Tag Archive for MITA

Ain’t No Learnin’ in the Fifth Kick of a Mule

The Horrendous Campaign Finance Mess of Another Republican Candidate for the 80th House District Seat

Forgetfullness Image 2

This is, without a doubt, the single most convoluted political mess I have ever encountered.

Allegan County Commissioner James M. Storey was one of the first to announce for the special election in the 80th District of the Michigan House of Representatives and one of the last to file. Just before he actually filed, several media stories explained that Mr. Storey was late to file because he discovered outstanding fines against his campaign committee assessed by the Secretary of State. Mr. Storey “discovered a forgotten 33-year-old open campaign account with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office stemming from Storey’s failed 1982 state House bid to represent the eastern UP.”

Mr. Story “said he agreed to amend the reports for that committee and pay a $2,500 fine to the Secretary of State as a result.” His actual predicament is far more recent than his statements suggest and his old ‘Jim Storey for State Representative’ committee still exists and still is noncompliant with Michigan election finance law.

Mr. Storey’s unextinguished State Representative committee did indeed incur an initial $ 25 fine for failing to file its 1998 annual statement (covering 1997) which eventually grew to $ 1,000 in 2001 when it was finally paid. This may have occurred because Mr. Storey moved from Saginaw to his present Holland residence during this time frame. He might not have filed an address change with the Secretary of State and missed their notices. Understandable, but expensive.

However, he filed his committee’s 1999 statement (covering 1998) on time from his current Holland residence, but then failed to file his 2000 statement (covering 1999). Somehow the Secretary of State’s Bureau of Elections overlooked this failure to file for 14 years.

Mr. Storey’s real problems with Michigan’s campaign finance law began in 2012, the year he ran for the Allegan County Commission’s 2nd District, a race which he won. He filed his 2012 annual statement (covering 2011) late, then fails to file his next four required statements until the eve of his 80th District filing.

The filing he did make with the Secretary of State in 2012 referenced 105th District state representative race.  Then on 15 September 2015 he created the ambiguous ‘Jim Story for Allegan County’, referencing his 80th District State House candidacy.

You Betcha! (11)Nuh Uh.(0)

The Final Word On Proposal 15-1

ballot2Tomorrow morning the polls open for those who have yet to electorally weigh in on the largest tax increase that Michiganians have ever had the opportunity to give themselves.

We have chronicled the multiple failures of the package here in nearly 80 articles, specifically referencing the proposal itself and dozens of other articles leading up to it.  Our efforts over the last five months have demonstrated that the overall issue in Michigan’s roads situation is one of complete dysfunction. In fact we’ve shown the proposal is hardly about roads alone, though that aspect is the only legitimate premise under which the proposal is being sold.

Aside from the convoluted language and constitutionally flawed (and with predictably BAD outcomes) package, it is a cacophony of noisy promises to Michigan’s recipients of taxpayer largess.  Townships, schools, ‘the working poor’ and the road builders themselves all seem to have a dog in the fight if one was to buy into the governor’s hype.

It all comes at a cost, and it appears the taxpayers are wising up.

You Betcha! (13)Nuh Uh.(1)

So, this was what we were missing?

Just dusting off one of a few old projects that I’ve had one hell of a time trying to finish up over the past few weeks.

Composing a post on a tablet is relatively easy compared to trying to edit something on video. Even moreso when the truck is moving

Watching the local news this afternoon gave me the final push to finish things up before tomorrow.

You Betcha! (5)Nuh Uh.(0)

The Editor’s Choice Awards

RightMi.Com editors weigh in on their favorite anti-prop 15-1 articles.

GasTaxRegistrationFreesHikeWe’ve had plenty to say about proposal 15-1.

In fact, there was so much to be said that we had to create a special category for it, and all things leading up to, and related have been edited by Kevin to reflect their importance to the issue.  While the traditional media sources play the equal opportunity game with both proponents and opponents of HR UU (proposal 15-1), it’s been our position to not do so.  We have maintained that equal opportunity is already a function of those who would lie about its ‘advantages,’ and it needs no further promotion to make it one of the most dangerous options Michiganians have ever faced at the ballot box.

As we wrap up the arguments with only 2 days left before the polls close, RightMi.com editors thought it important to offer up a few ‘MUST READS!’ As you make a special trip to the polls for an election day that you wouldn’t have if the last legislative session would have done its job we have highlighted the most compelling.  The editors have selected 5 or more articles from RightMi.com directly, and one other from anywhere else, traditional or otherwise.

