Now, how do you suppose THAT got there?
One of my sources tipped me off to an interesting turn of events last night regarding Prop 1.
{More below the fold}
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Conservative News, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes
When It Becomes Serious, You Have To Lie
by 10x25MM • • 2 Comments
TRIP Boosts Their Lies 109% to Get Your Vote
The proponents of Proposal 1 never envisaged the losing position they now occupy two weeks before the vote, so their media shills have resurrected the titillating lies projections of a road builders’ organization called TRIP to bolster their case. Here are the most visceral quotes from Michigan’s two largest newspapers, demonstrating their well-honed propaganda skills:
“Michigan’s poor roads threaten to derail its economic recovery, according to a new report by a national transportation research group.”
“The report says that 38% of Michigan roads are now in poor condition, up from 23% in 2006. It also found that 45% were listed in fair condition and 17% were listed as good.”
“The report estimates that Michigan motorists pay an average of $686 in increased operating costs, including vehicle repairs, because of the state’s poor roads.”
“By 2025, the share of major roads in poor condition is projected to increase to 53 percent,” TRIP said in its report. “Keeping roads in good condition by performing minor maintenance is far more cost-effective than waiting until roads are in fair or poor condition when it becomes far more costly to make needed repairs.”
“According to TRIP, driving on rough roads costs Michigan motorists a total of $4.8 billion each year in the form of extra vehicle operating costs, representing an average cost of $686 annually per motorist.”
”That’s the conclusion of a report released Monday by TRIP, a Washington-based nonprofit organization that researches, evaluates and distributes information on surface transportation issues.
The Detroit Free Press only identified TRIP as “a national nonprofit transportation research group” in this pivotal story. They were a little more candid in a previous story, so they can’t claim not to know what TRIP is. The Detroit News identification of TRIP was every bit as dishonest. Only our ‘newer’ media is more truthful, if still not entirely accurate:
“The annual TRIP study, conducted by a national research group funded by transportation industry interests, pegs the yearly cost at $686 per Michigan motorist.”
“TRIP findings have long been cited by road funding advocates, including Gov. Rick Snyder.”
TRIP obligingly released a raft of new lies in a series of press releases on Michigan roads at the Detroit Regional Chamber (a kindred IRS 501(c)(6) organization, more on this below the fold) on Monday. These stories are an update to TRIP’s January 2014 lies which we covered in January. The comparable examples of TRIP’s 2014 lies (since removed from the web) are:
- An inadequate transportation system costs Michigan residents a total of $7.7 billion every year
- Driving on rough roads costs Michigan motorists a total of $2.3 billion annually in extra vehicle operating costs
- Driving on rough roads costs the average Detroit urban area motorist $536 annually in extra vehicle operating costs
- Driving on rough roads costs the average Michigan motorist $357 annually in extra vehicle operating costs
TRIP’s 2015 report on Michigan annual excessive vehicle costs is a $ 2.5 billion (or $ 329 per motorist) increase above their 2014 lies projections. A 109% increase above their 2014 lies. Far beyond any assessment of the 2014 to 2015 deterioration of road & bridge conditions in Michigan – even the totally bogus PASER ratings. Since the $ 2.3 billion (or $ 357 per motorist) 2014 TRIP number didn’t move you to vote for Proposal 1, the new and improved $ 4.8 billion (or $ 686 per motorist) lie is expected to change your mind on Proposal 1. They think you are that dumb.
So is TRIP a “nonprofit transportation research organization”? Sounds like an independent, credible source – right? Do the adjectives ‘nonprofit’ and ‘research’ give you a high level of confidence in their pronouncements? Does ‘organization’ or ‘group’ give you the impression that hundreds of researchers are assessing road conditions across the country? Perhaps you should dig a little deeper than our lazy, lying media scribes.
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(17)Nuh Uh.(0)Cronyism, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes
Proposal 1 Comment Of The Day
by Corinthian Scales • • 9 Comments
Well, yesterday’s, as I just noticed today but, it is noteworthy: Click here.
You see, once one moves past what I call Chuck’s cutesy outhouse-genius mentality of telling wondering tales, it all comes down to the $116,000,000.00 baked into Proposal 1 that Chuck & Co. would like to get their hands on for Rick Snyder’s perpetual Detroit bailout and his Utopian moving of chattel schemes.
There are many viable Plan B options in the works, and we all know that. The end.
Ps. we all should thank our lucky stars for term limits. Moving to a part time legislature is way past its needing, too.
Pps. does one wonder why Chuck is so sensitive about protecting the insurance lobby sitting on $18 Billion without ever opening up their books for audit?
Just sayin’…
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(22)Nuh Uh.(0)All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes
“All those in favor say ‘Aye’. Any opposed? Seeing none, the motion is approved.”
by KG One • • 3 Comments
This is not the time for chutzpa!
If our elected representatives in Lansing are in need of any suggestions to “find” money to reallocate towards more important matters affecting Michigan, a local vote that was taken yesterday afternoon by an advisory committee would be my recommendation for a great place to start.
{Story continues below}
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(9)Nuh Uh.(0)Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes
Ugh, work is stupid!
by KG One • • 1 Comment
Let’s all take a break.
Just when you thought that the Three-ring Circus that tries to pass itself off as “leadership” couldn’t make an even bigger ass of themselves than they already have done to date, they just turn around and surprise you.
Same cast of characters. Same city.
And another example of ungrateful children pretending to be mature adults wasting your hard earned money.
