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Tag: Macon

County, State and Fed stupidity: Dems go 3 for 3

By Nick, Section News
Posted on Wed Mar 04, 2009 at 07:50:22 AM EST
Tags: Macomb County, John Cherry, Jennifer Granholm, early release, Macon, Stupak, budget, stimulus, pork (all tags)

Stop me if you've heard this one before... Michigan's economy is pretty rotten.

Or this one... Michigan Democrats' concept of "solutions" is counterproductive these days, when it isn't outright dangerous

OK, so that first sentence might be a bit more universally embraced, by both Republicans and Democrats, but if the Dems' latest round of "answers" to Michigan's economic woes get around the state there isn't much doubt the second will be gaining a heck of a lot of traction, and soon.

From Michigan Democrats in Congress to their representatives in the state legislature and the Governor's mansion all the way down to local county government, there are ideas being floated today that might not just kill Michigan's economy, they might wind up killing some of us while they're at it.

You know things are getting dangerous when Macomb County Democrats' scheme to increase taxes on local moms and dads by $10 million a year is the least devastating thing on the board. A $10 million tax hike to fill a $10 million budget deficit. In spite of the fact that Macomb County currently has $30 million in its rainy-day fund! (Hint: Its raining cats and freaking dogs outside, boys and girls.) The Detroit News reports:

Dennis Cusik wanted an explanation of the county's retirement plan which has, until recently, allowed workers to retire at 50 years old with 20 years of experience.
"I'd just like to ask ... how can you justify giving retirement at 50 years old?" he said. "We're in dire straits here."

Good question. They can't. See, these sorts of things, these decisions, they have consequences. The News reports that since 1980, when County government had five employees for every retiree, they now have 1.2 employees for each.

That leads to some awfully funny math. And speaking of funny math, there's no place where numbers mean less these days, especially with dollar signs supposedly in front of them, than in the halls of the overwhelmingly Democratic controlled Congress.

(Now THAT'S what I call a segue.)

Read on...

(718 words in story) Full Story