Part Time Legislature

They’re Looking at Plundering Your Wallets… Again

Here comes your fuel tax and fee hikes.

Both sides, along with Gov. Rick Snyder, generally agree on the need for $1.2 billion a year in additional road funding, but they’ll need 54 votes to get it done. Cotter’s willingness to at least consider $800 million in new revenue likely increases the odds of a deal.

SnyderCalley“For me, it’s not just about the proportion — how much is new revenue and how much is general fund — but all the other details that go into making up a package,” Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, said Thursday. “I want to see what are the forms of new revenue, where’s it coming from and to what degree, but then also what other pieces of the package exist.”

The governor and legislative leaders from both sides of the aisle have been meeting regularly – twice in each of the past two weeks, according to Snyder — in hopes of reaching an agreement they all can live with.

“The lieutenant governor and I, I think it’s fair to say we both think there’s been a lot of progress in these meetings,” Snyder said last week. “Issues are coming up [indeed], we’re having a healthy discussion and people are trying to be good problem solvers. People are trying to come to a good solution.”

Cotter said he thinks they’re “very close” to a deal, but he also acknowledged he’s said that before.

“I’ve been saying for some time now that I’d like to get this to the floor in October, and I think we’re on a good pace to do that,” he said.

More unaccountable government and thievery HERE

Where’s the “future budget pressures” mentioned within the article?

That’s easy – Snydercaid Expansion. Remember that crap? Yep, those chickens are already coming home to roost.

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He really must not be looking very hard!

Don't bother me. I'm letting people think that I know what I'm doing.

Don’t bother me. I’m letting people think that I know what I’m doing.

 

When he’s not busy assuaging his troubled conscience with other people’s money or letting terrorists into Michigan for the very same reason, Gov. Rick Snyder (along with his BFF’s Lil’ Guv Calley, Sen. Meekhof and apparently Speaker Cotter) are still working diligently behind the scenes to shake down Michigan Motorists and businesses to fix the perpetual joke that is Michigan Roads.

I should stress how important the latter is, because the guv’s crew often “forgets”  that goods actually get onto those shelves at your local store via truck…not some transporter beam from Star Trek or magical fairies daintily waving their wands.

I also shouldn’t need to remind anyone here of Basic Econ 101, where my boss isn’t going to eat the cost of higher fees & taxes Gov. Snyder & Co. will eagerly impose on him. He (and I’ll venture a guess every other business as well) will pass most, if not all, of that cost along to you.

Just something to keep in mind the next time you run out to your local store for anything.

So where is MDOT flushing more of your hard-earned road funding down the toilet this week?

{Continued below the fold}

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Was “Just Following Orders” …for 26 Years?!?!

Go. READ THIS

Now, watch.

Do any of you see or, hear his active-duty union brothers speaking up about this? F*** no. And, I’ll share why you will not… it’s because it is all one big incestuous circle-jerk between the thieves in the legislature and, the sleazy shysters who they answer to. Besides, when it comes to those shinny badges it’s only about securing money for those union pensions in mismanaged municipalities. No, seriously.

Speaking of union pensions… ironically, SB 22 is up for discussion tomorrow morning at 9am in the House Appropriations Committee. Didja notice the name of the cosponsor? If you guessed a retired LEO taking care of union brothers by creating a special carveout for 96 of his friends, then you guessed right. Hey, you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours, right?

Nofs-copsucker

Only in the public sector does one see this kind of crap so, why does Boobus Michiganderus continue to consent to it?

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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.

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Running for Money in the 80th

An Establishment Republican Candidate Seeks Lobbyists' Love

Love-Money-Image

The special election underway in Michigan’s 80th House District is a consequence of forbidden love. Now one candidate in this special election is running for the entirely legal love of Michigan’s political money class.

Michigan’s campaign finance laws do not require financial reporting by candidate committees in the November 3rd special primary until October 23rd, but three of the filed candidates have active campaign committees whose past financial statements are open for public review.

Mary P. Whiteford came in second to Cindy A. Gamrat in the 2014 regular primary election, a hotly contested four-way race. Ms. Gamrat went on to win the general election in the 80th and then got expelled from Michigan’s State House a year later – in no small part because she antagonized the Lansing political establishment.

Ms. Whiteford was clearly the establishment Republican candidate in the 2014 race. Vice Chairman of the Allegan County Republican Committee and a significant contributor to other county Republican committees and all the correct Republican establishment candidates. Ms. Gamrat, on the other hand, has a far more modest contribution record focused on Tea Party candidates.

Ms. Whiteford spent $ 87,400 in her 2014 primary effort, an unremarkable sum by Michigan State House race standards. Ms. Gamrat spent $ 54,150 in her primary victory, so there is no story here.

Both candidates’ committees were in debt at the end of the hotly contested August 2014 primary. Ms. Gamrat’s committee owed $ 7,933.47 – all to herself and members of her immediate family. Ms. Whiteford’s committee, on the other hand, owed $ 67,701.57 – all to herself.

A Year Later…..

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Breaking – Uh Oh.

Embattled representatives may only face censure after all.

The Democrats have kept Todd Courser from being expelled.

As this is being written, it’s hard to imagine that Michigan house leadership is not making deals with the Democrat caucus to rally up the additional 7 votes necessary to remove Todd Courser from his seat.  From House TV:

Courser-expulsion

Perhaps it is time to REVERSE THIS???

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