Proud To Be An American

The Tea Parties should be an inspiration to all true Americans. I have to laugh at those who think that the tea parties were organized by well funded organizations. I know that groups like ours, an those that worked with us, worked for weeks in our humble way to make them a success. I think it is beyond the nonbelievers to understand that we are capable of independent thinking. They are so busy walking in lockstep with the liberal and delusional press that they forget what a great and free country we have.

The same people who showed up for the Tea Parties are the son, daughters, husbands and wives of people who have fought for this country. It would be a shame to let all their efforts be for nothing. We are the people who know and appreciate what we have and intend to keep it. We are not Democrat or Republican or anything but American when it comes to our country and freedom.

We know that socialism does not work and we believe that we can make a difference. This can not be a one time event. We understand that because we became lax, we will have to work harder now to maintain our way of life. If things continue as they are, we will enslave our children an grandchildren. They will never have the standard of living we have, old people will suffer under the inflation and productivity will diminish with our ability to compete in the global economy. We owe it to ourselves and future Americans to preserve what has been so heroically fought for by our forefathers.

I'm No Coward or Racisit - How About You?

The latest news is that the Tea Parties will be infiltrated by Acorn, the Huffington Post and others. My reaction is -so what? The only thing that bothers me is that Acorn gets our money to do these things. My suggestion is to ignore them. If they ask you to sign something, politely say no thank you. Do not let them goad you into anything. Do not get into an argument with them, no matter how much they try to get you into one.

There is nothing more aggravating than failing. That is what we want them to do. The media will make that their story rather than the one we try to get across. If you feel the need to sign something, sign up with one of the sponsoring organizations. We are now all working together on things we agree upon. We communicate with each other and are finally realizing that we need each other to reach our goals.



With the recent decisions in the Supreme Court, we can assist each other on ballot initiatives, Recalls, and other petitions. We can pool our physical and financial resources when the need arises. Our cyber connections allow us to communicate effectively and efficiently. It is not just the government who can tell the story.

Come Join us on April 15, at the State Capitol steps in Lansing at high noon. There are more of us than there are of them. Let us peacefully make our point while we can. Get involved and get mad but make sure you are in control.

Why We Need To Expose The Far Left.

The double standard of the left fascinates me. They clammier the loudest if denied free speech but when it comes to them, they frequently deny it to others. As an example, the Michigan Liberal Blog still will not allow me to comment on anything they write. I have never used obscenities or done anything but express my opinion on what they have written. Yet, they seem to be so week on their opinions that they are afraid to be challenged? Moveon.org has no problem in making a point by any means necessary but will try to block any opinion that does not agree with theirs.

That is what I like so much about the concept of the Taxpayer Tea Party scheduled across this county. There is no way to disguise the hundreds of thousands who will be attending these Tea Parties. People of all stripes will be attending and expressing their feelings of frustration and indicating they are not going to take it any more.

We may not have the money that some of these left wing organizations have but we have the American Spirit. We have the awareness and history of those who fought and died for the principles of our forefathers. We have the freedom to express ourselves and the desire to make sure we keep them. This is not a one day event. It is a way of life. We need to defend it every day. I even defend the Michigan Liberal Blog but I wish they had the courage of their convictions and the philosophy of fair play.

Please join us on the steps of the Capitol Building on April 15, at noon. Also, sign up with one of the sponsoring organizations so that we can continue to fight the fight. We are cooperating more and more. We have our eye on the prize which is a free and representative democracy.



For Printable Map of Downtown Lansing CLICK HERE:

What Does A Trillon Dollars Look Like?

It seems like everyone is overwelmed by all the numbers being thrown around by the government. Last year a million dollars seemed like a big number. A billion was huge and a trillion dollars was unimaginable. Now they are talking about deficits in multible trillions. So what does a trillion dollars look like?


What Does a Trillion Dollars Look Like

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Unbeleivable

Are You Up To A Challenge

According to the Orlando Sentinal the taxpayers "Tea Party" in Orlando, Florida drew over 4,000 taxpayers to show their discontent with Washington. Carrying Signs and chanting they showed their frustration over government spending.

I am issuing a chalenge to all of you to help us exceed that number. If you can not afford the gas, bring others and ask them to share the expense. If it is a long way, turn on the radio to entertain you. There are certainly more than 4,000 available people out there. We have more reason than the federal spending. We have state spending to complain about. They are thinking of raising taxes again. You can bet that every time they do, there are fewer people and businesses to pay them.

Our "MI Taxpayers Tea Party will be on April 15, at High noon on the steps of the Capitol Building in Lansing. You can take the time to do this. Even bring gramma and grandpa. They helped build this country and I am sure they do not want to see others destroy it. Get excited! Get angry! Tell them "your not going to take it anymore." Hold them accountable. Work against them or remove them, if they will not listen.

We can do better than Orlando. There are fewer people everyday who have anything better to do. You are responsible for preserving our freedoms. You are responsible for our children's future. Your actions determine the life, libertyand persuit of happiness for future generations.

On My Honor

Why does government seem to have it's own agenda? Why does it seem that it's agenda is frequently in opposition to the wishes of taxpayers? I think it is because the Democrats and Republican have been around long enough to know that unless they stick together with other members of their party and put aside their differences they can not win.

That is why the Taxpayers Tea Party on April 15, at the State Capitol Building at noon is so important. This is an opportunity for taxpayers to show their willingness to cast aside their differences and come together in a common cause. It is the only way to win. I have seen organizations come and go as a result of egos and frustration because people were unwilling to put forth the effort or see the big picture.

