Assessment Time

Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and the Wayne County Taxpayers Association are about to start scheduling our state tour on How to Appeal Your Property Assessment. Here is the Problem. We have to schedule a seminar in Detroit in January because they are the only city that requires an appeal at the Assessors Review in early February before an appeal can be made before the Board of Review in March. We need a place to hold it.

Last year,we reserved a room at Wayne County Community College and they cancelled on us the day we were going to hold the seminar. We need a place in Detroit to hold our seminar. I need your help to find one. It can be a church hall. It can be an auditorium. It needs to be in a location where the people of Detroit will be interested in coming.

If other are interested in having one in their community please contact us and we will try to hold one or let you know where the closest one to you is located when we finalize our schedule.

Contact us at wctaxpayers@comcast.net or 313-278-8383.

Joy! Success!

On December 10, Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and the Wayne County Taxpayers Association held a successful awards banquet. The award winners gave inspiring speeches and appeared to delight the crowd. Approximately two hundred attended and listened as Wendy Day our, "Activist of the Year" explained how necessary and fun their participation can be. Frank Beckmann our, "Voice of the Taxpayer" entertained us with witty stories and comments. Robert Bobb received the "Taxpayer Hero of the year award" and mesmerized us with the feats he has achieved in the Detroit Public School system.

Everyone appeared to have a good time and indicated they would like to do it again next year. It will be difficult to beat this years edition but we should give it a try.
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Another success for us was the recent decision by The U.S. District Court, for the Western District of Michigan, which struck down a Michigan law requiring recall petition circulators to be residents and registered voters of the recall district in which they reside.

When I became the plaintiff in this case so long ago, during the Dillon Recall attempt, I knew this would be an important decision for that effort and for future efforts. Grass root organizations need to rely on each other and; the chance that better funded organization just so happens to agree with them. This allows for like minded individuals to help with the cause and also levels the playing field to some degree that special interests will almost certainly have the greatest power.

Without the support of the Sam Adams Alliance, The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and the individual contributors who came foreward this victory could not have been achieved. From the "little guys" I offer my sincerest thanks.

I'm Getting Excited

On December 10, the Michigan Taxpayers Allience and the WCTA are going to give awards to people that really deserve them. Robert Bobb, Emergency Financial Manager for the beleaguered Detroit Public School system and Frank Beckmann the taxpayers' friend and advocate from WJR AM 760 radio and writer of insiteful newpaper columns in the Detroit News have performed in a manner deserving of recognition. We will also have an award for a surprise guest.

We hope you will come and join us. Time is running out and tickets will not be available at the door. Click Here for information.

I expect we will all have a great time. Everyone is welcome. Help us celebrate and toast, in this time of government hell, those people who are actually doing something for us. It is a rare thing to find people of integrity who work hard at doing the right thing. When we find them, we should let them know they are appreciated and ask them how we can help.

I look forward to seeing you there.

I Must Be Precient

When the effort for passing Proposal A was in full force in 1993,I worked my heart out trying to defeat it. Some people thought I was crazy. There was no question that assessments were out of control as well as the property taxes they generated. My argument then is the same as it is now. It was the method they chose that I was opposed to. A tax reduction could have been acheived by something as simple as reducing taxes from 50% of true cash value to say 40% of the true cash value of the property.

They on the other hand had to make it complicated and bate one segment of the population against the other. While Proposal A did slow the taxation rate by reduceing millage rates and slowing taxable values for some, other were picking up the burden as property changed hands through sales or inheritance. Right now, two families living in identical houses in the same subdivision may be paying drastically different amounts of taxes for the same services because one person has lived in their house longer. The crash in our property values has helped to aleviate that problem for some but it has not eliminated it. When we go to sell our homes there are fewer buyers because the tax will then be applied to the State Equalized Value of our property making the payments to expensive.

Proposal A had all kinds of enabling legislation that went into effect. We got an increase in the sales tax and gas tax. Inflation helps to increase those taxes. Given the way the federal government is spending money, we will soon see a huge increase in inflation and taxes. We got a different rate of tax on our non homstead property. Another thing that came to fruition was an increase in requests for bonds and sinking funds for schools, which are still allowed.

