Tag: Detroit

Michigan's population is slowly rebounding, but millionaires may not be sticking around for the state's revival. [Where is the "revival"?]

Despite encouraging economic trends and a booming stock market, the state had 10,000 fewer millionaire households in 2013 than 2012, the Phoenix Global Wealth Monitor estimated in a report released this week.

Reposted from The Mackinac Center for Public Policy in time for Rick Snyder's State of the state address tonight:

Don't Bail Out Detroit with State Tax Dollars

Unfortunately, there may be a hook: A requirement that the state treasury contribute, which would convert voluntary private generosity into a coerced taxpayer bailout.

A state bailout of Detroit is a terrible idea. It creates moral hazard and adds to the overly generous financial support the city has for years received from state taxpayers.

Christies is supposed to have a valuation of the city owned art for Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr this week.  

Former #Michigan Gov. William Milliken joins Gov. @OneToughNerd in condemning #RNC's Dave Agema record-eagle.com/opinion/x12212... #MIGOP #GOP #MIGov

Some reminders of history, lest they be repeated, obviously need reflection:

1969-1982:  William G. Milliken.  Thirteen years in Office.  Environmental extremist.  Chummy chum chum's with perhaps the most corrupt Mayor of Detroit ever.  But, it was smart of 'ol milquetoast Willy, that was his voting base.  Kerry backer... Granholm backer... Obama backer... As Paul Ryan would say about Newt Gingrich, "With friends like him..."  How this twaddling old tool still keeps calling himself a Republican is beyond disgusting.

Helen Milliken a proud eugenicist?  You betchya!  Not supposed to mention such atrocities... Shhhhhhhhh!  And, how can one forget...

Omitted: Made Jim Blanchard Look Appealing to Voters

Now, wayward, petty, and pedantic child, you carry on with that polarizing the MI-GOP into obsolescence.

Welcome to Detroit from A Wild Kristen Appeared on Vimeo.

As noted from WXYZ.

One of the team members tells 7 Action News that their professor even shed a tear while watching the ad.

Some of the ideas are familiar, but limited in ways typically embraced by establishment Republicans.

Rand Paul's visit to Detroit was precipitated by a conference call being reported by the Detroit News. In it, Senator Paul speaks of enterprise zones, with taxes so low as to "bail yourselves out". Adding to this an loosened visa incentive for a flow of foreign "entrepreneurs" into the city.

Paul, widely considered a 2016 potential presidential candidate, said he will introduce legislation Monday to create "economic freedom zones" by dramatically lowering taxes in depressed areas and loosen visa rules to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to immigrate to the city.

"We hope to create taxes so low you essentially are able to bail yourselves out," Paul said Thursday in a conference call outlining his plan.

I wonder how that would work?

Maybe something like this?

"Mr Chen, you are welcome to stay, invest, develop, and work in our country. However, you are limited to this particular region. If for some reason you are not satisfied there, I guess you are out of luck."

"Welcome to the Hotel Detroit. Love it, or get the hell out of our country.."

Which of course begs the question of what happens to those who emigrate, and decide to move somewhere a little safer than Baghdad of Michigan? When "loosening visa requirements," it seems that a genie let out is a little hard to stuff back in the lamp. Its hard to imagine 'restrictive' movement placed on those who simply seek a better life, and upon finding out that Detroit is no better than the hole they left, it is highly likely that they will indeed "seek" such a place.

And it seems we have heard those words about foreigners feeling welcomed before.

Its not as if they weren't warned.

State appointed Emergency Financial managers couldn't touch any pension contracts whatsoever. As a state initiated law, it would  have run afoul of article 9, section 24; the state's own constitutional protection for pensions.  The EFM law was however, a tool to readjust current contracts not associated with those pensions.  Federal courts would have no say at that point.  But labor unions, and certain municipalities' elected bodies preferred to not allow such a thing.

Instead, a bankruptcy, fully clarified in the constitution as being under federal jurisdiction, takes the state's constitutional protections of those pensions off the table.

Two statements from high profile positions in Michigan State Government. Both from looking at the decision to allow the Detroit Bankruptcy to go forward. The first from the Nerd

"Today, the federal court allowed Detroit to stay on the path toward a brighter future.  A future where streetlights work and ambulances respond quickly. A future where crime and blight shrink, and where jobs and investments surge."

From the AG?

"However, I am deeply disappointed by Judge Rhodes' analysis that pensions may be impaired. I will continue to aggressively defend pensions and Article 9, Section 24 of the Michigan Constitution as this case proceeds to the confirmation stage of bankruptcy planning, at which time we can thoroughly review any plans for potential legal action involving pensions."