Tag Archive for Candice Miller

Corruption or Incompetence?

Oakland Macomb Sewer Interceptor Costs Now At $ 335 Million And Climbing, Cue The Lawsuits

The City of Sterling Heights announced on their FakeBook page Monday that they have filed a lawsuit against Macomb County over their $ 22.2 million portion of the cost for reconstructing the collapsed Oakland Macomb sewer interceptor (OMI), as apportioned by the Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District (MIDDD). Sterling Heights believes that the Macomb County Wastewater Disposal District (MCWDD) “did nothing to abate the conditions that likely caused the December [24th] 2016 collapse”. Sterling Heights believes their contract with the MCWDD covers the operation and maintenance of the OMI interceptor.  This may be a little tricky to prove, since the OMI is actually run by the Oakland Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District (OMIDDD), an entity independent of and superior to the MCWDD.

Sterling Heights’ contention is that proper maintenance on the OMI by the MCWDD would have prevented its collapse. Maybe. The OMIDDD has already spent $ 170 million on rehabilitation of the OMI since they bought it in 2009. Supposedly the entire 21 mile length was examined and rehabilitated. That rehabilitation effort ended just months before its December 2016 collapse. That collapse suggests that the OMIDDD rehabilitation didn’t do much good. Anyone care to speculate why? Your choices are corruption or incompetence, or both.

This is now a Michigan wide story because our state government will be providing at least $ 5 million of the $ 75 million repair costs for the December OMI collapse. The much debated $ 3 million legislative grant and another $ 2 million from MDEQ.  That $ 75 million is just the current estimate, for the currently acknowledged deterioration of the OMI. Given the Granholm Administration’s role in suckering Oakland and Macomb counties into the OMI purchase, the State of Michigan probably has a lot more responsibility.

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

Eleven Yo.

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/  
You Betcha! (13)Nuh Uh.(2)

Blast From the Past

Memory holes are fun.

mcc2009-05-graphic6LRG

Time’s second most outrageous was a $1.9 million appropriation for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York. The earmark was inserted by none other than Congressman Charles B. Rangel, D-New York, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is where federal tax laws are drafted. According to Time, the project’s total price tag is $30 million, and it has been dubbed the “Monument to Me” by its critics. The magazine notes that a more junior member of Congress questioned Rangel about the propriety of members using taxpayer dollars to sponsor projects bearing their own names. “I would have a problem if you did it,” Rangel replied, “because I don’t think that you’ve been around long enough.”

Only 108 members voted to cut federal taxpayer subsidies for the Rangel Center. Five Michigan Republicans and four Democrats were among the 316 who voted to save the earmark.

Well, at least voters in CD-6 and CD-10 understand the mindset of Fred, and Candi in their wagon circling little D.C.-GOP world they live in.

None of it should surprise. And, to think that Camp replaced Charles… go figure.

You Betcha! (14)Nuh Uh.(0)