Tag: Crony Capitalism (page 4)

The Michigan Senate approved a five-bill package Tuesday establishing a regional transit authority for Metro Detroit and allowing public transportation projects to be funded with a voter-approved registration fee on car owners.

The bills, sought by Gov. Rick Snyder, are seen as crucial to funding a regional transit authority for Metro Detroit and empowering the authority to take over management of the region's major bus systems and create dedicated high-speed bus lanes on the area's busiest corridors.
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Senate Bill 911 would allow the transit authority to seek voter approval in Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties for a special motor vehicle registration fee to fund the authority's transportation projects. Under the bill, voters could be asked to approve a registration fee not to exceed $1.20 for every $1,000 of a vehicle's listing price.

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The recently approved DIA Tax had to be the lame-duck trial run for the convicted felon's SB 911 stink-bomb.

But, it makes the Canadians, Gary Peters, and the Governerd, are all giddy, so what the 'fiscal cliff' Hell?  Screw Grover's initiated Tax Pledge to the constituents - Goonion labor Amtrak choo-choo money pits for  e v e r y o n e!

Troy Councilman Dane Slater was officially appointed mayor Monday night until November 2013 amid controversy over whether the city must hold an election to name a new mayor.

The selection followed failed attempts earlier Monday by two city residents to file to run for a mayoral election. Monday was the deadline to file.

"I'm not ready to support any candidate as interim mayor until we get a resolution from the state," Councilman Doug Tietz said, referring to the controversy with the state over how the city must choose a mayor after the recall of Mayor Janice Daniels. He and Councilman Wade Fleming opposed Slater's appointment Monday.

The state's elections director told the city in a letter Nov. 16 that it must hold a special election Feb. 26, and not wait until 2013 to fill the mayor's position.

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This is the final product that Lansing, and Party Nerdpublicans have created.  When it comes to the central planning schemes using Federal Debt dollars being placed under deficit spending scrutiny locally, the establishment clause of Two Wings Same Bird Party politics will slay those who are not in their exact likeness.  We watched the MI-GOP Star Chamber attempt to do this to Kerry Bentivolio, and they have had their "compassionate conservative" Operation Hummingbird way with Mayor Janice Daniels.

Last week we discussed this particular issue.

No district or constituency is immune to the effect of pay-for-play politics.

"Michigan's citizens are tired of the divisive political culture in Lansing," Snyder said on the campaign trail. "Midnight deals, closed-doors meetings, lobbyists and special interest influence have stood in the way of long-term solutions.

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All of the study of what happened, the consequence, and the long term effect politically, has to date been pretty much reserved to the national contests. Punditry since November 6th has dissected, analyzed, and made best guesses as to why certain election had any particular results.  Something generally not discussed however, has been local initiatives and issues.  At least not the part where there is a conflict in government's management of our resources.

One of those issues in Northern Michigan was a bond request made by the board of Traverse City Area Public Schools. (TCAPS)

Underneath the perceived troubles in funding public education is an emerging reality.  Because of the nature of taxpayer funding, and the struggle for local school districts to grab their 'fair share' of Michigan's education budget pie, expenses that were once built into operating budgets are now separated from them, and allowed to be levied through millage requests.  These building fund requests allow for purchase of new infrastructure, equipment, and maintenance.

Continually feeding us the economic benefit angle of government intervention in free markets, leaders love to pad the wallets of their best buds in industry. To do so requires a "cause" however,as simply jacking the public treasury for personal gain is abhorrent to those on BOTH sides of the political divide. Climate change has become one of the easiest causes to gather around, because the science is so ambiguous, its been simply easier for governments to act and perhaps err on the side of caution.

So we promote and enhance business models that are designed to combat climate change with other peoples' money. Also included in these 'causes' is the argument that "new jobs are created" with the development of such technology.  Such was the case with A123 Systems:

"In 2009, A123 received millions in federal and state funds, for the creation of jobs for Michiganders. Taxpayers  unwillingly, or unwittingly saw their paychecks shrink for promises never realized, and now they may have ultimately subsidized a technology transfer to a competing world power."

But the cherry in the pie is something even more disturbing.  Adding insult to injury, the failure to produce promised results for taxpayer paid incentives and gratuity is now lining the pockets of the failed executives who apparently understand private public partnerships better than the rest of us.

Its a place where only the taxpayer loses:

"The top executives who presided over its failure - and supported the president's cap-and-tax initiatives early in his term - are likely to receive millions of dollars in bonuses, thanks to their scheming earlier this year and a bankruptcy court judge."