Due to the decline in proprty values,you will now begin to see more Truth in Taxation Hearings. Local governing bodies can increase millage rates up to the maximum allowable truth in assessment / equalization millage by simple ordanance or resolution instead of a vote of the people. This can be done because the revenue generated under Proposal A will not equal last years revenue plus inflation without increasing the millage. This is also true of all the other government millages in Michigan.

Another interesting restriction that was created under Proposal A was a requirement that no increase over the then authorized operating millage could be passed unless it was done on an intermediate school district level. Each County wide region is allowed a 3 mil enhancement if approved by the voters.
Multi-district tax a tough sell, but that could change

By DAWSON BELL

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

With state aid in peril and federal stimulus funding that came to the rescue this year set to expire, is it time for Michi­gan’s local school districts to turn again to local taxpayers?

Some have exercised a rare­ly used option under 1994’s Proposal A to seek multi-dis­trict millage hikes.

Very few have succeeded.

The schools of Washtenaw County — including Ann Ar­bor, Ypsilanti and Saline — asked voters to approve en­hancement mills on Nov. 3. Property taxpayers in the Washtenaw Intermediate School District would have paid an extra 2 mills for 5 years had the request been ap­proved.

It passed in Ann Arbor, but got hammered elsewhere. The final tally was 57.4% no to 42.6% yes.

“We knew that this was a bad time” to be asking taxpay­ers for more money, said Ann Arbor Public Schools commu­nications director Liz Margo­lis. “But we just had no choice.” With state help in decline as state revenues shrink and the likelihood of more bad news to come, a countywide discussion had been under way for a year, Margolis said. Ann Arbor vot­ers had a history of support for school millages, and district of­ficials led the campaign.

But while Ann Arbor voters kept their reputation intact, the measure lost by margins of up to 3-1 in some out-county communities such as Milan and Lodi Township. Margolis said schools won’t try again soon and would give it another shot only if every school dis­trict in the intermediate school district, or ISD, would “buy in and really try to sell it.”

So far, talk about enhance­ment- millage requests — re­gions can ask for as much as 3 mills and use the money for any purpose — has been muted around the state.

David Martell, executive di­rector of the Michigan School Business Officials, said that for years after Proposal A took ef­fect, school funding was secure and obstacles to winning re­gional approval for tax hikes were so high, that few en­hancement elections were held.

“It’s a very, very hard sell,” Martell said, chiefly because the cost and benefits are usu­ally unbalanced across an ISD because the tax is assessed on property wealth and distribut­ed on a per-pupil basis.

But financial conditions are rapidly worsening in so many districts that Martell said the bar for passing a millage could drop.

“I don’t know why” en­hancement- millage requests “haven’t taken hold more re­cently,” he said. “I think once parents start to feel the real impact of the cuts that are coming … they might turn to something like that.”

Voters in Kalamazoo Coun­ty approved a 1.5-mill regional tax in 2005 and renewed it by a wider margin in 2008. But Kal­amazoo Regional Superinten­dent Ron Fuller said that un­less economic anxiety in Michi­gan lightens by then, “it will be a tougher sell a year and a half from now” when it is scheduled to expire again.

Doug Drake, a financial ana­lyst with Public Policy Associ­ates in Lansing and former state budget official, said that if state lawmakers decline to approve higher taxes to re­store school funding, more dis­tricts may have to consider joining for enhancement ef­forts.

“When the checkbook in the sky is empty, you just may have to think about going door-to­door. There aren’t very many other options,” Drake said.

Governor Granholm and the legislature understood this when they refused to reduce the budget in other ways, while alowing cuts to education. If you can not get the legislature to raise taxes, put the pressure on parents to do the job.

I for one am tired of excuses and the blame shifting. The Governor and the legislators are paid to do a job but they keep shiftng the hard stuff on to the taxpayer and disclaim any personal reponsibility. Enough is enough! We need to make them do their job or remove them and keep them from any future office.

Here's the Beef

If they were meeting in private to get it right without distraction, they failed. I can not believe that they could come up with a bill that is 1992 pages long and not explained away any faults in three bill. Hold on to your hats. It is going to be a very bumpy and dangerous ride. Maybe it will be deadly for some.

If you value your health, contact your senators now that the bill has passed the House. In fact, write them, email them and fax them. Contact other senators as well.
The phone is a great invention as well. In fact, I suggest you use it early and often just like some people vote.

