After Detroit will Taxpayers be on the Hook again for a Flint “Bailout”

Michigan governor Rick Snyder said in January that he believed there were roughly 235 cities and towns in his state that were financially and functionally bankrupt. One of those towns is Flint, Michigan.

In the last three years, Flint’s finances have collapsed to the point that the city has had to lay off two-thirds of its police force.
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-to-a-city-when-the-money-runs-out-2011-4

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — State officials pledged $2 million Tuesday for Flint’s troubled water system. http://www.elkharttruth.com/news/michigan/2015/02/04/State-plans-to-discuss-resources-to-help-Flint-improve-water.html Flint Michigan

Flint, Michigan is now plagued by Violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act only months after the city severed its water supply from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD).

This article is from the World Socialist Web Site Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/01/12/flin-j12.html

“During the course of the week or early next week we hopefully will be coming out with more taxpayer funded steps,” some of which are already under way, and others to be implemented, Snyder said. Sounds like code words for taxpayer funded “bailout” to me.
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/09/29/snyder-state-action-coming-flint-water/73033462/

With the financial problems in Michigan’s other big cities such as Flint and others where does the taxpayer funded “bailouts” stop? Is this the real reason Lansing is hell bent on raising our taxes?

The rainy day fund to bail out all these communities will eventually run out of taxpayer money and I say that will be sooner rather than later. All these dead-end solutions will lead to a bigger intrusive government and the loss of even more Freedoms and Liberties for the citizens. Tax increases anyone?

Another Crony Gov. Rick Snyder Appointee Target of FBI Probe

                                                    “The Boji Files” Boji Ficano Snyder Richardville
The Snyder administration scandals’ starring his appointee’s is just unconscionable. All this corruption revolves around real-estate, real estate development and construction with our legislators in Lansing. The list is like the energizer bunny it just keeps going and going.
The “Friends and Family” program and the “Business Buddies” fund is alive and well in Lansing and it’s definitely not in the best interest of the citizens of Michigan. Those you elect to serve you are serving the lobbyist and special interest group’s best interest not yours.

FBI Probe into Democrat Bob Ficano and his buddy Snyder Appointee Ron Boji
http://www.wxyz.com/news/local-news/investigations/even-with-ficanos-days-numbered-fbi-probe-into-wayne-county-stretches-into-year-three

Wayne County has been ordered to repay an $850,000 federal grant
With the help of Wayne County, developer Ron Boji received federal funds to build it. Boji was a longtime supporter of Ficano, showering him with campaign donations and throwing a fundraiser at his mansion in Orchard Lake.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/local-news/investigations/hud-orders-wayne-county-to-repay-850k-grant-after-fmr-asst-ceos-conflict-with-developer

Despite all the baggage connected to Boji, he’s still a BIG favorite of crony capitalist Governor Rick Snyder. Governor appoints Ron Boji to Michigan Strategic Fund Monday, January 7, 2013

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder has appointed Ron Boji, of Orchard Lake, to the Michigan Strategic Fund board of directors.
http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277–292353–,00.html

Ron Boji appointed to state Transportation Commission
Snyder today announced the appointment of Ron Boji, of Orchard Lake, to the state Transportation Commission.
http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277–314872–,00.html

Ron Boji was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder effective Oct. 17, 2013. Mr. Boji is involved with Bob Ficano in the FBI ongoing probe.
http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9623_31969_31970-315012–,00.html

2013 Senate Bill 509: Authorize new state Senate office building
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on September 17, 2013
To authorize the sale of the Farnum Senate office building in Lansing and construction of a new building for Senators’ offices.

This was referred to the Senate Government Operations Committee on September 17, 2013. It was reported in the Senate on November 13, 2013, with the recommendation that the bill pass.
http://michiganvotes.org/2013-SB-509

Richardville Pushes Questionable Real Estate Bill “MIGOP” History of Crony Capitalism Combined With Unsavory Characters Casts Dark Cloud Over SB 509
https://bainreport.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/richardville-pushes-questionable-real-estate-bill-migop-history-of-crony-capitalism-combined-with-unsavory-characters-casts-dark-cloud-over-sb-509/

Michigan Senate moves to allow sale of Michigan Senate building to Ron Boji
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/12/michigan_senate_moves_to_allow.html

Ron Boji has hosted Ficano fund-raisers at his West Bloomfield home
Ron Boji and the Boji Group: Data and Deceit
http://ludingtoncitizen.ning.com/forum/topics/ron-boji-and-the-boji-group-data-and-deceit?xg_source=activity

Chaldean appointed to state transportation commission
LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of Ron Boji to the state Transportation Commission. Boji is Chaldean.

