Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2524 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 - 1:26 pm: | |
Fed up with politicians who can spend your money better than you can...and still want more? Make your voices heard on April 18th at 11:00am on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol Building in Lansing. The Wayne County Taxpayers Association, in conjunction with the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, will be holding a Tea Party on the capitol steps to let our elected officials know where we stand on their "solutions" to the Michigan budget. Those unable to attend are encouraged to click on the links below to send a "virtual" tea bag to send to your elected officials letting them know how you feel. For more information, contact The Wayne County Taxpayers Association, or The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance. |
Danindc Member Username: Danindc
Post Number: 2292 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 - 1:29 pm: | |
Maybe some of those people should stop bitching and run for office themselves, if they're so good at allocating taxpayer dollars. Just a thought. |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2526 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 - 1:34 pm: | |
If we have a repeat of '83, some of us just might. |
Yaktown Member Username: Yaktown
Post Number: 142 Registered: 02-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 - 11:55 pm: | |
A virtual tea bag? Is it just me or does that sound slightly erotic? |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2532 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 04, 2007 - 10:29 am: | |
No. Just a bit historic. |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2534 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 04, 2007 - 10:41 am: | |
OABTW, if you are looking for yet another reason to attend... |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2553 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 3:29 pm: | |
And yet even another reason to attend next week's rally. I'm surprised that this wasn't announced earlier... |
Detroitsuperfly Member Username: Detroitsuperfly
Post Number: 16 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 3:31 pm: | |
DO you think roads, schools, libraries, infrastructure and etc should be free? Maybe you should go live in Cuba with the rest of your ilk |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2555 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 3:38 pm: | |
You obviously have me confused with another poster... |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 787 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 4:00 pm: | |
Yeah, what are you all, freakin' communists? Make bombs, not hospitals! |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2556 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 4:03 pm: | |
{Shaking head in utter disbelief}. Sorry Detroitnerd, I haven't gone over to the dark side...even when they were offering cookies. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 788 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 4:09 pm: | |
Sorry, Mcp: Belated sarcasm alert ... |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1436 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 5:29 pm: | |
Everyone fails to mention that the head of the MI Taxpayer Party is none other than Leon Drolet himself. This man is a former Representative who has never voted on anything useful in his life. He against ALL taxes. If Leon Drolet had his way, there would be no government whatsoever, we would have dirt roads, no public schools. Basically no state whatsoever for people to want to invest in to create jobs. One could take this more seriously if it was not Leon Drolet running it. The same man who said mass transit is a big waste of money. |
Karl Member Username: Karl
Post Number: 6729 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 5:54 pm: | |
As the Dems are proposing the largest tax increase in history, it would seem one's time might be better spent calling/writing those who wish to increase taxes. |
The_rock Member Username: The_rock
Post Number: 1701 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 6:00 pm: | |
I plan to be there on the steps of the capitol, looking for a Democrat to give me a free iPod for my grandkids. |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2558 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 4:47 pm: | |
And just what is "useful" to you Bob? Please give your answer within the powers and duties of state government. (Here's a hint: They don't have carte blanche to do whatever they want.) |
Jerrytimes Member Username: Jerrytimes
Post Number: 36 Registered: 04-2007
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 4:49 pm: | |
Karl, does it surprise you that the Dems want to raise taxes? That's all they do while in office. Tax Tax Tax. Blows my mind why union workers like them so much. You think of all people they, along with the poor (who tend to vote Democratic) would want to keep their money. I know I do. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 794 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 5:02 pm: | |
Awww, Karl found a shill. That's so ... I dunno ... cute. |
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 1891 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 5:38 pm: | |
I suspect there are a few new sockpuppets floating around here. |
Jonnyfive Member Username: Jonnyfive
Post Number: 60 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 5:54 pm: | |
So you think we shouldn't repair infrastructure (roads)? or you are just generally unhappy that the maintenance of roads would be tied to the purchase of gasoline (and hence the use of vehicles) ? (Message edited by jonnyfive on April 13, 2007) |
Supersport Member Username: Supersport
Post Number: 11487 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 6:59 pm: | |
I'll go, if I can throw grapes at Granholm. |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1437 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 10:09 pm: | |
When I mean useful, I mean Leon Drolet voted against ANY bill that spent money. There could be a bill in the state house that had all reps on board, but he would be the lone no vote. He has been interviewed numerous times about mass transit and says it is a giant waste of money. Go back through and look at his voting record. Yes, we can't afford to waste money on a lot of things right now, but Leon Drolet takes it to the extreme. Look at something like the gas tax increase, which has bipartisan support and was sponsored by Craig DeRoche of all people, and Leon is against it. And raising the tax on diesel is long overdue, since trucks put much of the wear on our roads, but since it raises a tax for the good of the state, Leon is against it. |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2562 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 1:37 pm: | |