I have plagiarised the following from the girl scouts pledge and think all taxpayer advocates should heed it:

On my honor, I will do my duty, to God and my country, to help other taxpayers at all times and to uphold the Constitution.

Set the time aside to join us and taxpayers across the country - to stand together. The thing we all have in common is that we are all taxpayers and government is waisting our money and burdening our children and grandchildren. It is time to stand up and say "that is enough". We need to put the cause ahead of ourselves and let our elected officials know that "we are mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore" and mean it.

Finally Done But Not Finished

The Wayne County Taxpayers Association and the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance has just finished their statewide tour. They have been conducting workshops on "How to Appeal Your Property Assessment". We estimate that we have instructed close to 2,000 people on the procedures involved to successfully appeal your assessment.

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It is now time for them to do the work. While the presentation does not give you the benefit of the discussion, questions and answers of the workshop, it does give you the step by step procedure. Good luck to all in this difficult time. You may also get a hardship exemption if you qualify. Talk with your assessor about the requirements in your city or township.

You Are Not Alone

On the way, the wind blew. It rained. It snowed. It was freezing cold. My friend and I thought that we must be the only ones crazy enough to go to Lansing in this weather. Much to our surprise and delight, there were more than 250 others, with only three days notice, who realized the importance of showing our unity and discontent with the spending in congress. This weekend, people in 40 states spent time showing their frustration over how their money was being spent by those who are supposed to represent us. For us, you can add the elected in Michigan too.


It is time for us to take up what has always been our responsibility. We are sovereign. It is our responsibility to pay attention to what government is doing. We will lose everything our forefathers fought and died for if we are not careful. If you think I am being dramatic, all you need to do is check history. We can not allow others to take from us what is not theirs. We must be vigilant and safeguard our rights and responsibilities. If we are to live free we can not turn authority over to others.

Still Mad As Hell and Not Going To Take It

Friday February 27 at high noon, I and some friends will join with others at the Capitol Building in Lansing. CNBC's reporter Rick Santelli let it all out. His rant inspired the idea of protests all over the country. While we didn't sponsor it, we definitely want to be a part of it. We hope you will consider joining us. This is a great country and the politicians are attempting to destroy our economic system and endanger our children and grand children's future.

We can not standby and watch it happen. Let Congress know how you feel. A stimulus package of over a trillion dollars and an omnibus bill with over 9,000 earmarks from both Democrats and Republicans in these troubled times shows only contempt for the taxpayers.

Bring your teabags and your sign and join us. Lets make a little tea. If you can not join us click on the tea bag then copy it and email it to your representatives in congress.

Pity the Lady

I am writing this for your sympathy and your money. Since I have joined the nothing is my fault group, I figure I can tell you how you let me down. I am a baby boomer. While I have been retired, due to my mothers poor health and death, for some time, I am not old enough to collect Social Security. Your first error was that you did not pay me during my mother's illness. Your next mistake is that as I am 1 1/2 years from collecting Social Security at 62 and you have allowed the system to get so messed up that they are talking about reducing my benefits and adjusting the age when I can collect.

You have also failed to keep yourself informed and have continued to elect a number of people who are incompetent, unable to make a decision and who have joined the nothing is my fault group. You have allowed the fox to control the hen house and the liars and cheats of both parties to obtain control of our government. You have allowed my investments for the future to decline drastically in value. You have allowed the economy to become so artificial that it is necessary to print up more money than it is possible to borrow and pay back. You have mortgaged the future of our children and grandchildren.

The most horrible crime you have committed is to allow a stimulus package, which is bound to result in unprecedented inflation in the future. This is the killer of prosperity. Inflation is the most harmful of all. It destabilizes and destroys the lifestyle of anyone on a fixed income. It makes reasonable increases in wages meaningless. It causes the basic needs of some to become unaffordable. If things become unaffordable, jobs can not increase. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Please send checks to Rose Bogaert. As for you, live with it. After all, it was all your fault.

Help Is On The Way.

I have been getting so many calls about how to appeal your property assessment that I have posted our presentation on our website. You will not get all the added comments and questions but it will at least get you started if you are unable to attend our workshop.

You can not appeal because your taxes are to high. Your appeal is your assessment. Here is the abbridged version. I hope it is helpful for those who are at a loss on where to start

WCCC to Taxpayers The Hell With You

I have to apologize to those who showed up for the workshop on how to appeal your assessment at the Wayne County Community College Eastern Campus on Friday only to be turned away. When we started setting up the schedule over a month ago, we asked former State Representative Lamar Lemmons to find a facility for us to hold our workshop in Detroit. He told us it was no problem. The day he scheduled was not available for the rest of us. We asked him to reschedule for the next day. He said it would not be a problem. The last time I talked to him, he said he was just waiting for a room number. I left several messages for him and did not receive a call back.


I decided to take matters into my own hands. So, this past Monday, I called WCCC and asked for a room number. They said there was no room scheduled. I explained the situation and they said they would check it out and get back. I called the next day and they said they were working on it. The next day they said I had to go to the Down River Campus fill out the paperwork and they will fax it to the eastern campus. I made it to the Downriver Campus on some very dangerous roads. When I got back home I called to make sure they received the fax.


Of course, they had not received it. I asked if I could scan and email my copies. No problem they said. So I did. I called to make sure they got them. They said they did. I asked if we would be ok for the next day when our workshop was scheduled. They just need to sign the paperwork she said.


