As mayor, Owen Diaz led the city of Milan to address its budget deficit without raising taxes. It even managed to reduce the property tax and adopt a people-friendly city government. Owen Diaz is a dedicated advocate for lower taxes and efficiency in government.
Learn more about
Owen Diaz in this
television interview
Owen Diaz was born in the Philippines and became an orphan at only five years old. In order to help his siblings, he cleaned peoples’ shoes and sold flowers on the streets. He lived with different relatives and worked very hard to earn his keep. Owen never lost his faith in God—that someday God would make his life better. He took his faith and work ethic with him while he attended engineering school at night and worked during the day.
Owen met Ruth, a promising young medical student, at church. They got married and moved to the United States to start a family and a career. Owen raised their children by day and continued his education at night. After the children grew up, he put his Eastern Michigan University economics degree to use as a financial planner and manager of his wife’s private practice. It wasn’t long until his ingenuity, integrity and passion for the community propelled him into more challenging positions as a public servant. He was the regional director for MSMSA, the president of WCMSA, and ultimately went on to become mayor of the City of Milan.
While mayor, Owen sponsored annual Seniors’ Day to express gratitude to those who made this country great. He also sponsored Annual Physically Challenged Day to encourage and uplift challenged community members.
Under Owen Diaz’ leadership as mayor, Milan addressed its budget deficit without raising taxes. It even managed to reduce property tax.
Owen, who is a dedicated advocate for lower taxes, believes that our citizens are over-taxed. He maintains that taxes can be reduced if county and municipal governments work together to eliminate duplication of services. Elected officials who have the fiduciary responsibility to allocate and prioritize expenses should be mindful of spending only what is budgeted to avoid a deficit.
Owen Diaz has been in the health care industry for decades and is aware of the many challenges facing our citizens’ health care.
Currently, he is an administrator of an urgent care clinic and a mental health clinic. Previously, he served as the regional director of the Michigan State Medical Society Alliance, covering the six counties in southeast Michigan.
Some of our seniors who are on fixed incomes have to choose whether to spend their limited income on medical co-pays and deductibles, prescription drugs, food on the table, or to pay for the high cost of energy.
Even worse is the predicament of the unemployed head of the family or single parent, who not only has to put food on the table and pay the mortgage, but also pay for family health care.
Read more in Owen’s essay, Viable Solutions to High Healthcare Cost [PDF]
“If California has Silicon Valley and Michigan has the Motor City, then Michigan should be the alternative fuel capital of the United States. I will propose a resolution to support an initiative to organize corporate and university hydrogen fuel research—with the help of SPARK, MEDC, and state and federal legislators—to create a district in southeast Michigan, particularly in Washtenaw County, that will promote a mega research park to house scientists and engineers involved in hydrogen fuel research and development.
“Considering that two-thirds of the oil we consume is used for transportation, it is clear that transportation needs must drive our energy research to achieve self-reliance and ensure environmental quality for future generations.
“My proposal will create a regional collaborative environment to be a catalyst for the development of commercially viable hydrogen-fueled engines, and efficient fuel distribution methods. By doing so, we can expedite the technological development process by several years, becoming a hydrogen economy sooner than the government’s target date of 2020.”
Read more in Owen’s essay, Alternative Energy Mega Research Park [PDF]
Please feel free to contact me about issues that concern you, or if I may place a sign in your yard in October.