Tag Archive for “Grand” BOHICA

Proposal 1: Passing Along Hidden Costs to the Consumer

Uh-oh. A major red flag for consumers should be indifference to us facing what could be the second highest sales tax in the nation on May 6.

Proposal_1_SnyturdAs part of Proposal 1, the May 5 ballot issue that would raise the state’s sales tax [16.7%] from 6 percent to 7 percent, commercial truck registration fees would rise between $100 and $1,000 per vehicle, depending on gross weight. The plan also would end a gradual reduction in registration fees — averaging $40 a year — granted on new passenger vehicles during the first three years of ownership [and loss of federal itemized tax deduction].

The higher fees for commercial trucks would immediately raise $50 million a year, while the fee change for new passenger vehicles eventually would raise an additional $125 million a year.

The extra fees on commercial carriers would be on top of a stiff diesel fuel tax hike also connected to the plan. Despite that, Michigan’s leading trucking association supports the governor’s roads proposal.

“We’re comfortable with the package, but we’re not out there waving the flag,” said Walter Heniritzi, executive director of the Michigan Trucking Association, which has represented motor carriers in the state since 1934.

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Truth be told, Mr. Heniritzi is a small lobby player in this matter so, his go with the flow mentality should be no surprise. He knows whatever is levied onto the trucking industry is passed along to the consumer. The big players will survive, and the smaller operations will go away or, be consumed by the big corporations as they have historically.

Think not? Well, let’s talk for a moment about Prop 1’s “stiff diesel fuel tax hike” for a moment, shall we?

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Proposal 1 Comment Of The Day

Well, yesterday’s, as I just noticed today but, it is noteworthy: Click here.

You see, once one moves past what I call Chuck’s cutesy outhouse-genius mentality of telling wondering tales, it all comes down to the $116,000,000.00 baked into Proposal 1 that Chuck & Co. would like to get their hands on for Rick Snyder’s perpetual Detroit bailout and his Utopian moving of chattel schemes.

einstein_simpleThere are many viable Plan B options in the works, and we all know that. The end.

Ps. we all should thank our lucky stars for term limits. Moving to a part time legislature is way past its needing, too.

Pps. does one wonder why Chuck is so sensitive about protecting the insurance lobby sitting on $18 Billion without ever opening up their books for audit?
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Just sayin’…

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Spring is Beginning to Blossom in the Mitten

Here comes the Boom!

TV-ADSIt’s been a relatively quite week at the gas pump, based on the national average holding at $2.426/gal versus last Monday, but while some motorists are enjoying mild declines, the Great Lakes has taken over what the West Coast saw weeks ago.

Prices are soaring throughout the Great Lakes with big spikes most prevalent in Illinois, where prices have increased an average 29c/gal versus last week. Michigan trails, having risen 25c/gal in a week, while Indiana, Wisconsin, and Ohio have risen 15c, 13c and 12c, respectively. Meanwhile, Kentucky saw an increase of 10c/gal.

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Remember, that’s why: Tis not 1 percentage point – it is a 16.7% Sales Tax Hike – 30% Registration Fee Hike – ultimately a 200% Tax Hike on Fuels

Oh! Ya, and with this “feature“.

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Bejebus! Our Proposal 1 inbox is Smoking Hot This Morning

A reader sends this juicy morsel from Paul Egan a few days ago.

STOP-167■ Allow cities whose transit services carry more than 10 million passengers per year, which includes Detroit, to spend up to 20% of its share of Michigan Transportation Fund money on transit, rather than city roads and streets.

■ Add language to allow the Michigan Transportation Fund to receive money from any source, not just fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees.

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GasTaxRegistrationFreesHikeCan one say Regional Transit Authority? Us well-informed RightMi.com readers sure can. Matter of fact, there is a Tag for that, and we here will allow the missed it by 4% registration fee hike to remain in this Tag, here.

But, back to that RTA… isn’t it nice of the movers and shakers within SEMCOG to provide means of special assessments and property tax hikes by statute for the ongoing bailout of Wayne County? Gee, all of Michigan should thank, slick Rick and Lt. Calley, for that, no?

OABTW, did I happen to mention that I had the opportunity to shake hands with our beloved Republican governor on St. Patty’s Day? True story.

I was at a local convenience store reaching for my wallet and accidentally intercepted Snyder’s hand.
CamachoSnyderBecause every president really needs a *Smart Guy™*…

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“Grand” Bargain the County Edition

via WXYZ

bailouts“Fitch downgraded $203 million in building authority bonds, $186 million in limited general obligation bonds and $51 million in stadium refunding bonds. … jail boondoggle that wasted $130 million and counting.

Wayne County has a structural debt of $50 million and $40 million more is needed each year to bring its pension system back – the underfunding accounts for about 70 percent of the long-term debt of $2.9 billion.”

Hmmm… bond issues, huh?

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Kids, This bus Doesn’t Move Until you all Buckle Your Seat Belts

Of course, the title of this post is as fictitious as the propaganda below.

See that? Now it’s about children’s safety so, see Sec. 257.710e (2). Precious cargo, huh?

At least the $2B annual tax hikers stopped just short of “Or even the whole bridge” in this attempt to excite the emotions of easy preyed upon dimwits who might be gullible enough to buy into this contractor lobbied nonsense.
STOP-167Stop-100

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I Imagine People in Hell Would Like Ice Water Too

Is this what Snyder meant by Rivers of Opportunity?

