The Bain Report: “Articles that Affect You and Your Family”

Richardville’s amendment “Benefit’s Unions” to the detriment of the Municipalities
This amendment offered by Senator Richardville (R) Monroe to Michigan’s Public Act 312 increases the benefit to union institutional interests and places a burden on the local Municipalities. SB 1072 does not amend the Act in a meaningful way only transfers the burden to the already cash strapped Municipalities. SB 1072 fails to address a crucial piece of PA 312 — the local unit of government’s ability to pay. Nothing in this bill requires an arbitrator to consider first and foremost whether a community can pay an award. An arbitrator can say a community does not have the money to pay and yet still hand down an unaffordable award. Passed in the Senate on February 10, 2010 Senate Bill 1072 (Senate Roll Call 45)
The Center for Michigan » Local government efficiency: 2 steps forward, 1 step back

Secretary of State office to stay open
Friday, March, 5, 2010: “The Monroe Evening News” published a front page article on the “Temperance branch of the Secretary of State’s office will remain open.” This was complete with a bright red box surrounding the headline. I couldn’t help but notice that Senator Richardville’s name was prominently mentioned 3 times before sending the readers to page nine for the rest of the story. Once continuing to page nine Senator Richardville’s name was mentioned yet again before Representative Angerer’s name was mentioned. Wasn’t Representative Angerer the one who spearheaded this effort? Didn’t she call the press conference, introduce legislation, all for the benefit of her constituents? Then why would Senator Richardville’s name be mentioned 5 times in this article compared to Representative Angerer’s one? Is the Monroe Evening News part of the reelection committee for Senator Richardville? Sure looks that way! Representative Anger does all the work while Senator Richardville gets all the credit in print.
The House recently passed legislation introduced by Representative Angerer below:
Require the Secretary of State to establish written standards to follow before closing any branch offices (House Bill 5811).
Require the Secretary of State to maintain any existing offices in townships with at least 10,000 residents (House Bill 5686).
Secretary of State office to stay open – MonroeNews.com

Study: Some Michigan tax breaks not very effective
LANSING, Mich. — Some of Michigan’s targeted business tax incentives aren’t effective when compared to possible broader tax-relief alternatives, according to a study released Thursday. Michigan’s film industry credit refunds 40 percent to 42 percent of a company’s qualified expenditures, one of the nations most generous giveaways. This study shows the program, which could cost Michigan more than $150 million in incentives this year alone, leaves little to show for the taxpayer investment. Last year, film production companies used this provision to escape tax liabilities and acquire subsidies totaling $48 million. In future years, the tax rebate for filmmakers is projected to climb to more than $200 million! Senator Richardville voted in favor of this taxpayer subsidy!
The Associated Press: Study: Some Michigan tax breaks not very effective
Passed in the Senate on March 20, 2008 (Give subsidies for Michigan film production ) (Senate Roll Call 160) http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=271640

Owners walking away from homes, values erode
With more than 500,000 households in Michigan owing more on their mortgages than the homes are worth, thousands of Michigan residents are choosing to abandon their homes and walk away, even if they can afford to continue making payments.
Owners walk from homes, values erode | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

MEA’s sabotage kept Michigan out of Race to Top finalists
Its hard to argue with the White Houses decision not to include Michigan among the 16 finalists for the first round of federal Race to the Top education grants. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said repeatedly that heavy weight was given to applications from states where all parties were committed to reform. Place the blame for the loss of the much-needed grants squarely on the Michigan Education Association. It sabotaged the states application at every step.
Editorial: MEA’s sabotage kept Michigan out of Race to Top finalists | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Why Americans are so angry
Heather Gass always felt she had to suppress her conservative views, living as she did in the liberal San Francisco Bay area. A year ago that all changed.
Why Americans are so angry – Yahoo! News

Michigan Rolling in Dough? Gives Out Raises, Plus Millions in
Tourism Subsidies
Two votes in the state Senate on Wednesday, may cause residents to question how seriously lawmakers are treating the need to restrain government spending. The first vote was on a resolution rejecting a 3 percent pay hike for unionized state government employees. The total cost of the raise is $77 million. To be fair, a majority of Senators did vote to reject the pay hike, but not enough to attain the two-thirds supermajoo-thirds supermajority required on such measures. The second measure would spend $9.5 million on tourism subsidies in the form of advertisements paid for by taxpayers. The main beneficiaries of this subsidy are lobbyists and the owners of big resort hotels.
Pure Michigan, State Employee Pay Hike [Mackinac Center]

GM CEO Whitacre Receives $9M Pay Package
General Motors Co. CEO Ed Whitacre will receive a salary of $1.7 million this year, plus stock awards that will bring his total pay package to $9 million at a later date, the automaker said Friday. GM is 60 percent owned by the federal government and has received $52 billion in federal aid. The company plans to repay as much of the money as possible by issuing stock to the public, possibly as early as this year. Our TAX dollars at work?
GM CEO Whitacre Receives $9M Pay Package – ABC News