SS, feel free to do whatever you want. However, I'm not planning on being there to bail anyone out of the Lansing City Jail, so with that said, you're on your own. I'm familiar with Mr. Drolet's voting record, having met him on several occasions and looking it up online. I also respect him because he was a pain to the backside of many "conservative" republicans because of that fact he continually pointed out the hypocrisy in the bills that they would be voting on. If you don't have the authority to be voting on it, you shouldn't even be attempting to do it in the first place. And you may want to rethink your stance on the fuel tax on two fronts. First, with the state in a recession, home foreclosures increasing exponentially, and many people out of work, it's outright arrogant to go out and claim that by taking "just a little bit more" out of what little they have left, all will be well. Besides, I've yet to see where Lansing proposes anything to address where they could cut costs in road building. Address that area first, put some plans into effect, then ask for more money. Second (regarding trucks), like it or not (and for the same reasons mentioned above), this is a terrible idea. Everything that you use in your daily life was delivered by a truck. Your food, your clothes, your furniture...I can go on and on, but I think that it's fairly obvious now. Those trucks don't just operate on good intentions, they run on fuel. You increase the cost of fuel, you increase the cost of your daily necessities. It's that simple. Unless your goal is to drive things more into the ground than they already are? |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1449 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 5:53 pm: | |
How would you suggest to lower the cost of building roads. Cheaper materials? We did that in the 80s, no maintenance, little spent on roads and we are still paying catch-up. Granholm's Fix-It First policy is a good thing, but our roads system in crumbling, and there is not enough money to fix it. Raising taxes is not the best thing right now, but do we just stop lower taxes and let the state fall apart? As far as Mr. Drolet, I would like someone to tell me one good thing the man did while he was in office. He complained about every bill, but never proposed any solution to anything except, cut, cut, cut. Eventually you can only cut so much before there is nothing left. Yes there are some things that need to be looked at, like teachers health care, a first gentleman's office with staff (that is definitely something we do not need), but there is not one single thing that will solve that all most $700 million hole in the state budget. I really think the best solution may be to literally start from scratch, and decide funding for everything as if we are starting from scratch, like many of us do with our household budgets. See what we can afford and how much we have to work with, then go from there. There is a vote coming up in the next couple years to see if we want I new state constitutional convention and I say yes, Start from scratch. Too many loopholes and problems. |
Mcp001 Member Username: Mcp001
Post Number: 2565 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 6:09 pm: | |
Repeal prevailing-wage laws, let those who can do the job for the lowest cost do the work. Placing artificial minimums on the cost of doing work does not make any sense. You wouldn't pay someone $50 for an oil change that shouldn't cost no more than $20, so why should building roads be any different? Look into building materials that cost less than what we are using now, or last far longer than what we are using now. LTU has a bridge near Eight Mile and Telegraph made from composite materials (which do not rust) instead of steel. Get some guarantees on the work that is being done, and get some people that can follow up on them. Having work done that "self-destructs" several months (i.e. I-696, I-75 near Southgate) after being completed make no sense at all...unless you're a contractor looking to score more contracts. Zero-based budgets will never happen due to the influence of special interest in Michigan. While I like the idea on paper, I do not feel that there in enough leadership in Lansing to make it a reality. If the cannot make ends meets right now with just a few areas, how can they get things done when everything is up for grabs? |
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 3045 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 6:23 pm: | |
Don't forget about the public sector legacy costs too. Continually overpaying public serpents more than they are worth in a free marketplace doesn't make much sense either. The state workers garner almost 1/2 their income in nontaxable benefits. This is unsustainable, and this overpaying will have to cease at some point. If it doesn't happen when the state's economy is tanking, it probably would never occur. And those long-term potential liabilities will consume a higher and higher percentage of the state's tax revenues. |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1450 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 6:39 pm: | |
For road projects the state does have warranties on the work that companies do, and in the case of roads having problems right after the project is done, the company has to pay for it. In terms of the LTU test bridge of composite materials, one side is built of composite and the other traditional materials. It is an experiment that they are testing to see how it holds up over the years (it appears to be working). But the state has gotten into trouble using experimental materials and techniques in road construction. 275 in Livonia is a prime example of this, which is why is was in such bad shape in the late 90s and had to be fixed before its life cycle says it was supposed to. I agree that our current legislators being too influenced by special interest and lobbyists. We need major reform in that catagory. I think this is why you are going to continue to see more Proposals going forth such a Prop 2, and the repeal of the SBT having to be done. It is sad but true that our legislators and governor argue and refuse to compromise and so the people have to do it for them. It took a petition from the people to at least make them try to come up with a solution, they are now forced to thanks to the power of the pen. |