Boji is president of the Boji Group, where he manages, develops and leases the company’s real estate portfolio. Can you say the Senate Farum building in Lansing or the Bob Ficano FBI ongoing investigation?
http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/news/id_7638/Chaldean-American-appointed-to-state-transportation-commission.html

Chaldean Mafia Threat Analysis
This article by the National Criminal Justice Referance Service profiles the emerging “Chaldean Mafia.”

The Chaldean Mafia is a gang composed almost exclusively of individuals tracing their roots to the country of Iraq, and has a conspicuous presence in areas with large Middle Eastern populations such as Michigan.
https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=200792

Urban dictionary on Chaldeans
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Chaldean&defid=3848574

 

Governor Snyder’s “Gay Advocate” Puppeteer Wants Your Help

A Snyder Cronyism

URGENT HELP NEEDED: An internal poll of the Michigan Femdom Fund has shown that Governor Snyder is up 100% to 0% over his challenger Mark Schauer. This “internal” poll must have only included “pegging” their staff members for these results? A Femdom Fund Logo

But this November the stakes are too high and we need your help. Please consider making a donation today of $20, $35, $50 or whatever you can generously afford to help us assure that Gov. Snyder is re-elected as to advance the Common Core, Gay Marriage and other progressive issues that Gov. Snyder will support.

For those low information voters and party loyalist I have compiled a list of bullet points, headlines and search phrases as to make it harder for those types to justify to themselves how they cast their votes!

Just because someone runs for elected office with an (R) after their name doesn’t necessarily mean they espouse to the Republican platform, planks, principles, traditions and values of the Party.

Greg McNeilly, and the DeVos funded Freedom fund

GLEP and its Devos funded operator Greg McNeilly supports both Common Core and Homosexual marriage

Greg McNeilly, one of the state’s top Republican consultants and operatives.

Greg McNeilly is a Republican political strategist and the director of the Michigan Freedom Fund.

McNeilly was the General Consultant for the Michigan Republican Party to then Chairman Ronald Weiser.

McNeilly served as campaign manager for Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos.

On 22 March 2014, McNeilly married his long time gay lover Douglas Meeks, a Lansing attorney. A Greg McNeilly & Husband Douglas Meeks

McNeilly was a campaign consultant for Dick DeVos for Governor; Dick Posthumus

DeVos family has been there for Rick Snyder every step of the way

Pamella DeVos appointed to statewide arts council by Governor Snyder

Snyder praises Betsy DeVos for calling on Dave Agema to resign his RNC position “HUGE RED FLAG”

The DeVos family has made huge campaign contributions to Snyder campaign

Truth Squad: Special treatment given to Gov. Snyder’s cousin on State Contract
http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2014/10/michigan_governors_race_2014_w.html $41 million for Snyder's Cousin George

Republicans pass law that doubled limits on Michigan campaign donations
http://archive.freep.com/article/20140131/NEWS06/301310110/governor-rick-snyder-super-bowl-ad-campaign

Snyder shuts down “NERD Fund” rather than to disclose donors
http://www.freep.com/article/20140325/NEWS06/303250063/

Former Head of “NERD Fund” Richard Baird Now on State Payroll
The taxpayers of Michigan now get to pay his salary!
http://www.freep.com/article/20140325/NEWS06/303250063/

DBI Business Owner George Snyder Cousin to Gov. Snyder Gets Lavish State Contract
“Not only does Snyder’s cousin see his furniture contract doubled to $41 Million he gets the inside track on no-bid contracts awarded by the MEDC.
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/truth_squad_no_foul_on_dems_qu.html A Crony Snyder Boy Rich Baird

Gov. Rick Snyder moves top aide Rich Baird onto state payroll, off NERD Fund
“We’re glad he’s now an official part of the team.” ~ Governor Rick Snyder
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/10/michigan_gov_rick_snyder_moves.html

With the Governor Rick Snyder administration the “Friends and Family” Program along with the crony “Business Buddies” Fund are alive and well in Lansing and it’s costing “you” the Michigan taxpayers!

Study: 40% of Michigan Families Can’t Cover Basic Survival Expenses

Huge Decline in Wages for Michigan’s Working Families

Pay Falls for Low-Wage Men yet Women Still Far Behind,” found that real wages of Michigan workers have fallen by more than ten percent since 1979 for broad sections of the working class.

