Alma Wheeler Smith

Alma Wheeler Smith
Michigan House of Representatives District 54
Former member
Term in office began 2005
Term in office ended January 1, 2011
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Legislator

Alma Wheeler Smith was a Democratic member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 54 from 2005 to January 1, 2011.

In 2002, she was a candidate for governor in the Democratic primaries. She was also the running mate for David Bonior in his bid for governor. She has served in the Michigan House since 2004, although she cannot run to retain her House seat in 2010 due to term limits. She ran for governor in 2010, but ultimately withdrew from the campaign.

Smith is a member of a prominent Ann Arbor political family. Her father, Albert H. Wheeler, was mayor of Ann Arbor from 1975 to 1978, and the first African American to hold that position. Her sister, Nancy Francis, has served as a Washtenaw County probate judge since 1990. Her son, Conan Smith, serves as a Washtenaw County commissioner, and he was elected chairperson of the Ann Arbor City Democratic Party in December 2008. Her daughter-in-law, Rebekah Warren, represents District 53 in the Michigan State House of Representatives.

Previous offices held

She was a State Senator representing Ann Arbor for eight years before term limits ended her tenure in that body.

Voting record

Key votes of 2009-2010

• Click below to see how this representative voted.
• Super Speedway, Lawmakers voting on whether TO EXTEND A SPECIAL TAX PERK for a super speedway.
• Driver Responsibility Fees, Lawmakers voting on whether TO IMPOSE 'driver responsibility fees.'
• Crony Capitalism, Lawmakers voting on whether TO RESTRICT THE RIGHT of shareholders to sell their own stock.
• Right to Work, Lawmakers voting on an amendment SUPPORTING RIGHT-TO-WORK zones.
• Dept. of State Cost-Saving, Lawmakers voting on whether TO SLOW DOWN PROGRESS ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S COST-SAVING CONSOLIDATION PLAN.
• Golf Carts, Lawmakers voting on whether TO SUBSIDIZE the production of electric vehicle batteries.
• Home Court Disadvantage, Lawmakers voting on whether TO GIVE MORE TAXING POWER to local government in Kalamazoo so it can finance a taxpayer-subsidized sports arena.
• Fire Safe Cigarettes, Lawmakers voting on whether TO BAN the sale of cigarettes that are not "fire safe."
• Balancing Act, Lawmakers voting on a budget to CUT REVENUE SHARING PAYMENTS to local governments as a way to balance the state budget without raising taxes.
• Balancing Act 2, Lawmakers voting on a cut of less than 3 percent to K-12 school aid payments so as to balance the state budget without tax increases.
• A Good Tax Gone Bad?, Lawmakers voting on the Michigan Business Tax.
• It’s From the Children, Lawmakers voting on whether to RAID $90 MILLION from the Michigan Higher Education Student Loan Authority.
• Left Behind, Lawmakers voting on whether TO FINANCE "No Worker Left Behind" with a 59.9 percent increase in general fund spending in the 2009 DELEG budget.
• First Class Schools, Lawmakers voting on whether to keep Detroit Public Schools' "first class" status even though the district no longer meets the population standard.
• Politically Correct Capitalism, Lawmakers voting on whether to INCREASE SUBSIDIES for plug-in traction battery packs used in electric cars.
• Politically Correct Capitalism 2, Lawmakers voting on whether to GIVE SUBSIDIES for Michigan film production.
• Politically Correct Capitalism 3, Lawmakers voting on whether to INCREASE ELECTRIC CAR SUBSIDIES for a subsidiary of a Korean battery company.
• Secret Ballot, Lawmakers voting on whether to keep a SECRET BALLOT for union elections.
• Property Taxes Assaulted Again, Lawmakers voting on whether to allow public schools to EXPAND THE USE OF SINKING FUND property tax spending.
• Sneak Attack, Lawmakers voting on whether to allow public schools to EXPAND THE USE OF SINKING FUND property tax spending.
• Grapes of Wrath, Lawmakers voting on whether TO BAN home shipment of beer and wine to Michigan consumers.
• Subsidize Manufacture of Electric Cars, Lawmakers voting on whether to authorize a refundable Michigan Business Tax credit for makers of plug-in traction battery packs used in electric cars.
• Authorize Special Tax Breaks for Ethanol Gas Stations, Lawmakers voting on whether to authorize a non-refundable Michigan Business Tax credit equal to 30 percent of the costs incurred by a gas station to convert existing pumps and tanks, or acquire new ones that deliver E85 ethanol or biodiesel fuel.

More voting record details

• List of all of Alma Wheeler Smith’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 Alma Wheeler Smith’s 113 missed roll-call votes

Committee Assignments, 2009-2010

• Appropriations

Elections

2010

Wheeler Smith was not eligible for re-election due to Michigan's term limits.

2008

On November 04, 2008, Alma Wheeler Smith ran for District 54 of the Michigan House of Representatives, beating Tom Banks and David Raaflaub.

Alma Wheeler Smith raised $21,863 for her campaign.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 54
Candidates		Votes
Alma Wheeler Smith (D)		33,509
Tom Banks (R)		12,283
David Raaflaub (L)		1,319

Campaign donors

2008

In 2008 Alma Wheeler Smith collected $21,863 in donations.

Her five largest contributors in 2008 were:

Donor	Amount
American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees	$1,500
Alma Wheeler Smith	$1,300
DTE Energy	$1,250
Michigan Association of Realtors	$1,000
John Dingell for Congress Committee	$1,000

Campaign contributions

Contributions Report from Michigan Secretary of State

Contact

Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith
S0988 House Office Building
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514
(517) 373-1771
almasmith@house.mi.gov

External links

Suggest a link

• Alma Smith's campaign website
• Michigan Legislature - Representative Alma Wheeler Smith
• Project Vote Smart legislative profile
• Project Vote Smart biography
• Michigan Votes - Alma Wheeler Smith
• Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 2000
• Alma Smith on Facebook

References

Political offices
Preceded by -	Michigan House of Representatives District 54 2005–January 1, 2011	Succeeded by David Rutledge