Ypsilanti resident Rodney Nanney announced his candidacy for the Michigan House of Representatives in the 54th District this week, vowing to use his professional experience to help return jobs and prosperity to the state.

“We need new leaders in Lansing who understand that putting Michigan back to work must be the number one priority for the next state Legislature,” Nanney said in a written statement.

Rodney Nanney

Nanney is seeking the seek being vacated by Democratic incumbent Alma Wheeler Smith, who is term limited from running again. He faces Richard Deitering in the Aug. 3 Republican primary.

On the Democratic ticket, five names are on the ballot: David Rutledge, Michael White, Bill Riney, Dave Franklin, Lonnie Scott and Edison Hubert.

David Palmer also is circulating petitions to run as independent in November.

Nanney, owner of Building Place Consultants, is a provider of community planning and economic development services to local government clients across Michigan. He said he sees firsthand the damage caused by state budget decisions.

“Last year’s failed state budget process caused our local schools to be hit mid-year by multimillion-dollar budget cuts,” he said. “If our children were making the grades, Gov. Granholm and our own Democrat state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith would deserve no better than a ‘D’ for leadership, even grading on a curve."

Nanney said local public safety also has suffered from deep cuts in state revenue sharing, with Ypsilanti losing more than $300,000 last year.

“Given the choice between saving state bureaucrat jobs or those of local firefighters, I will stand with the firefighters,” he said.

Throughout his professional career, Nanney said he has worked closely with local elected officials of all political persuasions, and has had frequent contact with a variety of state agencies and offices.

While new to campaigning for state office, he has campaigned on behalf of other candidates, including current Ypsilanti City Council member and mayoral candidate Pete Murdock. In 2007, he successfully campaigned against the failed city income tax in Ypsilanti. Over the years, he also has served as a volunteer for several community organizations, including the Ypsilanti Youth Theater and New Year’s Jubilee.

After jobs, Nanney said education is next on his list of concerns if elected.

“Local schools need consistent and predictable funding levels from the state’s education budget,” he said. “I support moving to a two-year state budget process to break the annual partisan gridlock and help our schools be successful.”

As for the future of education in Michigan, he said as state representative he would push for legislation to reduce red tape and burdensome regulations that restrict the ability of public schools to effectively compete for students.

“Michigan families have more choices for educating their children today than at anytime in the past,” he said. “Fair competition between schools encourages innovation and offers the best chance for all students to find the right place to learn.”

Noting that Michigan continues to lose population and especially college graduates to other states, Nanney said the state must rein in reckless spending and create a fair tax system to encourage business reinvestment and job growth.

“After graduating college in 1964, my father was recruited to Michigan from North Carolina by Ford Motor Co.,” he said. “He came here because of the opportunity our state offered to have a career and raise a family. If our generation fails to correct the downward path Michigan is on today, his grandchildren may be among those that have to go back south to find those same opportunities!”

Michigan’s 54th District includes the townships of Salem, Superior, Ypsilanti, and Augusta, as well as the city of Ypsilanti.

Nanney has a campaign website at www.voterodney.com.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.