The next morning, I had a message on my answering machine saying we could not hold the workshop that night. I called and asked to speak to the president of the Eastern Campus. Her name was Bonika Odbomi as best as I could figure it out. I explained that the workshop had been advertised and the problems we had. Her answer was, "we can not do these things overnight, we have our rules". I asked if they had rooms in their building. I asked if they could have let me know last Monday or before my trek in horrible weather to the Downriver Campus. The real frightening thing is that the president, who is paid very well, can not be trusted to schedule a meeting in her own building.


Now that WCCC has increased their millage for another 10 years, they can afford to tell the taxpayers to go to hell. The real pity is that the people of Detroit must first appeal to the Assessors Review in February before they can appeal to the Board of Review in March. Those who need the training will not have the opportunity to attend our seminar because an educational institution can not schedule an educational workshop in a room in less than three weeks.



One day the people of Detroit are going to get fed up. We had no problem scheduling in any other community. There is always an excuse in Detroit and it is harmful to the community.

How To Appeal Your Property Assessment

The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and the Wayne County Taxpayers Association will be sponsoring :

How To Appeal Your Property Assessment

Workshops

Wayne County:
Dearborn Heights: Saturday, January 24 at 3:00PM. Canfield Community Center, 1801 Beech Daly Road, ½ block South of Ford Road.
Detroit: Friday, January 30 at 7:00PM. Wayne Community College, Eastern Campus, The Eastern Campus is located on Conner Road adjacent to I-94.

Macomb County:
Macomb Township: Saturday, February 7 at 2:00PM. Clinton/Macomb Public Library, North Branch, 16800 24 Mile Road, 48042
Washington Township: Friday, March 6 at 7:00PM. Washington Township Hall, 57900 Van Dyke (1/2 mile north of 26 Mile Road)

Oakland County:
Troy: Wednesday, February 11 at 7:00PM. Troy Community Center, 3179 Livernois Rd. (room 304)

For More Information Call 313-278-8383

This is an important year to consider appealing you property assessment. This year the CPI is 4.4% . Your CV will increase. Your SEV will likely decline. Your TV will likely increase. Did I mention that we will define terms at the workshops?

We will tell you what to look for in and about your home. We will give you information which will help you decide if appealing is worth your time. We will provide you with information they can not use to increase your assessment. We will answer the question " How can my taxes go up when my property value is declining?"

You owe it to yourself to attend.

A Sign of the Times

Every day I receive 5 or 6 requests for contributions. I get them in the mail, on the phone and in my email. I get them from Democrats, Republicans, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Military Advocates, wounded veterans, churches, charities, taxpayer organizations and causes across the country. Just like you, there are a great number of these causes I would like to support but it is financially impossible because there are so many.


Many of us in Michigan have family and friends who are in financial trouble because they have lost their jobs. The only thing that keeps growing and increasing in revenue is government. Even government is pleading poverty. They, however, seem to be the only ones that are having difficulty adjusting to the fact that things can not go on as usual. The real pity is that all the responsibility has been dropped on the sholders of taxpayers. Those people who were able to keep their jobs, even though they may have had to take a pay cut, have been expected to take on the burden.


Since it is politicly incorrect for anyone to take responsibility for anything, I suggest that we all blame someone else and make an effort to correct other peoples incompetince. This way our self esteem will not be reduced and we can feel good about ourselves. This involves paying attention to who we elect. It also means not spending beyond our means. We can also help out those who are less fortunate. Help does not alway come in the form of money. It can come in the form of our effort and advice. We can help support the people and causes we feel are worthy.


There are other things we can do. We can car pool, walk,use a bike or take a bus in spite of the fact that the earth has been cooling . This reduces the amount of imported oil we must pay for and the income of terrorists. (I love the double whammies). We can take in relatives or send them to our legislators. That will get them of the dime. Now that we know it is not our responsibility, we can feel free to be creative. I hope more creative than our legislators or elected officials. It is a case of survival. Be generous to those who need it be smart and choosey to for those who do not.

Plotting After Midnight

Every time our legislature creates new legislation in the middle of the night, it is either (a) bad law or (b) involves a tax hike. Before closing this years session they passed a series of bills which allowed for the skirting of the Headlee Amendment. I was feeling rather low as a result and I just could not bring myself to finish this blog last night. Today, as luck would have it, I received a shot in the arm. Call it corny if you like. The protagonist of the movie I watched, "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" was moved by his father's memory. His father and mine taught principle, patriotism, honesty, integrity and persistence.

These days it may seem a little hokey but that movie inspires me and keeps my spirit up. When I see the way some politicians operate, that movie gives me hope that the citizens have a chance to make a difference. I know that I am not alone in this or the movie would not still be a favorite classic after all these years, and whether you believe it or not, "I am not naive nor am I crazy."

John Hertel who is paid $150,000 each year plus benefits to be the CEO of "Detroit Regional Mass Transit" was a lobbyist whose job it was to pass the 16 bills to make possible the $1.5 billion initial funding for the 3.4 mile transit which would run down Woodward from the old GM Building on W. Grand Blvd. to the GM Building on Jefferson Ave. My question is who is going to ride this thing and where will they be going? After it is built, how much will we have to subsidize this transit system that goes nowhere? The big question is this, if the courts have found DARTA to be illegal, then how is this any different? Why should the people outside Detroit assume this burden especially without the opportunity of a vote? How can the Chief Executives of Wayne, Oakland, the Chair of the Commission from Macomb and the Detroit Mayor make this decision without the permission of the voters?

The other thing that passed in the wee hours Friday, was the Cobo Hall expansion. We have not finished paying off the previous bonds and they are ready to take out more. The plan would finance $288 million in changes by extending to 2039 taxes on statewide liquor sales as well as a Metro Detroit hotel-motel tax. Gov. Jennifer Granholm has said she will sign the legislation into law. Oh what a Big surprise.