Maybe if we make a real nuisance their staff will quit and they won't be able to do anything.

This is not a Laughing Matter

They may think this is funny, but I don't. As we speak the intent of Congress is to vote on the health care bill this coming Saturday (tomorrow). How many times can the American people be lied to before they fire these incompetent, self righteous, self serving, destroyers of the American way.

Neither the Democratic Bill nor the Republican bill is good for the American people. Both bills take away your freedoms and give power to the government. They are destroying our system of government and the legacy for our children. They have put forth nothing to solve our problems but have only done things to exacerbate them.

How can a $460 billion dollar tax increase be expected to save people who are already unemployed. Increased taxes to small businesses will not create more jobs. The fact that you can not believe a thing they say does not help. You never know what your getting. We have compromised our liberties to long. We should make them listen or throw them out if they will not.

Call Congress November 5

November 5, is Congressional House Call Day. The object is to tell congress at least one more time to keep their hands off your health care. The almost 2000 page bill as it stands today will ultimately lead to government control of your health care.

If you are interested in reading all 1990 pages of the bill, you can click here. If your interested in the breakdown of the important parts, then click here. It is important that we don't give up. We have to keep hounding them until they listen.

This represents 1/6 of our economy and the government makes a mess out of everything they control. Medicare is bankrupt. Medicaid is bankrupt. Social Security is bankrupt. The country's unfunded liability is astronomical. The debt we are leaving to our children is outrageous. More than that, the government should not be making decisions reserved to be between you and your doctor.

A Sad Day

You know your getting old when you start reminiscing. Lunchtime was great when I sat down in front of the TV and had it with Soupy Sales. As a little girl, I would giggle when Pookie would sing or White Fang and Black Tooth would show up. I am proud to say I was a card carrying official birdbath. That may not mean anything to some of you but it was a big deal for me.

Some of you never got the opportunity to see his crazy hat and bow tie. I can still do the Soupy Shuffle. The words of wisdom kept me on the straight and narrow.

Those were simpler days. I wish that the kids of today could appreciate things the way we did. I didn't realise until I was grown that we didn't have much money and the special things that magically appeared once in a while were the results of sacrifices by my parents. I am sure that I am not the only one who will miss his slapstick comedy. I throw you all A BIG KISS.

An Honor to Honor

We are often accused of being negative. I attribute that to those who would rather call us names than judge our solutions. This time, we are sure our effort can not be misconstrued. When Leon Drolet of Michigan Taxpayers Alliance and I were deciding who should be honored, we found it easy to agree on Mr. Robert Bobb and Mr. Frank Beckmann to receive top honors.

Robert Bob has been doing yeoman's work at the Detroit Public Schools weeding out fraud and abuse. Frank Beckmann has been a voice of sanity and a source of information and taxpayer advocacy for years. This will be an event you will not want to miss. These men deserve to be recognized. For information click here.

Please help us make this a memorable event. Join us and join the fun. Jacket and tie for men and business attire for women.

Call for Resignation

I am respectfully calling for the resignation of Appropriations Chairman, George Cushingberry. He has the most powerful committee in the State House of Representatives. He controls the purse strings for all Michigan residents. He obviously does not understand that as head of that comittee he is supposed to represent all of us. His rant below is a clear indication that he needs to be reminded. I am asking that he appologize and recind his statement or resign.



Please contact him and remind him respectfully to correct his position or to resign from his Chairmanship.

Office Address
S0687 House Office Building

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514

Phone: (517) 373-2276
Fax: (517) 373-7186


Toll-Free
(888) 347-8008


Email
georgecushingberry@house.mi.gov

When laws are passed and appropriations are made they effect all of us. Please be polite but firm.

Canadian Style Healthcare

It can't be good folks. I am contacted daily, by organizations I admire and trust who warn me, about the dangers in the proposed health care bills which are about to be consolidated into a bill which will be put before congress.

Last night I was part of a conference call of over 10,000 activists, sponsored by American for Prosperity, who listened to and asked questions of Congressman John Shadegg. He warned us of the deals being made. The bill has not even hit the floor yet. As you might imagine, these deals are being made for their constituents and not everyone.