U.S. Posts Record $220.9 Billion Budget Gap In Feb
The February deficit was in line with analysts’ consensus forecast in a Reuters poll for a $222 billion budget gap but well above the $193.86 billion for the same period a year ago.
U.S. Posts Record $220.9 Billion Budget Gap In Feb – NYTimes.com

Detroit Socialist Explains His, Unions Agenda for Soviet States of
America
In Detroit, a chap representing the Che Guevara-loving, Mumia Abu-Jamal-supporting “FIST Youth” educated a crowd of about two dozen about the virtues of socialism. He also lectured on the Soviet Union, its roots and the glory days when the “peoples council” made all of the important decisions.
» Detroit – Big Government

The ‘looting’ of $11 trillion from the U.S. economy
But Zubi Diamond, author of the powerful new book, Wizards of Wall Street, says the agenda of Soros and other short sellers is clear. Their purpose, he says, is “to loot America and any foreign country which invested in America. Greece was one of them. Iceland was ravaged and annihilated.”
Organized crime: The ‘looting’ of $11 trillion from the U.S. economy

2 top Dems say tax hike vote might be necessary
LANSING — Two leading House Democrats said Wednesday that they would consider letting Michigan voters decide on a tax increase in August if the Legislature can’t agree on other ways to avoid deep funding cuts to public schools.
2 top Dems say tax hike vote might be necessary | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Ballots must be made available, court rules
The Michigan Secretary of States Office can’t refuse to show individual voting records from the states 2008 presidential primary to an East Lansing political consultant or anyone else, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in an opinion released Wednesday. By a 2-1 vote, the court said Mark Grebner of Practical Political Consulting can see whether voters took a Democratic or Republican ballot because they’re public records under the states Freedom of Information Act. The records don’t show which candidate a voter supported.
Michigan news in brief | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

First a Soda Tax, Now a Pizza Tax: The Food Police March On
Many pizza restaurants have suffered in recent years from wildly fluctuating commodities prices; meanwhile, cash-strapped customers increasingly have chosen to dine out in cheaper fast-food restaurants. An 18% tax increase on pizza and soda would be devastating to the industry. Pizza is about a $50 billion business in the U.S.
First a Soda Tax, Now a Pizza Tax: The Food Police March On – DailyFinance

Senate Passes $149 Billion Bill to Extend Jobless Benefits
The Senate has approved a $149 billion jobless bill that extends unemployment benefits for those who have been out of work for more than a year, as well as subsidies for unemployed workers to help pay employer-sponsored health insurance. Wonder what other pork is in this Bill?
Senate Passes $149 Billion Bill to Extend Jobless Benefits – DailyFinance

Monthly U.S. Debt Hits a New Record
News for the U.S. economy Wednesday, as the nations monthly budget deficit hit a record $220.9. Billion in February, the U.S. Treasury Department announced.
Monthly U.S. Debt Hits a New Record – DailyFinance

The News About Declining Foreclosures Is Misleading
Rather, as RealtyTrac’s CEO, James Saccacio, said in a statement, “This leveling of the foreclosure trend is not necessarily evidence that fewer homeowners are in distress and at risk for foreclosure, but rather that foreclosure prevention programs, legislation and other processing delays are, in effect, capping monthly foreclosure activity.” It is going to get worse before it gets better and you can take that to the Banksters!
The Good News About Declining Foreclosures Is Misleading

GMAC won’t repay $6.3 billion of bailout
The congressional panel overseeing federal bailout recipients estimates GMAC will never repay at least $6.3 billion of $17.2 billion in taxpayer aid and called on the Treasury Department to demand GMAC take drastic steps — including a possible bankruptcy for its troubled ResCap mortgage lending business.
Panel: GMAC won’t repay $6.3 billion of bailout | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Middle class to get hammered by taxes in ObamaCare
The tax would kick in on plans exceeding $23,000 annually for family coverage and $8,500 for individuals, starting in 2013. In the first year it would affect relatively few people in the middle class. But because of the steadily rising costs of health care in the U.S., more and more plans would reach the taxation threshold each year.
Middle class to get hammered by taxes in ObamaCare | United Liberty | Free Market – Individual Liberty – Limited Government

Pelosi, Democrats Abandon Pro-Life Lawmakers to Keep Abortion in Healthcare Bill
Another issue would impose a new excise tax, starting in 2018, on employer-provided health plans worth more than $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. The Senate had wanted a stiffer tax on such “Cadillac plans,” but the more labor-friendly House resisted.
Newsmax – Pelosi Abandons Pro-Life Democrats to Keep Abortion in Healthcare Bill

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.
Thomas Jefferson