Jerry Tkach

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Jerry Tkach

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

University of Michigan, Flint, 1986

Graduate

Eastern Michigan University, 2006

Personal

Birthplace

Hamtramck, MI

Religion

Ukrainian Catholic

Profession

GED instructor

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Jerry Tkach (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 82. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Tkach completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jerry Tkach was born in Hamtramck, Michigan. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, Flint, in 1986 and a master's degree from Eastern Michigan University in 2006. His career experience includes working as a GED instructor, machine operator, life insurance salesperson, and retail store manager.

Elections

2020

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 82

Incumbent Gary Howell defeated Jerry Tkach and Kurt Hausauer in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 82 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gary Howell (R)	73.1	37,013
		Jerry Tkach (D)	26.9	13,617
		Kurt Hausauer (D) (Write-in)		0

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Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source

Total votes: 50,630

Democratic election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 82

Jerry Tkach defeated Kurt Hausauer in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 82 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jerry Tkach	50.8	2,603
		Kurt Hausauer	49.2	2,524

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There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,127

Republican election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 82

Incumbent Gary Howell advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 82 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gary Howell	100.0	16,211

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Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source 1 Source 2

Total votes: 16,211

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jerry Tkach completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Tkach's responses.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was married to my wife, Beth, for over 30 years. We raised three daughters, who were all graduates of Lapeer West HS. I have been blessed to have four wonderful grandchildren, who have been my joy and solace since my wife lost her battle 15 year battle with breast cancer a little over two years ago. As a teacher, my career has largely dealt with addressing the various needs of at-risk high school students. I began my teaching career over 30 years ago as a long-term sub at Adlai Stevenson HS in the Bronx, NY. Upon returning to Michigan, I became tenured while teaching for Lapeer Community Schools in the early 1990's. I mostly taught at Lapeer West High School as an ELA instructor, although I also taught a variety of subjects at both junior high schools and at the District's alternative high school. For the past 16 years I have been an instructor with the Mt. Morris Ancillary School Program. For the last six years I was a GED teacher at the Genesee County Jail in Flint, where I have been at the spigot of the "School-to-Prison Pipeline." While at Mt. Morris I was a leader in organizing the alternative teachers and have been the president and lead negotiator for the Mt. Morris Alternative teachers since we voted to join the Michigan Education Association over seven years ago. ​ My guiding principles include the following: Compassion, Cooperation, Creativity and Commitment.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• We must end lameduck legislation. In the last decade, those who care about education, anxiously awaited what legislation the governor would sign into law during the lameduck session between the November election and the Christmas holiday, as that is when most often controversial bills are introduced. It was during lameduck legislation in 2012 that the Republican-led legislature and Gov. Snyder betrayed Michigan workers with the passage of Right-to-Work legislation, which allows individuals to opt out of paying union dues. The last lameduck session in 2018 was especially busy, as Gov. Snyder signed into law over 340 bills, a legislative process which one could label as "totally dysfunctional."
• Government officials must operate with proper financial transparency and ethical guidance. Sadly, Michigan is currently lacking in this area. According to a recent study by the Center for Public Integrity "Michigan (ranks) 50th in the nation in terms of transparency because the governor and Legislature are exempt from disclosure of documents through the Freedom of Information Act, as well as for the lack of any financial disclosure." (Detroit Free Press, Sept. 9, 2019) I will be a relentless advocate for strengthening transparency of our government officials, and fight against special interests who consistently try to undermine the democratic process.
• We must modify term-limits in Michigan, something many public officials agree with privately, but nevertheless, is viewed by many elected officials as an unapproachable "third-rail." By limiting our state representatives to three two-year terms, and state senators to two four-year terms, we deny the legislature from fostering an "institutional memory" by denying those individuals who are effective legislators from continuing to serve. This constant turnover allows for special interests to have more influence on the legislative process.

   Featured local question

Michigan’s budget has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 virus shutdown. How would you address the deficit? Do you prefer spending cuts or tax hikes?