{Click below to find out who they are and what they have done this time}
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(12)Nuh Uh.(0)Conservative News, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Taxes
$ 70 Million More Down the Drain Every Year
by 10x25MM • • 3 Comments
Michigan Triples Down On The Most Abused Federal Program
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released its FY 2014 estimates of improper payments made by the Federal Government in testimony before the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on Monday. The Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 and the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 require Federal Executive Branch agencies to estimate the levels of improper payments in all Federal programs. The GAO assembles this data and reports the levels of improper payments, along with recommendations to minimize such improper payments.
At the Federal level, all improper payments amounted to about $ 125 billion dollars in FY 2014. Even by casual Federal accounting standards this is breathtaking. Three cents of every Federal Government dollar spent. Going through the GAO’s estimates by program, the Earned Income Tax Credit is at the top of the list by percentage of improper payments: 27.2 % of all EITC payments are improper. The GAO estimated FY 2014 improper EITC payments by the Federal Government alone amounted to $ 17.7 billion dollars. Other Federal programs burned more dollars, but none had the percentage rate of improper payments that the EITC has. Not even close.
The most obscure element of the tax increase package which Michigan voters will be asked to approve on May 5th is Senate Bill 847 of 2014. This bill is a $ 260 million annual increase in the State of Michigan’s version of the EITC. The EITC will increase from its current 6 %, to 20 %, of the Federal EITC credit allowed under Section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code. Currently, the Michigan EITC pays out about $ 80 million from the Michigan Treasury every year at the 6 % rate.
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(18)Nuh Uh.(0)Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Taxes
Where’s The Bridge?
by 10x25MM • • 6 Comments
Questionable MDoT Database Compromises Auditor General's Bridge Inspection Performance Audit
The Michigan Office of the Auditor General released its overdue performance audit of MDoT’s Bridge Inspection Program Friday afternoon, just in time to miss last week’s news cycle. Weekend news reports focused on bridge inspection frequency, but there is a more fundamental question which should be answered first: Are the MDoT bridge records which were audited complete and correct? Even remotely so?
The Federal Highway Administration collects bridge data from the State DoT’s and other sources to create and maintain the National Bridge Inventory. It is supposed to list all American bridges which have roads running across them or below them, along with ownership, identifiers, and condition data. Condition data is given as a number from 0 (failed) through 9 (good beyond current standards). These numbers then get converted into the descriptors you read in the press, such as ‘structurally deficient’, poor, good, etc.
The MOAG performance audit is replete with statistics derived from MDoT’s bridge inventory database which show – no surprise – that some of Michigan’s bridges are in poor shape. You can see MOAG’s statistics as of April 30th, 2014 in the audit or go to a searchable database of individual bridge data across the entire country, as of 2012, brought to us by Alexander Svirsky of MassRoads.com.
A first pass at the MOAG bridge inspection audit involved looking at the worst condition category of bridges, those rated 0 or 1 for failed or imminent failure. Going through the Wayne County owned bridge summary on Page 51 of the new MOAG audit, I was heartened to see that Wayne County has no condition category 0 or 1 bridges. But there are at least two zero condition category major bridges in Wayne County across the Rouge River, so let’s say I am experiencing a little cognitive dissonance just now.
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(25)Nuh Uh.(1)Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes
“Grand” Bargain the County Edition
by Corinthian Scales • • 2 Comments
via WXYZ
“Fitch downgraded $203 million in building authority bonds, $186 million in limited general obligation bonds and $51 million in stadium refunding bonds. … jail boondoggle that wasted $130 million and counting.
Wayne County has a structural debt of $50 million and $40 million more is needed each year to bring its pension system back – the underfunding accounts for about 70 percent of the long-term debt of $2.9 billion.”
Hmmm… bond issues, huh?
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Boy, are these people stupid!
by KG One • • 4 Comments
Chumps!
Morons!
Idiots!
Dupes!
Simpletons!
Fools!
Betcha think these comments regarding Michigan Taxpayers was “secretly” overheard coming from the confab between Gov. Snyder, Ex-Speaker Bolder, Ex-Sen. Richardville, Rep. Greimel & Ex-Sen Whitmer last December just before they announced placing Prop 15-1 before Michigan Voters?
Close, but not quite.
{Tantalizing details after the fold}
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(10)Nuh Uh.(0)Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes
I Imagine People in Hell Would Like Ice Water Too
by Corinthian Scales • • 5 Comments
Is this what Snyder meant by Rivers of Opportunity?
It costs an average of $1,800 per year for auto insurance in Detroit’s suburbs; it costs about $3,600 within the city limits, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said from Motor City Casino [Ilitch family] at the 2014 Detroit Policy Conference Thursday.
“Detroiters can’t afford to make $300 a month in car insurance, in most cases more than their car note, [maybe we should buy them a park to ease their woes?]” Duggan said to the room of business, nonprofit and media leaders. “I’ve spent a lot of time already with the Republican leadership on some ideas on that …[suspect Numero Uno]
“I just want the ability to be competitive on car insurance.”
What that legislation might look like, Duggan wouldn’t say.
“There’s no reason for us to talk about these details,” Duggan said during a media scrum after his on-stage speech, “because I need to get 56 reps and 20 senators to agree to them and I just as soon do it with them and not announce the details here, so no disrespect.”
Looks like our little green friend in Detoilet is still hungry but, oh sure, why not? Just for Snyder’s inaugural party MC carpetbagger mayor buddy, let’s call the legislation: “Grand” bargain Auto Insurance.
Sorry, Progressive is already taken. But, ya, that’s the ticket, Mayor Mike. You know, the old saying is true: the more things allegedly change in Michigan, the more they stay the same.
Has anyone else been left out of getting a cut of the Detroit bailout? If so, please leave suggestions in comment.
Ps. anyone else notice Detroit’s Police no longer reveal crime summary reports?
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