Public service: a family value

I’m Veronica Klinefelt, a proud Army brat and 30-year resident of Macomb County. Just like my father, husband, and sister—all veterans—I believe there is nothing more patriotic than serving my community. And as a mother of 4 who sent her kids to Eastpointe Public Schools, I’ve found no community I’d rather serve than this one. Thanks for taking the time to learn about me.

(Clockwise from top left: Veronica’s sister Colonel (Ret) Tracy McLean and her dad Major General (Ret) WIlliam T. McLean. Randy Klinefelt, Veronica’s husband. Will Peters, Veronica’s nephew in Ranger school. Veronica’s sister Tracy and her wife Kathi.)

A passion for good government

As a mom, I decided to run for local school board in 1998 when I saw our children’s education being shortchanged. I discovered a talent for scouring budgets and bills and used this talent to expose fraud of over $3 million. The subsequent FBI investigation resulted in nearly 20 indictments.

Local experience

I quickly realized the underfunding of our schools was only the tip of the iceberg, which motivated me to run for Eastpointe City Council. I pushed to rebuild infrastructure that was neglected for years. We updated facilities, improved local roads,  and replaced crumbling pipes. I also helped the City weather the Great Recession by renegotiating contracts.

National leadership

After serving eight years on city council, I ran for a seat on the Macomb County Board of Commissioners to take on the complex issues Macomb was facing. In my ten years as a Commissioner, I’ve fought for a strong community mental health system, a veterans’ services department that rivals any in the nation, and a 911 system with updated technology capabilities. Serving on the 8 ½ Mile Drain Board, I’ve approved major projects to help clean our waterways. As the President of the Michigan Association of Counties, I advocated at the state and national level to bring more dollars back to local governments. As one of two Michigan representatives on the National Association of Counties Board of Directors, I have traveled to the Capitol and White House to fight for issues unique to Michigan and the Metro Detroit area in particular.

Taking the fight to Lansing

After 10 years at the county level, I’m ready to take my lived experience about local issues to Lansing. My passion isn’t government, it’s good government: government that keeps sewage out of our lakes, helps us retain great teachers, supports our firefighters and police officers, and funds our parks and community centers. I’ll work with Republicans, Democrats, and anyone else who wants to fight with me to build vibrant communities.