxic environment, because we will have to work together to keep moving our state forward.”

He feels that keeping his finger on the pulse of the community is imperative.

“I approach governing by putting residents first, listening to their concerns when making every decision and vote. As a member of the Hazel Park City Council, I’ve been able to be an integral part of community building,” he said. “Whether fielding an inquiry on Facebook or being approached at the grocery store, I am proud to be accessible and responsive to the people I represent. I’ve built a reputation as a person who listens to concerns and gets things done.

“From affordable housing and regional transit, to helping our working families and economy rebound from the pandemic, your priorities are my priorities,” McFall said. “As your voice in the Michigan Legislature, I need to hear from you about what matters most in your neighborhood and community. I’m working to represent everyone in this district — no matter who you are or where you live. I hope to earn your trust and support.”

For more information on McFall’s campaign, visit mikemcfall.com.

 

Noble: ‘I believe in serving our state and my community’
Robert Noble, 64, of Madison Heights, is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and a former deputy sheriff for Cook County, Illinois. He also spent 25 years in sales management and finance. Today, he is self-employed in the marine flooring industry. He also holds a paralegal science degree from Purdue University Global.

“I am proud to say that I am not a politician,” Noble said. “We need fresh minds in Lansing, and not city-level politicians trying to advance their political career on your dime.”

Noble and his wife moved to Madison Heights from Royal Oak in 2009.

“We love our city and our neighbors,” Noble said of Madison Heights. “It is a friendly town, and I feel that local government in Madison Heights truly works to improve the life of the residents without breaking the bank on property taxes.”

Noble grew up in Chicago, where he attended a Catholic grammar school. From a young age, he had his eye on military service, attending Carlisle Military School in South Carolina for high school, and then enlisting in the Navy. He was assigned to a helicopter squadron where he was an aircrewman and door gunner on H-1 helicopters. He also gave pilots their flight operations exams.

His wife, Lisa, teaches art in kindergarten through eighth grade. Together, they have a daughter and three grandchildren.

“(One of my granddaughters) came out this year, and she felt comfortable enough to openly tell her parents and her grandparents,” Noble said. “I respect her courage to be the young woman she wants to be.”

Noble said that the hardships facing business owners encouraged him to run for office.

“I own a small business that is very affected by these difficult economic times. I decided to look at running for office during the pandemic. When I saw things that I thought were poor leadership in Lansing, I decided to ‘serve’ and ‘protect’ once again by jumping into this race for the betterment of the district,” he said.

Noble describes the new 8th District as “America’s District.”

“District 8 is just like America — a melting pot of all races, colors, creeds, religions and sexual preferences, all on a wide financial spectrum,” Noble said.

The main issues, he said, are crime rates, the cost of living, struggling schools, drug use, mental health, and neglected veterans and seniors.

He wants harsher mandatory sentencing for crimes involving firearms without injury, including a mandatory 10 years in state prison. In cases involving injury or death, the mandatory sentence would become 25 years.

“This would include any associates, even if they do not have a firearm,” Noble said. “We must make the penalty harsh enough to stop this madness.”

He also wants to expand the Vocational Village program that teaches inmates a trade to help them secure a job after their release, and he wants more done for victims of crime, as well.

Noble said that energy costs are cramping the economy.

“We have the ability to produce over 1.4 million barrels of oil that is under our state,” he said. “We can refine it and sell it to reduce the cost of fuel in Michigan. We also have the ability to frack for natural gas, and that is also being ignored.”

He has a plan for zero-interest student loans for trade schools, something he said would cost taxpayers only one extra penny. He wants to direct this funding toward “the best and brightest low-income kids” so that they can attend any university in the state.

At the same time, he wants to reduce what the state gives universities. He said colleges are already flush with cash, and the money could be better spent elsewhere.

To help veterans, he wants a statewide program to encourage businesses to hire them first. He also wants to make mental healthcare more accessible by working with businesses so that they will waive deductibles for services.

For seniors, he wants to stop taxing pensions, and work with cities in the district to reduce property taxes on homeowners by 30%. Noble also wants to waive the state income tax on all seniors who are still working. He is also interested in eliminating the sales tax for seniors.

“Every penny counts when on a fixed income,” Noble said.

He said that if elected, he will hold two town hall meetings each month — one in Detroit and one in the suburbs.

“I took an oath twice to protect the Constitution from all enemies,” Noble said, “and those oaths do not come with an expiration date.”

For more information on Noble’s campaign, visit www.noble forstaterep.com, or email him at nobleforstaterep@gmail.com.