• Q. Why are you running for Water Commissioner and not some other office?
• A. I’m an engineer with lots of experience, and think I could do a really good job as water commissioner, quite a lot better than the current fellow, I think. This is, basically the only elected office where I can say this. Unlike my competitor, a political scientist and ex-florist, my skills are mostly engineering and engineering management. I understand flow and construction, and the bio-chemistry of remediation. I’m a professional engineer; I’ve taught engineering at Michigan State, and have run an engineering company, REB Research. My competitor is none of these. I think I know what the county needs water-engineering-wise, and think i can make it so, reasonably cheap.
• Q. Why is this a political office
• A. It shouldn’t be, in a sense, but perhaps making it an elected office is unavoidable given that a fair amount of money and contract power is involved. The public has a chance to throw out bums, crooks, and incompetents.
• Q. You’re a Republican and your opponent is a Democrat; how does that affect things.
• A. I and my opponent have the same aims, as best I can tell: an end to the flooding that’s been damaging homes and businesses, clean water, not poisoning the beaches as we do … I know how to get there, but my opponent seems to not. Drains help, so do weirs, and well run sewage plants, IMHO. The only party-related outcome, perhaps is that I’ll work better with L. Brooks Patterson, the county executive, and with John McCulloch, the ex-water commissioner, and the current fellow might work better with the county clerk and treasurer. That’s a plus or a minus, depending on how you feel about these individuals.
• Q. Will you continue to have water programs for children, like the incumbent does?
• A. Yes, though probably not as many, and not quite as touchy-feely. I find it bizarre how many kids programs my opponent has, and how little else he seems to do. I figure my main job is getting you clean drinking water at a pressure suitable for fire fighting, and making sure that the poop and rainwater goes where it’s supposed to. I like education too, but will likely focus on college-age adults. Here’s an example.
• Q. Tell me about yourself. Who are you? What did you do? How long have you lived in Oakland county, etc.
• I’m 60 years old, and from New York, originally. Jewish, sabbath-observant. I was always interested in engineering and found I had a knack for it. I did well in school, skipped a grade. New York had a specialized engineering high school that I attended, Brooklyn Tech (6000 students at the time, almost all boys). For college, I went to Cooper Union (the founder built the first major aqueduct in NY), and then to Princeton University for a PhD (chemical engineering). I taught at Michigan State University, Chemical Engineering, got married, and we now have 3 children. About 25 years ago, we moved to Oak Park and I opened a business making hydrogen generators and hydrogen separation equipment, things I had done research on while at Princeton and MSU. Business has been generally good. I have 5-6 employees (more in the summer), some patents, and an international clientele. My wife keeps the books, and all my children have worked there at one time or another. Then, after gripping about the bad drains for a while, I decided to run for office and do something about it.
• Q. What’s the deal with the cow-pig symbol on your web-site and campaign?
• A. It’s supposed to be a CEBÚ, a sort of water -buffalo, though we should have made the horns longer. Cebu is also an acronym for “Committee to Elect Robert Buxbaum.” There’s a song too.
• Q. How do you feel about unions?
• A. I like unions, by and large. Many Republicans are union men. I think they do a lot of good, and some bad too, e.g. by donating to political campaigns that the membership doesn’t agree with, and working against merit raises. On the other hand, it ‘s the union that gives workers a voice, and fights for raises and against abuse. They’re a mixed bag.
• Q. What do you think about gay, lesbian, trans, etc. issues?
  

  Flood of 2014; the view at 696 and Mound rd. It’s just incompetence.

• A. I figure that the sewage doesn’t care, and neither do I. Just do a good job, and please keep the details private. That goes for hetero-stuff too. Also, don’t wear long hair or dangling jewelry: anything that can catch on spinning things.
• Q. Your opponent is ahead in fund-raising; are you worried?
• A. Envious, but not too worried. I’m not convinced that money raised indicates voter support, or sways voting much. The folks who donate are saying “hello” to a guy who can order a five million dollar hole or a two million dollar law suit.
• Q. Wouldn’t it be better to have a manager who just leaves the county engineers alone to do their job?
• A. It’s a question I get quite a lot from the current appointees, and my answer is “no”. It helps to have someone to talk to who has an idea of what’s pointless, and what a good job would look like.
• Q. Are you pro-2nd Amendment? Pro 10th?
• A. These are the Republican side questions I get asked. I support the whole constitution including the 1st, 2nd…10th.. 14th … I’m not too sure about the 7th, the right to a jury trial for civil cases over $20, but that’s another matter. I consider myself a Roman republican. I stand for good roads, clean water, working sewers, honest courts, and a standing police force and army.
• Q. Why should a Democrat or Independent support you?
• A. I figure that most Democrats and Independents like clean beaches, and don’t like flooded roads. And that they would like someone competent to protect the water supply. Here’s a recent video about the state of our lake and beaches. Improvement is needed.

Dr. Robert E. Buxbaum, May 12, 2016.