Contact:
Matt Bach
Michigan Municipal League
c: (810) 874-1073; [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2022
Michigan Municipal League Honors State Sen. Victory as Legislator of the Year
ANN ARBOR, Michigan – The Michigan Municipal League has honored State Senator Roger Victory (R-Hudsonville) as the League’s 2022 Legislator of the Year. He received the recognition this week during the League’s 2022 Capital Conference in Lansing.
Sen. Victory was selected for the award based on his exemplary record of advocacy for communities large and small in his West Michigan district and for being an important ally in the League’s efforts to advance legislation that strengthens local governments across the state.
After serving six years in the Michigan House representing the 88th District, Victory was elected in 2018 to represent the 30th Senate District, which encompasses Ottawa County. In the current legislative session, he chairs the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee and serves as assistant majority whip. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he also chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the Subcommittee on General Government.
“Senator Victory has demonstrated time and again that he is a champion for local communities of all sizes,” said Sterling Heights City Councilmember and League Board President Barb Ziarko. “He regularly listens to local governments on a variety of issues. For example, on the short-term rental issue, he recognizes the importance of finding the right balance between short-term rental properties and their impact on the availability of attainable housing in communities. From the urban center of Grand Rapids to rural townships in West Michigan, Senator Victory navigates key issues that impact his district and beyond with considerable skill and savvy.”
As the owner of Victory Farms LLC, a year-round specialty crop producer, as well as Victory Sales LLC, a national produce distributor, Sen. Victory brings deep experience and knowledge of Michigan’s agricultural sector to the table. He is an executive board member of the Michigan Vegetable Council and past president of the Ottawa County Farm Bureau. A graduate of Davenport University and Michigan State University’s Great Lakes Leadership Academy, he also serves on the advisory board of the Ottawa County Careerline Tech Center.
Throughout his tenure in the Michigan Legislature, Sen. Victory has been a strong advocate for increasing funding for local revenue sharing, a vital resource that supports first responders and other municipal services. He continues to be a strong voice and ally in support of League budget priorities for roads, bridges, water, sewer, and shoreline infrastructure repair. The senator’s support for communities struggling with legacy debt has put him in a leadership position to push for an even greater state investment in underfunded pension liabilities, and he is working closely with the League to highlight this important issue in 2022. He also has been a strong advocate and bill sponsor for the League’s coalition-developed housing package and works closely with the City of Grand Haven to promote a municipally driven community land trust housing project.
“It is an honor to receive this award from the League,” Victory said. “I am blessed to represent the people of West Michigan and this award is really because of their hard work. Our locals are outspoken and informed on the issues that impact our hometowns. As legislators it is our duty to listen and respond to the needs of our communities.”
Sen. Victory received the Legislator of the Year honor alongside Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit).
Photo Links: State Sen. Roger Victory
About the Legislator of the Year Award: The honor is presented each year to lawmakers for their instrumental actions in the Michigan State Legislature on behalf of local communities. These individuals are recognized for their efforts in the passage of legislation that will benefit local governments or who have fought consistently to support local government.
For additional information, contact Matt Bach, Michigan Municipal League assistant director of strategic communications, at [email protected] and (810) 874-1073.
Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.