Can you really believe they will cut costs, improve services, and cover more people without raising taxes and reducing accessibility to services. The fact that at present, the Sen. Baucas bill that came out of committee is enforced by the IRS should tell you something.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has put out several videos. I hope you will watch them and contact Senators Levin and Stabenow to oppose nationalized health care or anything that resembles it. Call their local and Washington office, email them, write them, and fax them. Do it more than once so they know you are serious and intend to stay involved all the way to the voting booth.

Election Wayne County Style

On November 3, the residents of Wayne County will be asked to vote on various ballot issues. We encourage you to check ahead to see which issues effect you. All ballot issues go through Wayne County. We have included a link to the Wayne County Elections in the County Clerks Office to assist you. There you will find everything that will be on the November ballot in Wayne County.
That includes city, school millage and all other elections elections. Please check out the list to see those that effect you and then forward the link on to others in Wayne County who are in your address book.

Some people may not even know there is an election this year. All elections are important. This year in particular as few are able to absorb the increases in taxes.


Proposition O is a renewal of the current millage rate without the increase in millage that has been rolled back under the Headlee Amendment. I am concerned that if property values continue to decline but the overall state rate of inflation increases that there might be an increase through "Truth in Taxation "hearings. We will keep an eye on this for you and you can contact your various government representatives.

PROPOSITION O:

OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL

To renew the millage authorized in 2000, shall Wayne County be authorized to continue to levy this millage at the estimated 2008 rollback rate of 0.9529 (about 95 cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for ten more years (2010 through 2019), and proceeds used to continue existing County services, including programs for arrest, detention and prosecution of criminals, juvenile court and related services, public health, recreation, County parks, job training, senior citizen services, and programs for meeting medical needs of the poor, the disabled, and the aged? This renewal is projected to generate $43,495,573 in 2010.

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Keep in mind that if approved this year, the millage will be rolled back from this years Levy per the Attorney General opinion .

The following opinion is presented on-line for informational use only and does not replace the official version. (Mich Dept of Attorney General Web Site - www.ag.state.mi.us)
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
MIKE COX, ATTORNEY GENERAL
TAXATION:
GENERAL PROPERTY TAX ACT:

HEADLEE AMENDMENT:

CONST 1963, ART 9, § 31:
Application of millage reduction fraction to renewed multi-year, voter-approved millages

In the case of municipalities seeking authorization to levy "renewed" millages, the millage reduction fraction specified in section 34d of the General Property Tax Act, MCL 211.34d, is calculated on an uninterrupted basis for each succeeding year as if the voter-approved millage it replaces had never expired. Under MCL 211.34d(11), the calculation of the millage reduction fraction does not commence at 1.0 for the first year of the "renewed" millage but with the fraction utilized for the millage levied in the last year of the millage it replaces.

Opinion No. 7193

March 30, 2006

Honorable Valde Garcia
State Senator
The Capitol
Lansing, MI 48909

Honorable Joe Hune
State Representative
The Capitol
Lansing, MI 48909

Honorable Chris Ward
State Representative
The Capitol
Lansing, MI 48909

OAG No 7131 examined this section at length and explained how the "millage reduction fraction" established by the Legislature as the basis for calculating the constitutionally required rollback was to be applied:

By this measure the voters mandated that the total of taxes assessed against all taxable property within a taxing unit shall not increase from one tax year to the next at a rate exceeding the rate of increase in the General Price Level for the prior year. In any tax year in which the value of all taxable property has, in comparison with the value of the same property for the previous tax year, increased at a rate in excess of the rate of increase in the General Price Level, the Constitution requires a reduction in the rate of taxation so that the revenue realized from such property for the current year does not exceed that which was realized from that same property for the prior year by more than the percentage increase in the General Price Level.

This constitutionally mandated rollback of authorized millage rates has been implemented by the Michigan Legislature in accordance with Const 1963, art 9, § 34, through its passage of amendments to the General Property Tax Act, specifically section 34d, MCL 211.34d. They establish the "millage reduction fraction" (MRF) as the basis for calculating a rollback and describe how the MRF shall be applied.

This fraction is calculated by comparing the value of taxable property that existed in the prior tax year with the value of the same property for the current year. It is designed to arrive at a true comparison by eliminating the increases and decreases in value attributed to additions and losses. Thus, the MRF involves the determination of the ratio between:

(a) the value of the property for the previous year, less losses, multiplied by the sum of 1.0 plus the rate of increase in the General Price Level (the numerator of the fraction); and

(b) the value of the property for the current year, less additions (the denominator of the fraction).