Michigan has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 virus. The economic and societal toll will be with us for years to come. We will not be able to simply cut spending to restore our economy, as it is clear that we are in a period in which we reformulating our state's priorities. The inability of politicians to effectively govern is in large part due to the intransigence and obstructionism of anti-government legislators. I believe that having taxes in a democracy is how a rational society allocates its resources; otherwise, important societal decisions are simply left to the rich and powerful. Conservatives who promote less government, especially during this time of pandemic are missing the mark. Whereas I advocate a more efficient and effective government, one which accurately reflects the will of the people.

   Featured local question

What’s your one big idea for improving public schools?

As a former GED teacher, I would explore the possibility of giving students the option of taking the GED test or some other high school equivalency test in the 11th grade. This would provide a safety net for students who drop out before graduating high school. Many students are under the mistaken impression that passing the GED is easy, when in fact the opposite is true. Most high school graduates would not be able to pass the GED without additional instruction or tutoring. Likewise, it would also provide a wake-up call to those students who couldn't pass the test to buckle down their senior year. I would rather have students take a high school equivalency test while they are still attending high school, instead of years later after they have already dropped out and are in jail or prison.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public education forms the backbone of a properly functioning society. We must respect educators, value students and fully fund our public schools. One of the hallmarks of an effective use of our tax dollars is to properly prepare our students with a quality education, so that they can have the opportunity to become successful citizens in the 21st century, a world in which we must cope with the ever changing challenges which must be overcome. What we need is a government which is not afraid to execute its principle responsibility, namely, to govern responsibly, represent the will of the people and show leadership in making the tough decisions which best serve the interests, safety and security of all the citizens of our great state. I am not afraid to fight for what's right and advocate for what is in the best interest of students, along with providing teachers and support staff with the resources and training they need to help students achieve their educational goals.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the turbulence of the late 1960's and see many parallels happening today. Growing up in Detroit I can still see in my mind's eye the smoke rising in the distance during the1967 riots and helicopters flying overhead from nearby Detroit City Airport. Later, after the rioting subsided, my parents drove me and my brothers to the areas where the rioting was most intense and the destruction readily evident. The following year I remember having the day off from school on my 9th birthday because of Dr. King's funeral on April 9, 1968. The sense of injustice and the plight of African Americans was thus instilled into me at a relatively early age. The following June I also remember the nun who taught us at the Ukrainian catholic school I attended in Hamtramck becoming visibly upset and starting to cry as she spoke about Robert Kennedy's assassination. These early memories instilled a sense of justice which have guided me though adulthood. Just as in the 1960's, Americans are now are rising and will no longer remain silent, as we continue to fight systemic racism and inequality at all levels. Having taught several years at schools and at the Genesee County Jail with mostly African American students, I am acutely aware of the difficulty and disadvantages many of them encounter on a daily basis. It is with compassion and an awareness of the plight of others that I would approach my role of a state legislator if elected.

What is your favorite book? Why?

As an English teacher, there are many books and authors whom I love, however, Homer's Odyssey is one for which I have a particular affinity. The ability of brave Odysseus to overcome his many challenges is inspirational to this day, and the model for heroes in the Western civilization. The poetic and lyrical telling of this tale always evokes a sense of wonder, awe and beauty. Even though it has been several years since I last taught it in a classroom, upon seeing a beautiful sunrise, I am constantly reminded of the appearance of "early-born rosy-fingered Dawn." It is through the study of classical literature that people can have a better understanding of who we are and our sense of purpose in life. The Odyssey has taught me that any obstacle I may encounter can be overcome, if I approach it with perseverance, wit and endurance.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

The death of my wife, Beth, was particularly hard for me and something I struggle with currently even after over two years of her passing. During her over 15 years of battling breast cancer, I was a witness to the vagaries and inequities of our medical insurance system. I have since come to realize the brevity of our time on earth and have vowed to have as great a positive impact that I can. I have particularly been motivated by my four grandchildren, whose ages range from 3 - 17 years old. It is for their generation that I am running for office. We must leave this world a better place than the one we grew up in.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

As a former educator, I would enjoy being on the House Education committee. Too often we have people with non-educational backgrounds making decisions which negatively impact our students in public schools. Another committee I would be interested in is Government Operations as this is where a current amendment to end lameduck legislation is currently languishing.

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