Government is out of control. They have no respect for us or for the constitution they swore to uphold. We have a lot of work to do. Where is Mr. Smith when you need him? We must be the Mr. Smiths if we are to preserve our way of life. We can not continue to be "too busy" or we will find that we will not be allowed to do the things we were too busy doing. If we all give a little of our time paying attention, the job will not be so hard, after all, there are still more of us than them.

We live in a time of Special Assessments, increases in fees that are not legally fees, judges that make radical law or bend it to fit the political atmosphere and legislators who make law because they think they know better or it serves their purpose. I say it is they who have no respect for the law or the people who are indeed sovereign. We need to expose them.

Distribution of Someone Elses Blog

I am going to do something I have never done before. I am going to distribute to the Wayne County State Senators and Representatives the recent blog of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance. First, because I believe it to be truthful and second, it has a link to former Rep. Leon Drolet's parting speech to the legislature, which I feel the other legislators should read.

I am so tired of everyone saying that our problems would be solved if only there were no term limits. There were reasons why the voters of this state proposed and voted for term limits and the reasons are as valid today as they were then. I hope you will take the time to read the blog and the farewell speech.

I am old enough to remember the way it was before term limits. People say that they lack experience with term limits. No one else has two years to learn their job. This is not a game you learn to play, but a cooperative effort to govern. Presumably, they brought skills with them to the job. If they haven't they do not belong there.

Everyone Makes Mistakes

Why is it so hard for politicians to admit a mistake? After the Enron and WorldCom debacles, the knee jerk reaction by Congress was the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. While the intent was to eliminate fraud, there is evidence that it is hurting the venture capital industry and doing more harm that good in other areas. It now takes around 12 years to enter the capital market when it used to take 5 years. That's because, it is more difficult to raise the 4.36 million in hidden taxes in yearly compliance costs. Originally, the cost was estimated at around $91,000. Big difference.

It created personal criminal responsibilities for board members. This narrowed the number of well qualified board members willing to accept the personal responsibilities. Many smaller companies reverted back to private status or merged to lower costs. It also made it more probable companies that considered going public would do so in London rather than anywhere in the United States. Sarbanes -Oxley created massive amounts of paperwork and bureaucracy. Those companies that complied fully were the ones who lead the financial breakdown in the investment banks in 2008.

Oxley, who retired in January after 25 years in Congress said that he would have written it differently and he believes Sarbanes would as well. Everyone felt the urgency that something must be done. "Everyone felt like Rome was burning." He said it was like nothing he had seen in his 25 years in Congress.

It is time to repeal Sarbanes-Oxley. If other laws are needed, they should take the time to do them correctly. We can not afford anymore damage to our economy.

Recall Wayne Westland Style

You have to believe by now that I am not against recall after being involved in the attempt to recall Speaker Andy Dillon of Michigan for the last 1 1/2 years. I am, however, opposed to the recent attempts to recall members of the Wayne-Westland School Board. It seems that the attempt to recall them was a result of the school board's warning that they might fire teachers who failed to obey the law. They went out on strike for four days until the court ordered them back to work.

The Wayne-Westland Education Association stated that the board failed to respond to their request to reduce class size and that any reduction would have to come out of the teachers contract. The union rejected outright the proposal put out by the board that would allow a different insurance carrier.

The school board is not requesting that the teachers receive a cut in pay or a freeze. They are not suggesting a change in insurance benefits either. They are requesting that they be allowed to shop insurance instead of using MESSA. MESSA is a not-for-profit membership organization established by the MEA as a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA). Because the union gets a cut, they are reluctant to allow competitive bidding. The union wants MESSA insurance at no cost to its members. The board wants to tie the districts costs to the increase in revenue received from the state. The union flatly refused it.

Salaries for the contract year 2007-2008 for Wayne Westland range from $34,409 for the first year new hire to $94,459 to a teacher who has a PHD and has been working for the district for 14 years. Their health care benefits are among the best money can buy. The districts MEAP scores are at or below the state average.

There is no doubt that teachers have a difficult job and a great deal of responsibility. But, they do have to get a grasp on reality. They have a closed community. They use children to their advantage and even to spread their propaganda which I believe they really think is true.
They can not go on living as if there has been no change in the economy and the world. They have to remember there are people standing in line wanting their job and they are qualified to do an equally good job or better. Taking children hostage is terrorism and their parents and the community are subject to extortion.

I am glad that they are going into fact finding. Maybe an equitable solution can be reached. In a state which will soon be in worse trouble, we can not make any more promises that we can not afford. Under no circumstances should the board allow binding arbitration. People should be applauding their board not recalling them.

You can recall your board, but it will not solve the problem.

I Hope There is Not a Need for a Next Time

Speaker Andy Dillon has been reelected and not recalled. The people have spoken. Having been overspent by about $450,000 I guess we should have expected the outcome. Good things have come about as a result of this recall. We have prevailed in the courts. We have helped to partially level a very uneven playing field by defending our First Amendment rights. We have established that the important thing is the person signing not the person gathering the signatures. We now have a network of people who share our concerns.

Why is that so important? While Dillon brought in all kinds of people from outside the district in large numbers to harass us and block us, we were limited to those who lived within the 17 th district to collect signatures. The federal court had already made a decision that in the case of referendum any U.S. citizen can collect signatures. In our case, they made a decision that anyone within the state can collect signatures. This is very important for future efforts.