Hourly pay for low-wage workers of “prime working age” in Michigan fell 13.4 percent between 1979-2013, while pay for mid-wage workers of prime age fell 12.7 percent.

The collapse of wages in Michigan also illustrates president Obama’s and Governor Snyder’s “insourcing” policies, which involves pushing for lower corporate taxes and lower living standards and wages for workers in order to make American cities “attractive” for business. Snyder Obama Meet

Speaking at a Milwaukee factory in 2012, Obama celebrated the results of his and Snyder’s “bailout” policies in Michigan as a model for the rest of the country: What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other cities.

Declining work rates, stagnant wages, the rise of female-headed families, inferior education, and the arrival of millions of “immigrants” with poor education and low skills are little engines pushing up the poverty rate.

http://www.brookings.edu/research/testimony/2012/06/05-poverty-families-haskins

Study: 40% of Michigan Family Households Can’t Cover Basic Survival Expenses As Families in Michigan StruggleThe report commissioned by the Michigan Association of United Ways with research led by Rutgers University focuses on people whose earnings are above the poverty line but still unable to cover expenses such as housing, transportation and health and child care.

This is further proof that Michigan is NOT the “Comeback State” as proclaimed by the Snyder administration and more should be done to help and support working families in Michigan not just the politicians Business Buddies. I would argue Tax Cuts for their Business Buddies and Tax Increases on citizens is a huge factor.

http://www.mininggazette.com/page/content.detail/id/592472/Study–40-percent-of-households-not-meeting-needs.html?isap=1&nav=5014

Family Budget Calculator

EPI’s Family Budget Calculator measures the income a family needs in order to attain a secure yet modest living standard by estimating community-specific costs of housing, food, child care, transportation, health care, other necessities, and taxes. The budgets, updated for 2013, are calculated for 615 U.S. communities and six family types (either one or two parents with one, two, or three children).

As compared with official poverty thresholds such as the federal poverty line and Supplemental Poverty Measure, EPI’s family budgets offer a higher degree of geographic customization and provide a more accurate measure of economic security. In all cases, they show families need more than twice the amount of the federal poverty line to get by.

http://www.epi.org/resources/budget/

2013 Employment and Annual Wage Estimates for Average Michigan Worker is $44,540.00 per year.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_mi.htm

Campaign Commercial Republican Hypocrisy in new “Snyder Attack Ad”

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! A Engler Snyder

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.” Kowall Papageorge Richardville Snyder

Several so-called Michigan Republicans also voted in favor of the nursing home assessment program (bed tax) in 2002 while serving as State Representatives by casting their “yes” vote. They are included in the photo above with Snyder they are current State Senate Majority leader Randy Richardville along with two other current State Senators Mike Kowall and John Pappageorge.
http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2014/04/fees_on_nursing_home_beds_repu.html

2002 Senate Bill 1323: Michigan Medicaid Quality Assurance Assessment “bed tax”
Public Act 562 of 2002 Signed by Governor John Engler (R) on October 1, 2002
Introduced by Sen. Loren Bennett (R) impose a new “bed tax” on nursing homes, hospitals, and HMOs, which is designed to allow the state to garner a greater amount of federal Medicaid dollars. These would be returned to the health providers, resulting in a net gain for most of them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/2002-SB-1323

Watch the Snyder supported TV commercial on nursing bed fees
Talk about calling the kettle black here folks I mean, look at that crazy uninformed liberal saying taxing the elderly and infirm just so they can have a place to lay their heads at night!

Can you imagine the kind of person who would support such a thing? The Republican majority passed this not once but twice under two different Republican governors. Hmmm…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjSoF2_pPZs#t=20

2007 House Bill 4185: Revise Michigan Medicaid Quality Assurance Assessment “bed tax” earmark
Public Act 85 of 2007 Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on September 30, 2007
Introduced by Rep. George Cushingberry (D) on January 31, 2007, to earmark $66.4 million of the “Michigan Medicaid Quality Assurance Assessment” (MMQAA) bed tax on nursing homes and hospitals to the state general fund to cover Medicaid expenditures in hospitals in 2007 and 2008.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/2007-HB-4185

2011 House Bill 4734: Eliminate sunset on MMQAA health care provider tax
Public Act 144 of 2011 Signed by Gov. Rick Snyder on September 20, 2011
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on August 24, 2011, to extend an Oct. 1, 2011 sunset on the “Michigan Medicaid Quality Assurance Assessment” (MMQAA) tax on health care facilities until Oct. 1, 2015. This is a bed tax or fee on health care providers that is used to generate more federal Medicaid matching funds, resulting in a net gain for some but not all of the providers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/2011-HB-4734

Note: All Republicans in both the House and Senate voted in favor of this 2011 House Bill 4185 with the exception of Senator Joe Hune.

