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State Representative Chris Kolb
represents the 53rd District, which encompasses the City of Ann
Arbor. He is currently in his second term in the Michigan House of
Representatives. Prior to his tenure in the House, Chris served
four terms on the Ann Arbor City Council and was Mayor Pro-tem
from 1994 through 2000. He also previously served as a Legislative
Aide to State Representative John P. Hansen.
Chris serves on the House
Appropriations Committee, which has been charged with the daunting
task of preparing Michigan’s budget. He is the ranking Democrat on
the Family Independence Agency Subcommittee (FIA) and serves on
the Higher Education and Department of Corrections Subcommittees.
As the Vice-Chair of the FIA subcommittee, Chris created the
homelessness prevention program that provided a grant to Washtenaw
County and the Shelter Association to aid in their efforts to end
homelessness in our county.
In his second term, Chris was
appointed by Governor Granholm to serve on her Michigan Land Use
Leadership Council to provide recommendations on land use policy
for the State of Michigan. Chris was chosen for his
knowledge and leadership on land use issues in the legislature and
around the state. Chris authored the first new law passed on
the recommendation of the Governor’s Land Use Leadership Council.
His law allows for local units of government to form joint
planning commissions that would tackle regional land use issues.
He also had the lead bill in the Land Bank Fast Track
Redevelopment Authority legislation. This legislation will
help to provide clear title to tax revert property in our urban
communities to help spur redevelopment by attracting new small
businesses and developing more affordable housing.
Chris Kolb has been a leading
environmental advocate in the Legislature. He is the main
sponsor of the Water Legacy Act, which will forever protect the
Great Lakes from water withdrawals and diversions. He has
pushed for more renewable energy resources, and is a leader to
increase recycling and removal of hazardous waste from our
landfills. Chris fought hard to get tough new laws that help
reduce the amount of trash Michigan landfills must accept from
other states and foreign countries. He has shown his leadership
by fighting to get new laws on the books that get tough about lead
poisoning, a health concern that affects at least 20,000 children
in Michigan.
During his first term, Chris fought
to keep Michigan’s air, water, and land free from harmful
pollution and hazardous waste. As the ranking Democrat on the
House Land Use and Environment Committee, Chris introduced
legislation that promoted smart growth, land preservation, and
flexible land use policies that enable residents and communities
to meet their own unique challenges. Chris’ Open Space
Preservation legislation was signed into law by the Governor. Many
of his land use ideas and legislation were developed from a
Democratic House Land Use Task Force that Chris chaired. As a
member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education,
Chris fought to keep tuition at state universities as low as
possible and ensure that the state continued to invest in higher
education. He introduced legislation to increase Michigan’s
minimum wage and has advocated for stronger consumer protection
laws. Chris also introduced legislation that would add sexual
orientation to the list of characteristics covered under the
state’s Ethnic Intimidation Act. Chris has fought to ensure that
every Michigan resident has access to quality, affordable health
care, no matter their economic status.
Chris has more than 12 years of
experience in the environmental management and compliance field.
He specialized in solid waste management, waste reduction and
recycling, environmental permitting, worker safety training, and
project management.
Representative Kolb, as a lifelong
resident of Ann Arbor, has a long and varied civic service record.
He has served on the Michigan Municipal League’s Transportation
and Environmental Committee; the Washtenaw County Solid Waste
Planning Commission; and served as Co-Chair of the Affordable
Housing Task Force. His volunteer service is extensive, including
many environmental, HIV/AIDS, civic and human rights, youth,
hunger, gay & lesbian, housing, health care, veterans, and
religious organizations.
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