There is no doubt that I was displeased with the results of the recall. I hope that Rep. Dillon does not think that if he continues down the same path that the recall of him or others might not be revisited. They are destroying the state that I love. Some people think I am crazy, others have called me names, made vulgar remarks and snide comments. Other people have given me encouragement and support. I find it interesting that I have signed my name or the committee to everything I put out there but those who criticize me, call my phone, mail me x rated comments are all to cowardly to sign their names.

Let me make one thing clear. At no time did I lie, cheat, break the law, or commit fraud. If they think I did, let them press charges. We have already won three times in court, one more won't kill us. As for Andy Dillon, he will be judged by a higher being. I hope his trips to receive communion do not dam him to perdition. I am not one who believes that all is fair in politics.

Dillon did help increase income taxes- check your paycheck. Dillon did help place a 22% surtax on business after removing a 22% service tax which was so idiotic that even they recognized it after being shown. He did vote to raise the legislative budget by 7% and the state budget by 8%.

If he didn't, where did the money go?

Why We Can't Trust WCCC

On November 4, 2008 you are being asked to renew a millage for Wayne County Community College. Renew? They are asking for 1.25 mills. Right now they are levying .99 mills. Isn't that an increase? You bet it is. They are asking you to give up everything you have gained under the Headlee Amendment for the last 8 years. How can they get away with calling this a renewal? It's Wayne County that's how. This is in addition to the to, the 2001 voted operating millage which is now being levied at a rate of 1.4861 mills.

The Headlee Amendment works basically like this, revenue can increase at only the rate of inflation plus any additions and deletion of taxable value at the local level of government. If revenue increases over that, the mills levied must roll back to generate the inflationary amount or must be placed before the voters to override . WCCC thinks this slight of hand is justified because they believe it is good for us.

Keep in mind that a number of their courses are remedial. The inference is that the 12 years of education we paid for previously is not sufficient. Below is information taken from a website.

Information Summary

Ranks 292nd for total enrollment

Total Cost On-Campus Attendance		$2,369
Admission Success rate		N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)		14,764
Student Ratio Ratio of students to faculty		21 : 1

	Demographics – Main Campus and Surrounding Areas Reported area around or near Detroit, MI Total Population 6,138 (6,138 urban / N/A rural) Households 2,630 (1.45 people per house) Families 626 (2.41 people per family) Surrounding community Large city (inside urban area, pop. over 250,000) Pop. — African American 4,623 Pop. — Asian 99 Pop. — Pacific Islander 5 Pop. — American Indian / Alaskan Native 61 Pop. — White (incl. Hispanic) 1,404 Pop. — Other 80

Student Tuition Costs and Fees

What are the typical tuition costs and fees for attending Wayne County Community College District?

Ranks 3857th for total cost of attendance

	In District	In State	Out of State
FT Undergraduate Tuition	$1,332	$1,722	$2,184
FT Undergraduate Required Fees	$175	$175	$175
PT Undergraduate per Credit Hour	$56	$72	$91
FT Graduate Tuition	N/A	N/A	N/A
FT Graduate Required Fees	N/A	N/A	N/A
PT Graduate per Credit Hour	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Cost of attendance — On-Campus	$2,369	$2,753	$3,209
Total Cost of attendance — Off-Campus w/out Family	$8,779	$9,163	$9,619
Total Cost of attendance — Off-Campus with Family	$5,519	$5,903	$6,359

This Big Piggy Comes Home

Perks the Pig stopped by my house to tell me that he has been reading the literature that Rep. Andy Dillon has been distributing. Apparently, Dillon thinks he has cut taxes and cut the budget. I am really sorry to add delusional to his faults.

Everyone in this state is suffering and all he can do is make things up. He attacks his opponent, Sandra Eggers, and disguises the truth. I guess working to get elected by going door to door meeting voters in the district every day and her willingness to debate him, while he refuses, means that she is not a serious candidate according to him. At least, thats what he says in his literature. I think she is as serious as pneumonia. She is also hardworking and honest. It's refreshing in a politician.

If recalled, Dillon will be the first Speaker of the House recalled anywhere in the country. We have been working on this more than a year - in and out of court. We are doing this for all the people of Michigan. Our legislators should not take us for granted. They should show us respect. They should learn that they work for us, not themselves. Think of the recall as a teaching tool. A ruler to smack the hands of our politicians and I don't much care if it hurts their self esteem. The people of this state need to take their government back from the lobbyist and special interest. We need someone to stand for us. I need someone to represent me. Dillon is my representative and he must go.

If anyone is free this weekend and would like to help us distribute literature in Redford Twsp, Dearborn Heights and a small portion of Livonia, please contact us at 313-278-8383.

Something vs Nothing

I congratulate the people of Redford Township for their decision to replace Miles Handy as township supervisor. Now is the time to make another good judgement about who should be your treasurer. It is time for the people of Redford to take their Township back. You will have a choice in November to elect a name under the Democratic ticket or an Independent with qualifications for the job.

Being Commissioner Phil Cavanugh's wife is not a qualification for treasurer. Apparently, even Robert F. Brag Jr., Redfords present treasurer thinks Paul Borland would do a better job. That's him in the picture along with Paul. Below are Broland's promises.

As an Independent Candidate on the November ballot you can rest assured that I will bring my business and leadership experience along with my education, to the Treasurer’s Office.

I’m not from a family of politicians and I do not represent any one party’s agenda. As Redford Township Treasurer I will represent democracy in its purest form, government for the people, by the people.