Let the review begin!

You Betcha! (15)Nuh Uh.(2)

MITA is Indeed Scraping the Bottom of Its Barrel – Updated Sunday

SafeRoadsYes! Morphing Into A Very Expensive White Elephant - Big New Money Going Down the Drain!

Out of Money ImageAnother day, another $ 105,000 delivered to SafeRoadsYes! Here are the latest contributions made to SafeRoadsYes! on 28 April and posted by the Michigan Secretary of State today:

  • MITA gave another $ 25,000, new total circa $ 5.42 million
  • Michigan Aggregates Association gave $ 20,000, their first act of obeisance
  • PVS-Nolwood gave $ 25,000, new total $ 75,000
  • Operating Engineers Local 324 gave $ 35,000, new total $ 135,000

The motives of three late contributors are pretty obvious. PVS-Nolwood is a chemical company in Detroit specializing in acids and their disposal. As [a very profitable] part of this business, they unload neutralized acid byproducts on wastewater treatment plants as clarifiers. Those wastewater treatment plants just happen to be owned by various units of government which, in turn, use their water billings to rape the public at large. PVS-Nolwood have a long history of sucking up to Michigan’s power elites to further their very lucrative business interests.

You Betcha! (21)Nuh Uh.(0)

Cost of Lies Rising – Has the Threshold of Pain Been Reached?

Has MITA's Spending Now Slammed Into Its Members' Financial Limits?

liar-liar-pants-on-fireMITA (Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association) just added $ 205,000 to the SafeRoadsYes! war chest yesterday.  Not much when you consider that they have already lavished $ 5.19 million on SRY. The Detroit Regional Chamber‘s ‘Powering the Economy’ PAC political committee, on the other hand, went one better and added $ 250,000 to the SafeRoadsYes! war chest yesterday. Dwarfs their $ 125,000 in contributions during the regular reporting period. The Detroit Regional Chamber contribution far exceeds the $ 17,105 DRC reportedly had on hand only a few days ago. Someone has given Powering the Economy a lot of money this week, but we won’t be privileged to know whom for three months. Both of these contributions were made to SRY on April 27th, three days after the closing date for the SafeRoadsYes! pre-special general report.SRY Late Contribution Report - 2015-04-28

SafeRoadsYes! has evidently burned through the $ 8 million plus they received in contributions during the regular reporting period and is now heading towards a $ 9 million cash burn.  Hard to tell how much SRY have spent with any exactitude, the latest figures from April 24th show expenditures of $ 7.212 million.  But they had a balance of $ 843,482 on that date which is presumably gone or going quickly.  Expect more thrilling stunts and stimulating advertising in any event.  Their war chest just got reloaded.

The paltry late contribution from MITA, taken together with the outsized contribution from the Detroit Regional Chamber, suggests that MITA is scraping the bottom of their member’s bank accounts.  Or that they are employing a new form of campaign contribution concealment, feeding contributions through DRC’s Powering the Economy so contributors’ identities won’t be reported until after the election.  Their servants in Michigan’s media reported the outsized involvement of road constructors in pushing Proposal 1 this week and it hasn’t played well with the voting public.

Will the Proposal 1 fight decapitalize Michigan’s road constructors?  Will they raise their bids to recoup their political expenditures, further draining Michigan’s road funding?  Are MITA and DRC gaming Michigan’s campaign finance laws to avoid any further embarrassing disclosures?  Or have we just found out what $ 1.2 billion in additional annual contracts are really worth in profits to Michigan’s road constructors?

You Betcha! (11)Nuh Uh.(0)

Are you suffering from lawn envy?

Admit it. Your front lawn is bland.

It needs something to “jazz it up”  a little.

Lawn Gnomes won’t do the trick.

Neither will gazing spheres, solar powered lawn lights or tiny banners displaying the upcoming holiday.

Why not try this?

{Find out about the wonder item that everyone will be clamoring for below the fold}

You Betcha! (10)Nuh Uh.(0)

I think that it is time to begin filling out a scorecard before May 5th.

Otherwise known as “What's good for thee, but not for me (con’t).

Breaking from the republican kakistocracy’s latest rope-a-dope on the Grassroots (aka Dave Agema’s “controversial comments” brouhaha), it is important to note that Governor’s Snyder’s plot to raise the Michigan Sales Tax 16.7% is beginning to pick up a few supporters.

On the plus side; So is the opposition.

And what interesting bedfellows are beginning to appear.

{Continued below}

You Betcha! (20)Nuh Uh.(2)