My fellow Michiganders.

I’d like to take this opportunity to address some of the disheartening comments made recently, especially on this website, regarding my plan to help the City of Detroit navigate through and successfully emerge the financial hardship that they are currently facing.

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The “new attack ad” released for TV viewers attacking his opponent for a 2002 state House vote that imposed a new per-bed fee on nursing homes will only work for the die hard “sheeple” Republican voters who would cast a vote for Satan if he had an (R) after his name!

The problem is, The “Medicaid Quality Assurance Assessment Program” was backed by Republican Gov. John Engler (R) in 2002, which was supported by a majority of Republicans in the state Legislature and was later extended by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in 2011.

The program was designed to win federal match dollars and then return them to nursing homes that participate in Michigan’s Medicaid program.

“By continuing the assessment, the state receives more in federal matching Medicaid funds than what is paid out by nursing homes,” according to a 2011 press release from Snyder’s office.

“These funds are then directed back to the nursing homes in Michigan that provide SnyderCaid services.” 

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Snyder “Favors” State Action on “Internet Taxes!” Governor Rick Snyder said Wednesday the Legislature should tackle the problem of collecting sales tax on Internet purchases instead of waiting for action by Congress as he’s previously advocated.

Snyder’s shifting view on the issue came one day after The Detroit News first reported his newly appointed state treasurer, Kevin Clinton, came out in favor of the so-called “Main Street Fairness Act” legislation aimed at forcing all Internet retailers to collect the sales tax.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140226/POLITICS02/302260099

Main Street Fairness Act was introduced by a Democrat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Street_Fairness_Act

Snyder’s Newly Appointed State Treasurer Clinton: Force Internet retailers to collect Michigan’s sales tax
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140225/POLITICS02/302250063/Treasurer-Force-Internet-retailers-collect-Michigan-s-sales-tax

Governor Rick Snyder’s economic “team” was one of several contractors who pumped millions into ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s alleged criminal enterprise. Although the government hid the companies’ identities in the indictment, public records and interviews helped put names to aliases. The list of companies includes deep-pocketed donors and powerful executives. Hmmm… maybe that’s why the governor chose to abolish the “Nerd Fund” rather than to expose his donors?

The companies involved are going to be needed by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help prosecute the case. “It’s always hard to say whether the payer of a bribe is culpable or a victim of the crime,” said Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University and former federal prosecutor.

“Sometimes that’s hard to distinguish.” So far, most executives linked to the corruption probe have escaped indictment. Some witnesses were granted immunity and others are victims, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said.

Among the contractors who were allegedly extorted to retain Bobby Ferguson as a subcontractor include Walbridge, a general contractor headed by John Rakolta Jr., a longtime area powerbroker who was recently named to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) by Snyder. Wayne County and its Building Authority has filed a law suit seeking to recover $154 million from 3 jail contractors including John Rakolta’s Walbridge.

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