As your Treasurer I Pledge to:

• Hear the voices of the Township
  

• Continue to move Redford Twp. forward
  

• Ensure the INDEPENDANCE and INTEGRITY of the Treasurer’s office
  

• Maintain budget control
  

• Collect, Invest and Distribute township funds
  

And most importantly

To be YOUR Guardian of Public Funds

He said it, now Reford Township should hold him to it.

Back To Work

Following the route that Mapquest gave us was interesting and beautiful. It took us through the mountains which were in bright fall colors. It almost didn't look real it was so beautiful. I am grateful for the scenery but the directions to the AFP , Defending the American Dream Summit stunk. Coming home from Washington, we took the highway all the way back and the scenery was still beautiful but the directions were far more clear and direct. All in all, it was a great experience and the conference was worth while and a success.

A lot of familiar faces were missing due to this being an election year. Even I felt guilty going away because of the Recall of Speaker Andy Dillon. I have to say that it was worth it. It refreshed me after a year of fighting to get the recall on the ballot. It provided me confirmation why this recall is so important. It reminded me that other states, even in these hard times, are doing incredibly better than Michigan and that we need to take steps immediately. The first step, is to notice up our governor and legislators by removing Dillon from office.

If anyone has a little extra cash, please send your donation to Taxpayers to Recall Andy Dillon, 25613 Rouge River Dr., Dearborn Heights, MI 48127. We appreciate any amount how ever small.

Blog, Blog, Blog

I am sitting in a room full of bloggers. Not all of them are writing, but it sounds like they are all talking. Outside the room they are talking as well. They are on a break from an interesting conglomerate of speakers. Last night George Will, Dinesh D'Souza, Ed Meese and more gave tributes to Ronald Reagan and free market economy. The hotel is filled with about 1800 enthusiastic conservatives that still believe there is a future for capitalism.

This morning the list of speakers was equally impressive. John Stossel from ABC 20/20, Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard, Steve Moore and John Fund from the Wall Street Journal, Herman Cain radio talk show host, Grover Norquist from Americans for Tax Reform (and the list goes on) gave insights into what we should be doing. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are perfect examples why the Federal Government should keep out of our business. (Do you really want these people to take care of our health insurance?)

I'm off to my next conference. Hope to get into more detail later.

From the AFP Conference

I am writing to you from the Americans For Prosperity Conference in Arlington, Virginia. We had conferences about blogging and networking and then eminent domain, land development and environmentalists. That's a heck of a lot for a morning. The next event is the Capitol Hill Rally and news conference.

There are hundreds of people who have not arrived yet. How do I know? Because there are tables loaded with name tags that have not yet been claimed. I'm hoping to be able to give you more information direct from the conference today and tomorrow. The speaker's list is impressive. I know you will be sorry you missed it. People here are real friendly. Strangers come up and talk to you. The mood is light in spite of the gloomy economic climate. As things come up along the way I'll be back to you. There is an impressive list of speakers. I'll be reporting on them later on today. In the meantime, make an effort to do something important while I'm away.

From the AFP Conference

Redford Invades Dearborn Heights

The night was dark, cool and still. The Dearborn Heights council chamber was pregnant with anticipation. The candidates for the 17th district were beginning to exhibit anxiousness for the debate to begin. Andy Dillon the smooth talking villain vs Sandra Egger friend to the rich and the begger , were sizing each other up. The Dearborn / Dearborn Heights League of Women Voters were preparing the order of their questions.

Without warning, Team Handy spread themselves throughout the chamber. For those of you who are not familiar, they are a group of politicians and supporters from Redford Township. Among them, was Miles (Boss Hog) Handy, the recently (thank goodness) defeated township supervisor. Along with him was county Commissioner Phil Cavanaugh, the fire chief, Cavanugh's wife, who though unqualified, is seeking to be treasurer of Redford, all in all there were about 15 of them.

As they swaggered in, they had a smug and confident look on their faces. I have yet to understand how Dillon became an underling in Team Handy, given his position as the Speaker of the State House. What I did notice is that some of them behaved like children who thought that making faces gave them bravado.

Dillon appeared uninterested. Egger appeared nervous. The questions where asked. Dillon lied with a straight face. He continued to pretend he cut the budget by $400 million when it was the proposed increase that was cut. Egger nervously gave her answers but she remained true to herself and the taxpayers. Dillon tried to to impress with his fancy words and composure. Egger spoke with sincerity and conviction.

In the end, in spite of their cockiness, the Redford Ruffians settled for a hamburger and a drink at a local bar instead of a pint of blood.

Dillon Up to His Old Tricks

With the help from his friends in the legislature. Speaker Andy Dillon has managed to shift taxes from the have nots to the have just a littles. I have been busy the last few days, so I have gotten behind in my reading. I came across the Right Michigan blog. In that blog they referenced HB6162.

The legislative analysis states this:

If a taxpayer is elegible for an exemption, the board of review would grant the exemption for the tax year in which the application was filed, and for the immediately preceding tax year if the taxpayer would have been eligible for an exemption that year. If the board of review did so,any exempted and unpaid taxes, interest, penalties, and fees for the immediately preceding tax year would be extinguished......

The local board of review could deny an exemption for one or more of the following reasons:

1. the person claiming the exemption was not a qualified taxpayer
2. the claim for exemption was based on fraud
3. the qualified taxpayer had no interest in the property for which the exemption was claimed, and the claim was an attempt to avoid the collection of taxes
4. the state equalized valuation of the principal residence for which an exemption was claimed was 200 percent or more greater than the median value of a principal residence in the local tax collection unit.

