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Podcast 83 Legislator Spotlight January 27, 2026
Host: Deena Bosworth
Guests: State Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Kent) and Samantha Gibson of MAC
Topics: State Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Kent) urged county leaders to reach out more to him and his colleagues in the Legislature during 2026’s first “Legislator Spotlight” episode of Podcast 83.
“You've always been great to local units of government and wonderful to work with and talk to, so I appreciate that, and I appreciate you still maintaining that focus,” said MAC’s Deena Bosworth, filling in for Executive Director Stephan Currie as episode host.
“I think that that's really where the different levels of government really do coexist and depend on one another,” Fitzgerald replied. “It's a coexistence and a cooperation that is completely necessary to ensure that government functions well for the people.
“We could have a short-sighted policy or decision made at the state level that doesn't consider the potential impacts. And there are times where we have policies at the state level that are not the no. 1 choice of local governments … Understanding that those decisions can and will be made, but there are also times and, you know, it's necessary to include that in the decision-making process,” he continued. “And so, when I talk about the cooperation, just like I hope my congressperson calls me about what's happening in my communities, I hope that my county commissioners … call me to say, ‘I'm running into a roadblock here. They're telling me that it's something at the state level that must change before we can tackle that issue.’”
Also in the episode, Fitzgerald, who is now in his third term in the House, touched on:
The impact of changes in the House, such as the absence of a Local Government Committee and the new legislatively directed spending process
The challenges of budget constraints and the importance of place-making projects to attract and retain residents, citing examples from his district
See video versions of all Podcast 83 episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@michiganassociationofcount2606
Visit the Podcast 83 page at www.micounties.org
View all episodes
By DerekHost: Deena Bosworth
Guests: State Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Kent) and Samantha Gibson of MAC
Topics: State Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Kent) urged county leaders to reach out more to him and his colleagues in the Legislature during 2026’s first “Legislator Spotlight” episode of Podcast 83.
“You've always been great to local units of government and wonderful to work with and talk to, so I appreciate that, and I appreciate you still maintaining that focus,” said MAC’s Deena Bosworth, filling in for Executive Director Stephan Currie as episode host.
“I think that that's really where the different levels of government really do coexist and depend on one another,” Fitzgerald replied. “It's a coexistence and a cooperation that is completely necessary to ensure that government functions well for the people.
“We could have a short-sighted policy or decision made at the state level that doesn't consider the potential impacts. And there are times where we have policies at the state level that are not the no. 1 choice of local governments … Understanding that those decisions can and will be made, but there are also times and, you know, it's necessary to include that in the decision-making process,” he continued. “And so, when I talk about the cooperation, just like I hope my congressperson calls me about what's happening in my communities, I hope that my county commissioners … call me to say, ‘I'm running into a roadblock here. They're telling me that it's something at the state level that must change before we can tackle that issue.’”
Also in the episode, Fitzgerald, who is now in his third term in the House, touched on:
The impact of changes in the House, such as the absence of a Local Government Committee and the new legislatively directed spending process
The challenges of budget constraints and the importance of place-making projects to attract and retain residents, citing examples from his district
See video versions of all Podcast 83 episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@michiganassociationofcount2606
Visit the Podcast 83 page at www.micounties.org