The value lost when property or improvements become exempt from taxation, are removed, razed, or otherwise destroyed in the previous year (losses) is subtracted from the numerator, and the value added by new improvements or other enhancements during the current year (additions) is subtracted from the denominator. Simply stated, losses, which are not present in the current year, are subtracted from the prior year and additions, which were not present in the prior year, are subtracted from the current year. Thus, the values compared are truly "apples to apples." It is the difference in the value of property that is actually present in both years that determines whether a MRF is appropriate, and to what extent.

If the value of such property for the prior year (properly adjusted), multiplied by the sum of 1.0 plus the rate of increase in the General Price Level, is less than the value of the identical property (again, properly adjusted) for the current year, then the value of such property has appreciated at a rate greater than the rate of increase in the General Price Level. To reduce the excessive increase in revenue that would result if the original millage were applied against that increased value, the effective millage (rate of taxation) is multiplied by the determined MRF, a number less than 1, so that the amount of revenue received is properly reduced. [OAG No 7131 at p 28; footnotes omitted.]

Section 34d of the General Property Tax Act (GPTA), MCL 211.34d, addresses your inquiry and warrants quoting in pertinent part at length:

(6) The number of mills permitted to be levied in a tax year is limited as provided in this section pursuant to section 31 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963. A unit of local government shall not levy a tax rate greater than the rate determined by reducing its maximum rate or rates authorized by law or charter by a millage reduction fraction as provided in this section without voter approval.

(7) A millage reduction fraction shall be determined for each year for each local unit of government . . . . For ad valorem property taxes that are levied after December 31, 1994, the numerator of the fraction shall be the product of the difference between the total taxable value for the immediately preceding year minus losses multiplied by the inflation rate and the denominator of the fraction shall be the total taxable value for the current year minus additions. For each year after 1993, a millage reduction fraction shall not exceed 1.

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(9) The millage reduction shall be determined separately for authorized levied millage approved by the voters. The limitation on millage authorized by the voters on or before April 30 of a year shall be calculated beginning with the millage reduction fraction for that year. Millage authorized by the voters after April 30 shall not be subject to a millage reduction until the year following the voter authorization which shall be calculated beginning with the millage reduction fraction for the year following the authorization. The first millage reduction fraction used in calculating the limitation on millage approved by the voters after January 1, 1979 shall not exceed 1.[1]

(10) A millage reduction fraction shall be applied separately to the aggregate maximum millage rate authorized by a charter and to each maximum millage rate authorized by state law for a specific purpose.

(11) A unit of local government may submit to the voters for their approval the levy in that year of a tax rate in excess of the limit set by this section. The ballot question shall ask the voters to approve the levy of a specific number of mills in excess of the limit. The provisions of this section do not allow the levy of a millage rate in excess of the maximum rate authorized by law or charter. If the authorization to levy millage expires after 1993 and a local governmental unit is asking voters to renew the authorization to levy the millage, the ballot question shall ask for renewed authorization for the number of expiring mills as reduced by the millage reduction required by this section. If the election occurs before June 1 of a year, the millage reduction is based on the immediately preceding year's millage reduction applicable to that millage. If the election occurs after May 31 of a year, the millage reduction shall be based on that year’s millage reduction applicable to that millage had it not expired.
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(16) Beginning with taxes levied in 1994, the millage reduction required by section 31 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963 shall permanently reduce the maximum rate or rates authorized by law or charter. . . . The reduced maximum authorized rate or rates for 1995 and each year after 1995 shall equal the product of the immediately preceding year's reduced maximum authorized rate or rates multiplied by the current year's millage reduction fraction and shall be adjusted for millage for which authorization has expired and new authorized millage approved by the voters pursuant to subsections (8) to (12). [MCL 211.34d(6), (7), (9) – (11), (16); emphasis added.]

Where the terms of a statute are clear and unambiguous, albeit complicated, they must be applied as written. See Storey v Meijer, Inc, 431 Mich 368, 376; 429 NW2d 169 (1988). The italicized text of MCL 211.34d(11) is determinative. For a renewal millage, the millage authorized is subject to a MRF identical to the MRF that would have been applied to the millage which it replaces had it not expired. For the first year of levying the renewed millage, the calculation of the MRF starts not at 1.0 but rather at the MRF of the expiring millage.