Companies Leaving Michigan – “Comeback State Fantasy of Fiction”

1 comback-forbes-on-snyder The list continues to grow as companies are leaving the state closing their doors or filing for bankruptcy. The rhetoric coming out of Lansing doesn’t match the reality. People are still struggling to find full time employment as to make ends meet for themselves and their families and the bad news continues.

The signs are not good all around our state and businesses will go where they feel they can best prosper and it’s not here in Michigan. When you have third world country roads because our legislators continue to “steal” our road fund dollars for other state spending purposes plus the fact so many municipalities and school districts are going under emergency managers what else can we expect.

Below is just a very small sample of companies that have left and we are not counting the ones that have either went out of business or have filed for bankruptcy protection. Some have merged with other businesses as to try and keep afloat (ACO & Ace Hardwares) but with the direction our legislators are taking the state it’s just a matter of time till they to will fail. A1 ACO_Ace_Hardware_320_240

By giving huge tax breaks to big corporations all for corporate campaign donations to those we elect to serve us “We the People” (under the guise of economic development and job creation) and leaving the small business owners to fend for themselves while balancing these favorable tax breaks on the backs of the working middle class, poor and small business owners it’s a recipe for failure. 3 PulteGroup

Pulte’s Atlanta Move Stuns State, Business Leaders and Politicians
The PulteGroup said it will relocate about 325 Michigan jobs for the new headquarters in Georgia. Employees who do not make the move will receive severance packages.
http://www.freep.com/article/20130531/BUSINESS06/305310055/PulteGroup-Bloomfield-Hills-Atlanta

Medical Supply Company Leaving Michigan for Tennessee
The Canton offices and production facility of a medical supply company will close this fall and 145 people will be laid off as it expands operations in Tennessee. 2 Bankruptcy
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014304110111

Coldwater Creek Files for Bankruptcy, Stores to Close
Michigan loses yet more jobs as another business goes belly up! Michigan has 12 Coldwater Creek stores and all employees will be affected.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/viewart/20140411/BUSINESS/304110031/Coldwater-Creek-files-bankruptcy-protection

Companies Lay-Off Thousands, Close Stores, Affects “Michigan Workers” 6 a-tsunami-of-store-closings-layoffs

A Tsunami of Store Closings and Layoffs
I’ve been posting and reporting this for months now while some choose to blow off my reports even going as far as saying the economy is doing much better! 

That day of reckoning, some say, has arrived, with one retail watcher predicting a “tsunami” of store closings this year.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140308/BIZ02/303080019

Hewlett-Packard Expands Job Cuts by another 5,000
The computer company will eliminate 5,000 more jobs than originally planned, bringing the total number of layoffs to 34,000 by October. Hewlett-Packard employs thousands of workers here in Michigan.
http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/morning_call/2014/01/hewlett-packard-expands-job-cuts-by.html Diapers & Food

RadioShack to Close up to 1,100 U.S. Stores
The Company didn’t immediately identify which stores will close or how many jobs would be affected. A call to the company, based in Fort Worth, Texas, was not returned Tuesday afternoon. RadioShack employs thousands of workers here in Michigan.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140304/BIZ02/303040046/0/BIZ02/RadioShack-preps-ax-up-1-100-U-S-stores

Staples to Shutter 225 stores
It’s is unclear how many jobs will be lost or what locations will be shuttered. The company did not immediately return a call from the Associated Press early Thursday. Staples employ thousands of workers here in Michigan.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140306/BIZ02/303060051/0/BIZ02/Staples-shutter-225-stores-sales-move-online

Denver-based Quiznos to file for Bankruptcy
Quiznos operated about 5,000 restaurants at its peak in 2008, but the count has since dropped to an estimated 2,100 worldwide, including 1,400 in the U.S. 10 Quiznos

There are numerous Quiznos restaurants located throughout Michigan that employ thousands of workers. Quiznos is the second-largest submarine sandwich shop chain in North America, after Subway.
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_25241309/quiznos-preparing-file-bankruptcy-protection