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Elizabeth Brater
Elizabeth S. Brater was a Democratic member of the Michigan State Senate from 2003 to January 1, 2011. Due to Michigan term limits, Senator Brater did not run for re-election in the Michigan State Senate elections of 2010. [1]
Brater has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago, and a Master's 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.
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 re-elected in 2006.
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.
- 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.
- Mandate Beer Keg Buyer’s Tags, Lawmakers voting on whether TO MANDATE beer keg buyer's tags.
- Remonumentation of State Border, Lawmakers voting on whether to appropriate funds up to $500,000 for remonumentation of the Michigan-Indiana border.
- Fire Safe Cigarettes, Lawmakers voting on whether TO BAN the sale of cigarettes that are not "fire safe."
- Commission on Spanish-Speaking Affairs, Lawmakers voting on whether TO EXPAND DUTIES of and rename government's Commission on Spanish-Speaking Affairs.
- 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.
- Don’t Blame Canada, Lawmakers voting on whether TO BAN Canadian trash from Michigan landfills.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Presidential Privileges, Lawmakers voting on whether to require state workers to either work on President's Day or take the day off as an unpaid holiday.
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.
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)
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
Committee Assignments, 2009-2010 Legislature
District 18
Brater represented Michigan Senate District 18. District 18 includes the Cities of Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor along with the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University[2]
Elections
2010
Brater was not eligible for re-election under Michigan's term limits.
2006
On November 7, 2006, Brater ran for District 18 of the Michigan State Senate, beating John Kopinski.[3]
Brater raised $88,066 for her campaign.[4]
| Michigan State Senate, District 18 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
 Liz Brater (D)
|
72,774 | |||
| John Kopinski (R) | 29,075 | |||
Campaign finance summary
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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
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996
- Voting Record on MichiganVotes.org
- Map of 18th Senate District
- Index of all Michigan senators
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Michigan State Senate District 18 2003–January 1, 2011 |
Succeeded by Rebekah Warren |
