Elizabeth Brater
From Ballotpedia
Democrat Elizabeth S. Brater of Ann Arbor is the current state senator for the 18th Senate District of the Michigan State Senate, and is in her second and final Senate term under Michigan’s term limits law. The district includes the City of Ann Arbor, and most of Washtenaw County. Brater has a Bachelors degree in English from University of Chicago, and a Masters in American Civilization from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a mother of two and is married to Enoch Brater. Brater has been a lecturer at the University of Michigan, and done work for a variety of left-oriented organizations in the state.
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Previous Offices Held
Liz Brater was a member of the Ann Arbor city council between 1989 and 1991, and was the city’s mayor from 1991 to 1993. In 1994 she was elected to the House of Representatives, and was a member until forced out by term limits in 2000. She was elected to the Senate in 2002, and reelected in 2006.
Political Campaign History
The 18th Senate district is considered one of Michigan’s most liberal and is solidly Democratic, as is the Ann Arbor House district Brater previously represented, so like most Michigan state legislators her real election contests have been primaries. In 2002, Liz Brater soundly defeated incumbent Democratic Senator John Hansen in the August primary election.
Liz Brater’s Voting Record
In keeping with the preferences of her district Brater votes in a solidly liberal, progressive manner. For example, in the fall of 2007 the legislature passed 17 budget bills that increased spending by a total of $1.4 billion. Brater voted yes on $1.350 million of that, opposing only the Department of Human Services budget, most likely because it outsourced some juvenile justice functions to private social service agencies. (Source: Michigan Capitol Confidential)
Liz Brater on Key Votes of the 2007-2008 Legislature
- Supported Bill 5194, raise state income tax from 3.9 percent to 4.35 percent.
- Supported Bill 5198, impose 6 percent service tax on many businesses (later repealed).
- Opposed Bill 5408, impose 22 percent Michigan Business Tax surcharge in lieu of 6 percent service tax.
- Supported Bill 5524, mostly repeal electricity competition, restore monopolies to incumbent utilities including MichCon and DTE.
- Supported Bill 213, impose renewable energy mandates on electric utilities.
- Supported Bill 860, impose groundwater withdrawal permit and regulation requirements on large water users.
- Supported Bill 5075, prohibit business and restaurant owners from choosing to allow smoking.
- Opposed Bill 418, require MEA school union subsidiary MESSA to share claims data with school districts.
- Approved increased appropriations worth $1.350 million out of the $1.470 billion of new spending enacted following the 2007 tax increases. Brater opposed only the Human Services budget, most likely because it outsourced some juvenile justice functions to private social service agencies. (Source: Michigan Capitol Confidential)
More Voting Record Details
- List of all of Liz Braters’s roll call votes, bills introduced, and floor amendments from MichiganVotes.org (use site’s “advanced search” to narrow by date range, issue category and/or keyword).
- List of Liz Braters’s 4 missed roll-call votes
Liz Brater’s Committee Assignments, 2008-2009 Legislature
District 18
Brater represents Michigan Senate District 18. District 18 includes the Cities of Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor along with the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University[1]
Liz Brater’s Campaign Contributions
Contributions Report from Michigan Secretary of State
Contact
Sen. Elizabeth Brater
Room 510, Farnum Bldg.
P.O. Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 373-2406
senlbrater@senate.michigan.gov
External links
- Official Michigan State Senate website
- Project Vote Smart profile
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996
- Voting Record on MichiganVotes.org
- Map of 18th Senate District
- Index of all Michigan senators
References
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