Michael Bagdes-Canning wants his grandchildren to have the same opportunities he had growing up. He’s not seeing that possibility right now, so he’s running to be the 64th District State House representative as a Green Party candidate.

“I’m passionate because I have a legacy,” he said, referring to his grandchildren.

Bagdes-Canning said his decision to run also stems from anger at the status quo.

“Even though polls show that people are really angry with our government, they are dissatisfied with what their government is doing, they keep electing the same people over and over again,” he said. “So I looked at that; I said, ‘This can’t stand.’”

Bagdes-Canning said that if he’s elected, he will try to change tax laws, put more funding into education and focus on environmental issues.

“I would like to see the funding for schools more equitable, more money from the state, and get away from the property tax,” he said.

He elaborated.

“I want to see that every kid in Pennsylvania has access to a quality education by getting away from the notion that we pay for education through property taxes,” he said. “The state is not paying what it used to pay 30, 40 years ago. The percentage is much lower.”

Bagdes-Canning, who used to teach at George Junior Republic in Grove City, further spoke of educational change.

“I’m also for making college, state-run universities free to anyone who graduates from a state high school, and I’m also looking for ways to relieve student debt,” he said. “Student debt is crippling. They owe more on their college education than (my wife Karen) and I spent on our home.”

A Green Party candidate, Bagdes-Canning has his eyes trained on climate issues, including anti-fracking.

“The climate itself is a big issue,” he said. “A lot of the Republican party denies climate science, and the Democrats like to champion themselves as being aware of the science but then they turn around and govern as if the science doesn’t exist at all.”

He also commented on farming.

“Our farming policy stinks,” he said. “If you got a lot of money, our government reaches out to help you, but if you’re just a small farmer then that’s not the case.”

Bagdes-Canning said that the current market is set up so farmers make less money from their goods when selling directly to consumers than through a middle man. He wants to change that with cooperatives that would allow farmers a greater percentage of the profit.

Bagdes-Canning is a member of the Cherry Valley Council, and ran for Butler County Commissioner in 2015. He said that experience taught him that people share his concerns.

“I think I’m in tune with a lot of folks,” he said.

He also said that, should he be elected, that would mean a major change has occurred in the area.

“A (Green Party candidate) running in Venango County and northern Butler County, if I’m going to do well, that means people are angry enough to say, ‘We are going to have to scrap this system,’” he said. “That means I’m going to have an army behind me. And if I have people behind me, I don’t think I’m going to have a problem getting this agenda that I’m talking about enacted.”

He also spoke freely about his opponents.

“If I look at Representative (Lee James’) record, there’s very little that he has actually done while in office that he can say has his signature,” he said. “He has to play the game, he is part of that Republican Caucus, and therefore he has to support Republican (platforms).

“If (Democratic candidate) John Kluck is elected, he’s going to be in the same position. He’s going to have to play the game.”

Bagdes-Canning said he thinks several things set him apart.

“I consider myself first and foremost an activist,” he said. “I’m used to getting things done not by playing the party game. I’m used to getting things done by direct action, by making things uncomfortable for people to do, not by playing the party game.”