Doesn't sound to bad. Well who is going to make up the revenue? In the Right Michigan article they refered to the problem with bonds and referenced the increase that will be required on those still paying taxes, to meet the annual payments. It is much worse than that and difficult to explain.

There aren two thing that govern the level of taxation on our taxable value. The first is the Headlee Amendment (Article 9 Section 26-32 of the State Constitution) which limits the revenue to local units of governmet to the rate of inflation and the second is Proposal A, which limits the increase in the taxable value of individual property to the rate of inflation or 5% which ever is less. The amount of the millage rollback, if any, is determined by the total taxable value in a local unit of government. That means your school district, city or township, and county determine how many mills they can levy by basically taking last years revenue, plus any additions or deleations of property and figuring how much revenue they are entitled to under the Headlee Amendment.

As some people's taxable value decrease or disappear , as in HB 6162 the burden is shifted to others still paying taxes. Article 9 Section 31 of the State Constitution assures local units of government a certain level of revenue;

I have tried to simplify a very complex tax system. You might want to consult the Citizen's Research Council for the more complicated version.

As you know, your taxes have continued to rise while your property values have declined. People ask me why every day. How can this happen? When taxable values continue to be capped each year to the rate of inflation due to Proposal A, assessments increased at a much faster rate. The difference between your taxable value and assessed value was still too great for you to experience a reduction. Surprisingly, the legislature noticed that too. They passed House Joint Resolution III to revise the Proposal A assessment cap for declining values. This from MichiganVotes.org :

Received in the House on September 25, 2008, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to establish that, after 2010, if a property's assessed value decreases the taxable value not be allowed to increase, as it does now under the enacting language adopted by the legislature following passage of the 1994 Proposal A. If the assessed value increased by less than the rate of inflation, the assesment increase could not exceed that amount. Passed in the House (101 to 0) on September 25, 2008, to place before the voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to establish that after 2010, if a property's assessed value decreases the taxable value not be allowed to increase, as it does now under the enacting language adopted by the legislature following the passage of the 1994 Proposal A. If the assessed value increased by less than the rate of inflation, the assessment increase could not exceed that amount.

Keep in mind that this would still be a tax shift because the revenue is still guaranteed to the local units of government under the Constitution. The millage would just not be rolled back as much and those who have purchased their houses after 1994 when Proposal A passed will still be paying more than their fair share and those who receive an exemption would shift their share to others.

Taxpayers Prevail

I've been spending a lot of time in court this past year and it's all because of the recall of Speaker Andy Dillon. The first time in circuit court to get the wording on petition approved. Next to federal court to defend my First Amendment rights so that we would be able to count signatures that they threw out and twice this past week back to circuit court to remove the last two paragraphs of the language submitted by Dillon which criticizes us instead of defending his position - a definite violation of the law. A year is a long time just to get a question on the ballot. They say the process is too easy. I say it is too hard and costly. At least we made it a little easier in the future by having the court affirm our rights.

During this whole ordeal, they have complained that we have been getting financial resources from outside the district. Most of our funds came from people who own businesses in Michigan and who have gotten stuck with huge increases in taxes. The rest was from more than 250 individuals who were sick of cuts in their own personal budgets, while the state continued to increase spending and raise taxes. We delivered petitions to almost every house in the district. Anyone could have sent in invalid signatures. That includes Dillon's supporters or even Dillon himself.

Now that we have the ballot question settled, its time to get down to business. I think it is time to put the garlic around our neck, take our wooden stakes (for our signs), get to the heart of the matter and take care of the task at hand.
I am told that Dillon has a quarter of a million dollars to run his campaign with. He didn't collect that much from voters in his district. Could it be he got it from all the lobbyists and special interest groups he reported on his campaign statement?
He has some nerve complaining about us. No mater where any ones money came from the question is where it belongs - finally in the hands of the voters of the 17th district.

Drill Here Drill Now

This gets me right in the mood. If you go to our website homepage and click on the oil rig you will hear the new song by country music star Aaron Tippin. Below the picture, if you click on the link, you will see a video from American Solutions.com. You should do it because it is a really great song and quaint video.

Preliminary results of mine and my sons Hydrogen fuel cells which we have had installed in our vehicles are good. My son's 2002 Ford F150 truck is getting an average increase of 57% in his gas mileage. I am driving a 1993 Crown Victoria and I have experienced a 50% increase in my mileage. Both of these should improve with continued use and as the oxygen sensor adjusts. Please note the nickel in the picture, so you can judge the size.

My nephew says he is going to replace our units with the new and improved version which he is ready to put into production soon. He has a patent pending and is securing funding. Soon you too will be able to tell foreign oil producers Americans can become more energy independent. Go to American Solutions.com to join the fight.

Considder the Whole Deal

I was pretty miffed a couple of weeks ago when the Michigan Court of Appeals and the State Supreme Court refused to hear the case for the recall of Speaker Andy Dillon. I've cooled off now. As November gets closer, I was thinking about judges. I read in the newspaper that the Democrats have chosen Judge Diane Hathaway to be their candidate for the Supreme Court, so I started checking her out. That sweet gentle face has the heart of a left wing liberal.

Hathaway has been a Wayne County circuit judge since 1993. She ran unsuccessfully for the Michigan Court of Appeals in 2006. She was a supporter of the Reform Michigan Government Now proposal.That was the proposal that almost re-wrote the entire State Constitution. Good thing the lower courts decided it could not go on the ballot because it was to broad. The proposal was very poorly written and would have made sweeping changes that would have effected all of us negatively. She has the support of the union bosses. I am not sure of the rank and file. Her criticism of Justice Taylor is that he is to pro-business and not generous to the little guy. Which means he doesn't ere on the side frivolous lawsuits. According to the Detroit News, Hathaway called Taylor a "walking conflict of interest" who too often rules in favor of insurance companies at the expense of middle-class Michigan residents.

