Elections

Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Friday Film Fest – 104th District State Representative Forum/Debate

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Karen and RobApologies for the video and sound quality, but the decision to do the video was somewhat last minute.

On Monday, two of the GOP contenders for the 104th State Rep District; Rob Hentschel and Karen Renny, introduced themselves and answered some questions in a bit of a debate format. There were two others, Larry Inman, and Jamie Callahan who were otherwise too busy or occupied to attend this important first stage in the Northern Michigan race.

The debate was facilitated by the Traverse Bay Area Republican Women’s Club at the Park Place hotel in Traverse City.

Have a great weekend! The Video is below.

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Elections, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Yep, it’s an Election Year

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The tax hiking surrender monkey majority in Lansing, led by none other than a duplicitous twit from Livonia, lets the retaliation cat out of the bag.

Unionized police and firefighters could again receive retroactive pay raises through new contracts under legislation being considered in the state House that would exempt them from a 2011 law.

The Legislature three years ago outlawed retroactive pay raises for unionized local government workers for time periods when they were working under an expired contract.

But state Rep. John Walsh, R-Livonia, said the law was meant to be aimed only at public school employees and was not intended to cover police and firefighters, whose unions are governed by a different collective bargaining law.

Because those within the union of First Responders are Heroes™ propaganda, oh, say like this example here, have way more enforcement value to a politician than those within the MEA?

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Conservative News, Elections, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans

The Arlen Specter Model for Hiking our Fuel Tax and Registration Fees

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Folks, let’s begin by refreshing our memories with example of what a Pennsylvania Republican did for Obamacare by clicking HERE. Got it? Good. Now, let’s refresh our memories with looking at a career of being fed from the taxpayer’s wallet produces with this Lefty fear-mongering creep Bill Rustem, by clicking HERE. Got it? Good.

Now, BOHICA.

Snyder’s strategy director, Bill Rustem, said the state may try to follow a road funding game plan that was recently executed in Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled state government.

In November, lawmakers in the Keystone State boosted annual road funding by $2.3 billion through a gas-tax hike and gradual increase in vehicle license fees, said Bradley Mallory, deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

“The price of doing nothing is higher than the price of not addressing the problem, including delay, detours, safety and including death,” Mallory said. “Doing nothing is not free. It is, in fact, enormously expensive.”

Pennsylvania’s success “gives us hope,” Rustem said, and “gives us a game plan for seeing this achieved sometime this year.”

Ah, the smell of Hopium™ and fear fills the atmosphere in Lansing, as the Obama and Milliken-esque is strong in this one guiding Dear Leader, the Progressive Nerd. Finding $200M of “shared sacrifice” with repealing Prevailing Wage from the union brotherhood to fix our roads?

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan

Extortion And …

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potholeseasonSo what does a government do when it lacks popular support for raising taxes?

It provides more basis for support by allowing all the bad things those taxes would supposedly end, to happen. From the Detroit News:

Deteriorating road conditions have “gotten a lot more attention in Lansing” than other issues in recent weeks as this year’s harsh winter winds down and pavement cracks and holes begin forming, said Kirk Steudle, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation.

“I think, finally, they’re realizing what we told them is going to happen is actually going to happen,” Steudle said Wednesday at a conference of county road commission leaders.

The great big “I told you so” is coming out in an effort to raise taxes and license fees, rather than keep existing road generated monies in the roads.  You were warned, and the holes in the roads will serve their intended purpose of proving you need to pay more.
And funny that we haven’t heard or seen Steudle comment on the $41 Million already spent on this, (when it was not supposed to cost us a dime) nor on the efficacy of pumping another $250 million into a bridge project that is merely punishment to a Michigan business, and a giveaway to a foreign nation.
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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

No Slap On The Wrist

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Michigan Capitol Confidential Said:

“.. if the Secretary of State stays true to its history of enforcement, it’s likely the district will receive a slap on the wrist.”

In 2011, Michigan Capitol Confidential looked at the Secretary of State’s enforcement of school districts it found to have violated the campaign finance law from 2006 to 2010. The state fined two districts that broke the law $100 each. In the case of TCAPS for their part 57 violation, it appears there is a new sheriff in town.

TCAPS was assessed a $26,656 fine to be paid back to the district.

“By whom?” is the question being asked so far by our local paper.

TCAPS officials must decide by May 30 whether to accept the ruling and prove reimbursement, which cannot come from TCAPS general fund or other taxpayer-supported funds. If TCAPS officials refuse to pay, the case could be referred to the state attorney general’s office for criminal prosecution.

The state did not specifically state who is responsible for repaying the $25,656.

I can tell you that however.

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Elections, Michigan

And The Carnage Continues

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Are we at all surprised?

Yesterday Local TV 7&4 had a story on the lay off of 43 employees, and the director had only alluded to the reaosns why.  Today the report is much clearer and more direct.  Add to the layoffs a little North of where I am at is the Munson health system which will be facing significant reductions in revenues to the tune of $15 Million averaged EACH YEAR over the next ten years.

Bravo.

Visit the Upnorthlive.com site for continuing updates on this.

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Elections

Gosh, I Wonder What They Are up To?

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From the Good-Reason-To-Go-Part-Time Department.

SB 0815 introduced yesterday by BIEDA and HOPGOOD to change the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.  Addtions include adding:

Committee includes a political organization recognized by the internal revenue service under 26 USC 527 that has an officer, director, board member, or trustee who is a resident of this state.

To the committee identification language.  Also adding:

     (k) For a candidate committee of a candidate who controls or directs a political organization recognized by the internal revenue service under 26 USC 527, all donors, contributions, and expenditures of that political organization. A candidate controls or directs a political organization if any director, officer, or board member of the political organization is employed by or serves as an agent to the candidate, as determined by the totality of the circumstances.

Nothing else changes

 

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