The millage about which you inquire was approved in 2004 after May 31.2 By its passage, the voters authorized levies in 2006 and subsequent years. No levies of the "renewed" millage are to be made until 2006.

For 2006, it is necessary to determine an MRF for the renewed millage. The MRF will be the same MRF as would have been calculated for the expiring millage and applied to it had it not expired. In other words, the calculation process does not start over but rather continues uninterrupted.

Like the situation addressed in OAG No 7131, the factual setting you present calls for a reduction in the rate of authorized taxation whenever the revenue monies to be realized from taxing property (after adjustments for losses and gains) at the voter-approved rate would result in realizing more tax revenue for the year of the levy than would be realized by multiplying the authorized rate of taxation by the taxable value of all property (after adjustment) times the rate of increase of the General Price Level for the preceding year.

It is my opinion, therefore, that in the case of municipalities seeking authorization to levy "renewed" millages, the millage reduction fraction specified in section 34d of the General Property Tax Act, MCL 211.34d, is calculated on an uninterrupted basis for each succeeding year as if the voter-approved millage it replaces had never expired. Under MCL 211.34d(11), the calculation of the millage reduction fraction does not commence at 1.0 for the first year of the "renewed" millage but with the fraction utilized for the millage levied in the last year of the millage it replaces.

MIKE COX
Attorney General

1 This subsection, MCL 211.34d(9), prior to its amendment by 2005 PA 12 (effective April 28, 2005), specified May 31 as the "cut-off" date rather than April 30. The change is not critical here as the election underlying your request was held after May 31 in 2004.

2 See n 1.


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http://~bogaert/Opinion.htm
State of Michigan, Department of Attorney General
Last Updated 04/03/2008 13:29:45

Defending the American Dream III

I thought that the best way to communicate the incredible list of speakers that were at the final day of the convention was to provide a link to C-Span , who taped the whole thing. You can slide the gage to the speaker of your choice or listen to the whole list of speakers. I don't think you will be disappointed. They obviously are public speakers for a reason.

At Lunch we broke up into our state meetings. During lunch Lana Theis and I received awards for our efforts with AFP. Mine was a one time award given for "Lifetime Dedication to Limited Government and Economic Liberty". I am humbled by this award but it is not just mine. It is also for all those who have been with me since the beginning of our efforts and those who have joined over the years and have worked so hard. I thank you, Michigan AFP and anyone who joins the WCTA for making this possible. Please continue to support us and join in the effort.

After Lunch we had short updates from the state directors of each state. Next,we had brake out sessions where we trained in topics of our choice. They included topics concerning emerging issues in 2010:The Lefts Strategy and Our Solution, Grass Root Training, Detecting and Countering Media Bias, How to Impact your Legislators, Investigative Reporting Skills, State budget Crisis, and much more.

In conclusion we had the final reception and farewell speech by Tim Phillips. You should consider attending next year if you can, it is fun and informative.

The Defense of the American Dream Continues

The morning of the first day was great. It started out with specialized grassroots training sessions on internet activism, grassroots activism and training on methods. It wasn't in anyway as subversive as it sounds. It was just good clean suggestions on methods.

In the afternoon, most people prepared for the rally and after that meetings with their legislators, which mostly turned out to be their aids. The above video was taken by AFP. Their cameras are so much better than mine.

That evening was the "Tribute to Ronald Reagan Dinner". We had some great speakers. Laura Ingram, radio host and best selling author was the keynote speaker. She was funny and thought provoking. She was followed by Congressman Mike Pence, who not only gave a very engaging speech but did great imitations of George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. They were followed by Dr. Jim Miller, former Reagan Budget Director and Art Pope who is AFPs Chairman.

More tomorrow.

The American Dream Begins Again

I am writing to you from the third annual American Dream Summit in Washington DC sponsored by Americans For Prosperity. This year they have over 2000 people registered for the conference. This morning we had seminars on blogging and Grass Root training. In reality they are lessons in communication - ways to attract people to your organization and how to communicate your ideas.

