Tag Archive for NASCAR and MIS

Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Part Time Legislature, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Cannot fix the Roads but the DNR has Advertising Money for Penske Isle

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Actually, let’s rethink the title of this post. Somehow, our state government found a way for our tax dollars to fix the roads (see page 7) where Roger Penske’s and Government Motors’ crap rolls, and now the DNR has another share of $6,600 in bait monies to throw at the Nerd’s playpen and ongoing money pit.

crony-capitalismThis Saturday, 600 more vehicle owners (and their friends and family in the vehicles) will get the opportunity to explore Belle Isle Park free of charge – courtesy of the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.

The Recreation Passport giveaway begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23, at the White House (administrative building) lawn, located at 2 Inselruhe Avenue across from the Belle Isle Aquarium. Grand Prix officials and the Department of Natural Resources will distribute the Passports (normally priced at $11 for Michigan residents) to the owners of the first 600 Michigan-registered vehicles that currently don’t have the Recreation Passport. Complimentary Recreation Passports will be distributed through 2:30 p.m. or until 600 have been given away.

REST

Bread and circuses, folks. Bread and circuses.

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Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

Constantine is Giving us our Wings

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Not sure if others noticed this in the Detnews.com yesterday, however, while our strabismus AG rummaged about his archaic footnotes of legalese, and even citing back to his Democratic Party predecessor as to somehow absolve an end to justify a collectivist means – there is this.

Macedonian_MafiaOlympia keeps all revenue, including concessions and parking, and any naming rights deal. In an earlier interview with The Detroit News, Christopher Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings Inc, defended the way the arena was paid.

“A public-private partnership is the only way any of these type of projects work in an urban environment,” he said.

He pointed out that while The Palace of Auburn Hills was paid for by private owners, the key difference is it’s an isolated venue in the suburbs.

“The Palace gets all the revenues from parking, concessions, retail,” Ilitch said, pointing out that those sources of revenue are key to the financial success of a major venue.

Did you catch that? Out in the boonies of alleged sparse populous, a billionaire with his own money, is to house his own business with rightful privilege to any and all revenue gained from his ancillary services provided to his customer.

Now, contrast the above with the “urban environment” festooned within a bailout, and the opulence of guaranteed populous in a 143 sq mile boundary, it is unequivocally noted by said li’l Caesar, that not only is what is his, his – what is ours is also his too.

Added bonus to us outside the bowels of “urban environment“?

The state reimburses schools for diverted money.

Well, golly gee. Thanks a lot for that, too!

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Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Deep Pockets – Short Arms

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As expected…

Detroit’s planned 3.3-mile $137 million Woodward Avenue streetcar project faces a $12 million funding shortfall, and Michigan members of Congress warn the project could be in jeopardy unless the Transportation Department gives it more money.

A two-page letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx obtained by The Detroit News on Tuesday warns that the project urgently needs additional grant money to proceed. But even without federal funds, officials of the so-called M-1 project says it would survive — but concede it might have to be scaled back.

Whoa! Has anyone looked at the top two names listed on the M-1 Rail Board of Directors? Click here. So, you mean to tell me that Roger Penske, or Dan Gilbert, both billionaires, can’t reach into their front pocket and pull out $6M each? YGBFKM. Better yet, if one looks a little further down the Board of Director names listed one will see Ilitch Holdings. How about giving a little back to the rest of us in the state, Mike and Marian? There you go. Penske, Gilbert, and Ilitch, can all pony up $3M each to cover the “shortfall”.

Funny how yet another .gov subsidized P3 project always has these budget “shortfalls,” isn’t it?

The May 1 letter, which has not previously been made public, discloses that Detroit applied for a supplemental $12.2 million grant from the Transportation Department’s TIGER grant program. The project received $25 million in federal funds from the program in January 2013.

“Without the requested $12.2 million TIGER grant, this important project will be delayed indefinitely, and we fear the resulting costs could make the project unaffordable,” said the letter signed by Sens. Carl Levin of Detroit, Debbie Stabenow of Lansing and Reps. Sander Levin of Royal Oak, John Dingell of Dearborn, John Conyers of Detroit and Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township. The lawmakers, all Democrats, urged Foxx to “award a TIGER grant to close the funding gap.”

Ah, all Democrats Socialists. I guess that is where the Ilitch’s paid their “fair share” already.

Subsidies in perpetuity! Get ready to keep paying up, Nerd voting suckers.

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Conservative News, Detroit, Michigan Politics, Philosophy, Sports

Keeping ’em fat, Dumb, and Happy

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Interesting Opening Day snippet about the new “Enhanced Security” clustermuck at billionaire Ilitch’s taxpayer subsidized Amphitheatrum Flavium.

SheepleOthers, such as St. Clair Shores resident Scott Mitchell, came early to beat the wait.

“If it’s for our safety, I don’t mind it,” he said.
….

“I’m OK with it,” said Bryan Collison, 27. “Pretty much anywhere you go now you have to use these.”
….

Larry Dewey, 58, wasn’t worried about longer lines, either. Dewey has been to more than 30 Opening Day games and said the change wasn’t that big of a deal.

“Safety first,” the Rochester Hills native said. “Once everyone gets used to it, it will be just like any other game.”

Now, how did Franklin know that what he warned about would be Boomer and Millennial dolts? What a visionary Ben was. If one suspected otherwise one most certainly could assert that the indoctrination is being induced from elsewhere *cough*Public Act 396 of 2012*cough*.

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Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Snyder’s Detroit Bailout “Officially” Hemorrhages Our Money

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Oh, joy… today makes it “official”.

via Crain’s Detroit

Belle Isle in Detroit is set to officially become Michigan’s newest state park.

The state is taking over the city-owned park under a 30–year lease deal with Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr.

On Oct. 1, Orr and Gov. Rick Snyder signed a proposed lease of the island to turn it into a state park; Detroit City Council counter-offered with a 10-year lease proposal, which was ultimately rejected by a state panel.

Included in the announcement of the proposed lease was the promise that the state would invest $10 million to $20 million in the park within the next three years.

The move goes into effect today; it’s expected to save the bankrupt city [cost all state taxpayers] between $4 million and $6 million a year.

REST

At least Billionaire Roger Penske is happy that another of his toy racetracks is receiving the full backing of our wallets.

Bud Denker of Bloomfield Hills is senior vice president of Penske Corporation and executive vice president of Penske Automotive Group and Penske Performance. Denker joined the Penske enterprise after many years with several Fortune 100 companies including Eastman Kodak Company where he served as vice president of brand and marketing development. Since 2006, he has served as chairman of the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and is also active in many Detroit-based organizations including the Downtown Detroit Partnership and The Parade Company.

Pure Cronyism.

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Sundays Sanity: Tax-Exempt Entity and Their Billionaires

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For those unaware, the NFL is tax-exempt and also plundering our wallets for a $Billion a year.

Have you ever heard of the old expression, “like placing a diamond on a goats ass” ? Billionaire moochers and looters with their bought off politicians enabling taxpayer funded Flavian Amphitheaters are a good definition of it.

When the Lions and Tigers stadium deal was struck, one newspaper headline headline joyfully proclaimed a “Detroit comeback.” William Clay Ford, Jr., the Lions’ vice chairman, said that being “an integral part of Detroit’s renaissance is an absolute honor of the highest degree.”

And, a short 14 years later, Detroit files for Chapter 9 protection. Brilliant propaganda espoused by, Mr. Bill One playoff win in 56 years Ford Jr., yes?

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