Elections

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Michigan Roads – How Bad?

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paser-1You are about to be buried in pseudostatistics and factoids purporting to demonstrate just how bad Michigan roads are. We have already demonstrated that the TRIP vehicle maintenance factoids fabricated by a devious road contractors’ business league are a complete fraud.

Now State of Michigan government entities are unleashing a wave of propaganda intended to drive your vote on Proposal 2015-01. Two State of Michigan government entities have prepared campaign flyers on behalf of Proposal 15-1 using Michigander’s tax dollars: MDoT and the Transportation Asset Research Council (TAMC).

Both MDoT and TAMC have spent years preparing slick pamphlets decrying the sad condition of Michigan’s roads, citing PAvement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) data collected by TAMC with MDoT and local road agency help. These pamphlets claim that 30 – 40 % of Michigan roads are in poor condition. But are they really?

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You Betcha! (24)Nuh Uh.(1)

Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans, Taxes

Boy, are these people stupid!

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

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Ron Boji et al. Pocket $134,000,000 for Their “Better View”

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Our wayward Elected Class spending saga continues via WXYZ

This pay-to-play wasteful spending has got to stop. So does this crap.

“I don’t like to look backwards. I’m a guy who looks forward and solves problems,” Pscholka said.

Snyder_54B_ballonWhat a pompous, can-kicking schmuck, but, there it is as plain as day. Rick Snyder’s playbook line used to justify his actions as a big spending, everyone connected gets a kickback Republican. You folks tired of hearing it yet? Guess not. Methinks, there’s a growing consensus they all should just be thankful there is a disinterested, ill-informed, and apathetic electorate otherwise all the Oath sworn f****** would be hearing footsteps in their sleep.

In other words, this is the government that has been consented to by our vote. Pay up, suckers…

SB 509 and SB 1149.

Ps. thanks for the empty words, Colbeck you fraud.

You Betcha! (24)Nuh Uh.(0)

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Congratulations on the Reluctant Baby Steps

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Now that the Michigan Chamber of Commerce has bailed on Snyder and Calley two days ago, it becomes painfully obvious that somebody is sniffing at 2018 in the air.

Hinky_BillAttorney General Bill Schuette said Wednesday he opposes the Proposal 1 sales tax increase on the May 5 ballot, making him the latest Republican politician to buck Gov. Rick Snyder’s plan to raise $1.2 billion in new road funding.

Schuette told The Detroit News that the proposal’s $700 million in added taxes and spending on schools, municipalities and a tax break for low-income families are a bad policy prescription for fixing the state’s roads.

“On a policy basis, Prop 1 has a lot of potholes,” Schuette said in an interview. “There’s too much under the Christmas tree that goes beyond roads.”
….

Schuette would not say whether he would have supported a sales tax increase that dedicated new money only to roads and bridges.

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Cutesy catchphrase that impresses some staffers, which is all fine and dandy, however, when is AG Schuette going to start probing MDOT with the department he created? Pick a spot. Any spot.

Interesting too is how Ruth Johnson now keeps her yap shut about the registration fee hike and loss of deduction within Proposal 2015-1, huh?

You Betcha! (18)Nuh Uh.(0)

Elections, Michigan, Republicans

Eleven Yo.

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Three side with the rule of law. Eleven put a blue ribbon on his prize.

IllegalsWell .. craps.

For those of you getting a little excited about being able to finally be proud of our Michigan delegation?  It’ll have to wait another day, or week, or decade in all likelihood. The vote? Three Michigan Republicans voted to enforce the rule of law through the ONE tool that congress has.

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 109
      H R 240      YEA-AND-NAY      3-Mar-2015      3:14 PM
QUESTION:  On Motion to Recede and Concur in the Senate Amendment
BILL TITLE: Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, and for other purposes

U.S. House of Representatives  
 
Representative Justin Amash (R) Voted NO on funding amnesty
3rd District – Cascade Township  
Committee:  
Oversight and Government Reform  
114 Cannon House Office Building  
Washington, D.C. 20515-2204  
(202) 225-3831  
(202) 225-5144 (fax)  
Contact Information: https://amash.house.gov/contact-me/email-me  
Website:http://amash.house.gov/  
 
Representative Dan Benishek (R) Voted Yes to fund amnesty
1st District – Crystal Falls  
Committees:  
Natural Resources;  
Veteran’s Affairs  
514 Cannon House Office Building  
Washington, D.C. 20515-2204  
(202) 225-4735  
(202) 225-4710 (fax)  
Contact Information: https://benishek.house.gov/contact-me/email-me  
Website:http://benishek.house.gov/  

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You Betcha! (13)Nuh Uh.(2)

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1

It Only Gets Worse

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Taxes that increase every year to keep up with inflation.

STOP-167Say What?

We have used the 16.7% tax increase in the stop sign logo, (at the right) and will continue to do so.  However, it is hardly a complete look at the tax implications if proposal 15-1 were to pass. We are attempting to find all the ways in which our prior legislative session gave us the shaft, including train to nowhere projects, redistribution of wealth, and the fuel tax replacement components.

Folks might actually be aware of the replacement fuel tax and that it will be more than what the was tax was before. Presumably, it simply replaces the sales tax that has been collected on fuel, that does not go toward roads.  However, when one looks at the analysis done by the House Fiscal Agency, there is a paragraph that explains the mechanism accurately; and in particular, a line at the end of that paragraph points out an easily missed point.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Michigan Political Math: $ 1.2 Billion = $ 1.08 Billion

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Mass Transit Skims $ 120 Million from Proposal 2015-01 Road Work Funds

Train Wreck ImageEver hear of the Michigan Comprehensive Transportation Fund? Ten cents of every Michigan fuel tax dollar gets diverted to this mass transportation slush fund.  It is only just behind the sales tax as a diversion of your current fuel tax dollars from Michigan’s roads.

All motor vehicle fuel taxes collected in the State of Michigan are first deposited into the Michigan Transportation Fund. Then MCL 247.660 (1)(f) (Public Act 51 of 1951) dictates that 10% of the funds deposited in the Michigan Transportation Fund be immediately transferred to the Comprehensive Transportation Fund. The amended version of MCL 247.660 you are being offered in Proposal 2015-01 has the very same section (1)(f), making the same 10% immediate diversion.

So the $ 1.2 billion that Proposal 2015-01 supporters are promising you for road work is actually only $ 1.08 billion.  Kirk T. Steudle, P.E. gets a whole new stash to maintain and expand his stable of rotting train cars, $ 120 million that cannot be spent on the roads by law.  $ 120 million that gets skimmed from the $ 1.2 billion you are being promised for the roads.  And no, it is not skimmed from the $ 800 million that Proposal 2015-01 dedicates to the Democratic base.

Now you now know how Michigan political math works in the age of Common Core.  Pay $ 2 billion for roads, get $ 1 billion in road work.

You Betcha! (22)Nuh Uh.(1)