Richardson announces candidacy for state representative

By Jeremy Selweski
C & G Staff Writer

BERKLEY — Berkley resident and Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Richardson announced on Jan. 14 that he is running as a Democrat for a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives.

If elected, he will succeed Rep. Andy Meisner as the representative for the state’s 27th District representing Ferndale, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Oak Park and Hazel Park. Currently, he is competing for the spot with one other Democratic candidate: Ellen Cogen Lipton of Huntington Woods.

For Richardson, now is a critical time for Michigan, and he hopes to address important issues concerning the economy, education, taxes, mass transit and — as a longtime environmental attorney — restoring and protecting the state’s natural resources.

“Environmental protection, developing alternative sources of energy, protecting the Great Lakes, better recycling services — these things are very important to me,” he said. “These are priceless assets that are critical to our future, and they go hand in hand with providing new jobs to Michigan in the 21st century economy.”

Richardson, 57, believes that Michigan’s education system is in need of major improvements. “Without a first-class education, we won’t be able to compete. Michigan has many great universities, but the funding has been cut repeatedly,” he said. “We have to find a way to reverse that trend and make education a higher priority.”

As an attorney, Richardson also feels that adjustments are necessary to enhance the justice system. “We’re spending $2 billion dollars on prisons to house 50,000 prisoners,” he said. “We have to ask hard questions about whether the public is any safer under this system. There are promising alternatives to incarceration that we should pursue to reduce spending.”

A graduate of Michigan State University and Wayne State Law School, Richardson has worked in private law practice for the past 15 years, while still finding time to teach at Oakland University.

Richardson was hired by Macomb County as an assistant prosecuting attorney in 1998. At the time, he was the only assistant prosecutor in Michigan to specialize in environmental cases.

As chief of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Water Quality Unit, Richardson prosecuted environmental lawbreakers and represented Macomb County in civil actions in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

He has served as a member of various organizations, including the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) and the American Lung Association of Michigan.

Richardson and his wife, Susan, have been married for 25 years and have two grown children. They have lived in Berkley for the past 18 years.

Things are looking good for Richardson as he heads into the campaign season, as he has already won the confidence of public officials in and around the district. Former Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga, Berkley Mayor Marilyn Stephan and Berkley City Councilman Phil O’Dwyer have all given him their endorsement.

“Mark will be a forceful voice in Lansing on behalf of the district and the state,” O’Dwyer said. “He has a keen grasp on the critical issues facing us right now, and because he’s a prosecutor, he has great experience dealing with difficult and complex issues.”

According to Marlinga: “Mark is a proven environmentalist. He knows everything there is to know about environmental issues. And he has great strength; he’s tough, but very reasonable.”

“When I hired him,” he continued, “it was because he already had a lot of experience and his record was exemplary. He did exactly what I hoped he would do: He brought criminal and civil action against polluters.”

However, O’Dwyer stressed that Richardson’s abilities go well beyond his proficiency as an environmentalist. “A lot has been made of his knowledge of the environment, but not enough has been made of his knowledge in stimulating the growth of the economy and generating new jobs.”

With Meisner’s third and final term coming to an end this year, Richardson regretted that Meisner would not be able to continue his career as a state representative.

“That’s a real loss to our district,” Richardson said. “Andy has acquired great experience, skill and expertise as a lawmaker.”

Still, he’s ready to take on the job if given the opportunity. “The people of this district need someone in Lansing who is not only committed, but who is aggressive and will take the lead,” he said. “I’ve never been afraid to speak the truth, to tell it like it is and take a stand. If I became a leader here, I think I could hit the ground running right away.”