Detoilet_Monster_Still_HungryIt costs an average of $1,800 per year for auto insurance in Detroit’s suburbs; it costs about $3,600 within the city limits, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said from Motor City Casino [Ilitch family] at the 2014 Detroit Policy Conference Thursday.

“Detroiters can’t afford to make $300 a month in car insurance, in most cases more than their car note, [maybe we should buy them a park to ease their woes?]” Duggan said to the room of business, nonprofit and media leaders. “I’ve spent a lot of time already with the Republican leadership on some ideas on that …[suspect Numero Uno]

“I just want the ability to be competitive on car insurance.”

What that legislation might look like, Duggan wouldn’t say.

“There’s no reason for us to talk about these details,” Duggan said during a media scrum after his on-stage speech, “because I need to get 56 reps and 20 senators to agree to them and I just as soon do it with them and not announce the details here, so no disrespect.”

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Looks like our little green friend in Detoilet is still hungry but, oh sure, why not? Just for Snyder’s inaugural party MC carpetbagger mayor buddy, let’s call the legislation: “Grand” bargain Auto Insurance.

Sorry, Progressive is already taken. But, ya, that’s the ticket, Mayor Mike. You know, the old saying is true: the more things allegedly change in Michigan, the more they stay the same.

Has anyone else been left out of getting a cut of the Detroit bailout? If so, please leave suggestions in comment.

Ps. anyone else notice Detroit’s Police no longer reveal crime summary reports?

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Here Comes the BIG SCARE

Boy, the desperation is getting thick within the Ineptocracy that is Lansing, and D.C.

The Federal Highway Trust Fund, which accounts for nearly one-third of the state’s transportation budget, made about $1 billion available to Michigan in 2013. That’s 8 percent less than five years earlier and 15 percent less when adjusted for inflation, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press.

AutoBailoutVisitSo, where the Hell were Senators Levin, and Stabenow? Why did they allow our state to flounder while their man Harry Reid, was in charge? $3 Trillion?

The funding that generally comes from federal gasoline and diesel taxes was up 20 percent over a decade but down 5 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars [happens when .FEDGOV prints money].

The AP analysis also shows that Michigan ranked seventh-lowest among states in per-capita federal transportation funding in 2013 and second-lowest in per-capita overall spending on highways, roads and bridges [why is that?]. Only Georgia spent less per capita.

The same problem that has left the Highway Trust Fund teetering with insolvency [snip]

Go figure. Can you imagine why the Highway Trust Fund is insolvent? Remember, there’s 535 of them all doing the same thing.

is vexing Michigan — people drive less and with more fuel-efficient vehicles while paying per-gallon gas taxes unchanged for two decades. For the last four years, Gov. Rick Snyder and lawmakers have had to divert money from the general fund [snip]

Call it what it is. The diversion or, *stolen* money is a replacement, and an additional tax mostly because a Granholm era boob running MDOT is unaccountable for infrastructure spending, and frivolous railroad schemesmore here – among other wasteful nomenclature frills. Seriously, MDOT has been a documented rogue agency since at least 2006 (yes, guess who?), which oddly enough has ample resources for making videos. Try doing that in the private sector and one would be out of business or, fired, and sued for criminal and/or civil damages.

to ensure the state receives its matching federal transportation money because traditional revenue sources — state fuel taxes and vehicle registration taxes — are lower or stagnant.

Registration taxes are drying up? Well, gee, go figure what happens when Lansing’s Republican Majority loots what isn’t theirs. Went after pensions when it wasn’t necessary? Instantly $10,000,000,000+ flew the coop. Broke the 2007, promise by raising the State Income Tax, which they applied to those pensions. Those two raids alone stole money from folks who have decided to put off vehicle purchases, especially, the retirees who got plundered by Snyder. Look, it ain’t the undischargable student loan debt-slave Millennials who have money. Hell, they can’t even figure out that when borrowing for higher education it effects tuition rates to rise (another cluster**** conversation for another time).

Back on-point.

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Yet, Granholm’s Kirk Steudle Hasn’t Been Fired nor Jailed

The latest ongoing MDOT buffoonery from Auditor General, Doug Ringler.

dozer-money“Our review … identified 48 of 92 [52%] expired warranty projects that needed corrective action,” the report said. “As of June 30, 2014, 24 of the warranties had been expired for over one year without MDOT having addressed the corrective action.”

MDOT said it agrees with all six recommendations made by the auditor general and is taking action to improve its system of monitoring and enforcing warranties.

“By October 2015, MDOT, in working with the Department of Attorney General, will develop a procedure for non-responsive contractors that have been notified to perform warranty work,” the department said in part of its response to the audit.

But the auditor noted that similar issues were raised in an earlier audit, released in 2010, and at that time the department said it would “strengthen its procedures to assure the completion of inspections.”

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Hmmm, something to hide here, Mr. Steudle? And, the AG is involved? Can one say like placing a fox to watch the hen house? I can, as they all, the AG, the MDOT Director, and MSP Director, sit on the same committee endorsing Snyder’s Democrat wooed Proposal 2015-1 better known as the $2,000,000,000 16.7% Sales Tax Hike with double taxation for off road agricultural and recreational fuels, 30% registration fee increase, and loss of IRS deduction – among other handouts to buy votes.

Bonus? Just like clockwork, it’s Norm partying in Tampa Shinkle and Dan Pero’s wife Colleen to Snyder’s rescue (No, seriously!). How about it, Rule of Law Ruth? Nah, not so much as a peep.
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Shame on those who seldom follow the linked information here on RightMi.com, because we all are truly getting the government that’s deserved, and getting it good and hard.

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