Insurance companies will settle almost any case to avoid Wayne County Courts. They know they can not win no matter what the circumstances and even if there is liability the courts and juries will usually grant outrageous awards. She has sympathy for those award and is running against the conservative Chief Justice Clifford Taylor.

Justice Taylor can certainly defend himself but no matter I felt that you should know more about him. This is from his election website:

" Chief Justice Taylor is considered a strict constructionist, and is frequently invited to teach new jurists throughout the country. He is the co-author of a three-volume work entitled Torts which covers personal injury law in Michigan. He was recently named the Man of the Year by the Police Officers Association of Michigan, having previously been their Jurist of the Year. He has also been honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and was given the Grano Award for Judicial Excellence by the Federalist Society.

Chief Justice Taylor serves on the Board of the George Mason University Law and Economics Center, which provides judicial education across the country. He served in the past on the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Chief Justices, the Michigan Legislature’s Commission on the Courts in the 21st Century, and on the Michigan State Board of Law Examiners.

His community activities have included service on the Board of Directors of Chief Okemos Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Board of Directors for the Michigan Dyslexia Institute."

Given the circumstances I don't think I will have a hard time deciding.

Off To The Races

Yesterday, the Secretary of State finally certified that there are enough valid signatures to place on the ballot the recall of Speaker Andy Dillon. So, now it is up to us to explain to the people of the 17th district the reasons we believe he needs to be removed from office and not be re-elected. You read right. He will be on the ballot twice. He is running for re-election and the recall question will be on the ballot as well.

When I started this recall, I had no personal bad feelings about Rep. Dillon. I have now seen what he is made of and who he hangs with and my feelings have changed. It has made me more committed to remove him from office. We have to re-emphasize the reasons he was wrong to raise our taxes instead of cutting the state budget. I hope to keep providing other information which will reinforce that conclusion. His friends and tactics also hold a place in judging his character and where his loyalties rest.

Recall 1983

I am in the process of reprinting an old blog for those of you interested in the history of the 1983 Recalls. the video is very long but, it provides a lot of information.
The blog itself provides my perspective.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Recall 1983

I just finished watching a historical presentation on the recalls of 1983. I can not comment on the other recalls, although I knew the people involved, but I sure can comment on the McCullough Recall because I was smack dab in the middle of it. It was one of the coldest winters I can remember. This was truly a grass roots movement. We had next to no money and we only had our anger to keep us warm.

In the panel presentation, McCollough says he sent out people to present his side of the story. They were like thugs. We had to call the police on them several times. They badgered people who came up to sign. I remember him calling us a dogs breakfast and malcontents. We believed and I still do to this day, that it was some of his supporters who signed the petitions more then once. There were probably others who signed more than once by mistake because we were frequently in front of the same stores over a three month period. Some people may have forgotten if they signed. There were three signatures that appeared on a petition that were forged according to his handwriting specialist. When we investigated those three people said they did indeed sign the petition and we could not find the signatures on other petitions turned in. My question is who would think to hire a handwriting annalist to look over all those petitions unless you expect to find something.

I will also tell you right now that John Engler never had the authority to stop the recall nor did anyone else. They were collected by people who wanted McCollough removed from office and that was not something to be bargained away by anyone in Lansing no matter what they may have said.

Rose Bogaert, Chair
Wayne County Taxpayers Assn.

At Last Victory

I am delighted to announce that in the matter of :

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
SOUTHERN DIVISION

ROSE BOGAERT,
Plaintiff,

File No. 1:08-CV-687

v.

HON. ROBERT HOLMES BELL

TERRI LYNN LAND, individually and in
her official capacity as Michigan Secretary
of State,
Defendant,
ANDREW DILLON, WAYNE COUNTY
CLERK CATHY M. GARRETT, and
WAYNE COUNTY ELECTION
COMMISSION,
Intervenors.

We won! After all is said and done, the taxpayers of the 17th district will get to vote on the recall of Speaker Andy Dillon. If all goes well at the Secretary of States Office and we have no reason to believe it will not, the recall will appear on the November ballot. If you wish to read the whole decision, go to our website and click on Special Reports.

Now the challenge is to remove him from office. Andy Dillon the Taxpayers Villian has many resources behind him but we are hopeful that the people will remember the damage he has helped create in this state and continues to ignore, including higher taxes and a bad business climate

MEA and MESSA v Learning

Yesterday I attended a luncheon where the guest speaker was Kyle Olson who is President of Strategy for the Education Action Group (EAG). The EAG is a group of citizens and School Board leaders who are working together to insure that most tax dollars for education are spent to educate students. They are all about supporting school boards who make those tough decisions. When Michigan Senate Bill 418 passed, it allowed school districts to gain access and obtain anonymously "Health Insurance Claim Data" for bidding purposes and required that they get four competing bids. This video tells one story.

According to Mr. Olson, "the mission of the MEA and MESSA is not to look out for the best interests of the school districts - its to make sure that their members are receiving the best "Compensation and Benefits possible".

I am always befuddled by the fact that over 30% of our taxes go to education and we spend so little time electing qualified people who have lots of backbone to manage our districts.

It is nice to have caring parents on the board and others that reflect the demographics of the district but they need to have skills that will allow them to manage the millions of dollars entrusted to their care.