In the picture above you see the attendees loading on to buses to go to a Capitol Hill town hall and news conference. After the rally they will go to meetings, organized by state delegations, to talk with legislators. Most likely they will be talking to aids or bureaucrats, as the legislators are not in session. I hope that you will get involved by calling or emailing your legislators and telling them to leave our health care alone. More later.

Who would of thought that Governor Granholm would lack imagination? After all, she is such a dramatic actor. Who else can pretend to care for this state and not try to do anything different? She knows that the changes she suggested are DOA according to Speaker Andy Dillon. Here are the changes she suggested according to “Cynical Synapse”:

Here’s what Granholm’s plan includes for Michigan’s budget over the next 2 years: $2.2 billion in cuts, $1.09 billion in tax/revenue hikes, and using $2 billion of Federal stimulus money. It’s important to note this is on top of the $500 million in cuts Granholm proposed in February. To entice Republicans, she’s offering to phase out the Michigan Business Tax 22% surcharge over 3 years, beginning in 2011.
Reduce film industry tax credits from 42% to 37%
Reduce other business tax credits by 12%
Extend 6% sales tax to live entertainment tickets, vending machine sales, and service contracts
Impose a 1% sales tax on bottled water
Increase the cigarette tax by 25 cents per pack to $2.25
Double non-cigarette tobacco taxes
Increase liquor license fees
Cut school aid by $520 million
Reduce local revenue sharing by $74 million
Squeeze $34 million out of funds used to entice business—and jobs—to Michigan ($22 million from the 21st Century Jobs fund and $12 million from a road improvements fund)

If the legislature knew the proposed suggestions for balancing the budget was unacceptable, why did they go on vacation?

If we had a part-time legislature this would have been resolved by now. Passing a continuation bill is not acceptable. I say we shut the state down. Most people would not even notice and others who get funds from the state might take some concessions and squawk so loud the legislature might get something done.

Not All Tea Parties Need To Be Huge

I recently read a Post by "Parcbench" indicating that it was time to stop marching and do something. While I agree it can be overdone, I do not think we should stop. Over and over again we see movements develop. Leaders emerge. They are taken over by more powerful and financially developed organizations and the people who were involved are left to feel disenfranchised.

I will grant you that the large groups get access to the media and are effective in lobbing for taxpayers through our contributions and support. We definitely need to continue to support them. But, we need to maintain our own protests and our own groups to not only remind ourselves how important we are, but also, to remind those lobbyist and politicians that we are the force that makes them possible.

It is easy for us (well maybe not these days) to write a check and let someone else do our work for us. That is how we got into this mess to begin with. We have to continue to keep ourselves informed, question what our elected officials tell us and think about the consequences of what is being done. All to often, we are sucked into party politics before we know it and who gets elected becomes more important than what they stand for.

I say, keep these tea party groups going for all levels of government. One of the things that makes them most effective is recognizing that there are others out there that feel just like you. It keeps your spirit and your enthusiasm charged. It keeps you from being lethargic and just plain lazy. It keeps you informed and allows you to know what questions to ask. Don't slip back to the way it was because we have only made a dent. We still do not have the respect of those who are elected by us and who have usurped power that is not theirs to take.

Be selective but not invisible. Keep them on their toes and in their place.

My Heart In Washington Today

I am at home today sitting in my front room watching Fox News coverage of the 9 12 project and the march on Washington. My heart is with them. It is physically impossible for me to walk the distance and stand for hours - or you can bet I would be there. I want to believe that there are millions more who share my feelings. Others are financially unable to attend.

On September 9, I attended the rally in Troy, Michigan to support the Tea Party Express which traveled from California to Washington,DC to today's rally. There enthusiasm and commitment bolstered my feelings.

We can not stop here. When the events have come an gone, we must continue to press the issues. It is difficult to keep up the momentum. But, it is even more difficult to live under an oppressive system of government. Many people have fought and died to preserve our system of government. We have been the envy of the world and rightfully so. It is far to precious to give up without a fight. We are far to smart to be seduced by lies of government saying everything is free. We know nothing is free, especially freedom.

Continue to contact your legislators,both local and federal. Let them know that their jobs are in jeopardy if they continue to violate the Constitution they swore to uphold.

Energy Citizens

I am blogging from the Energy Citizens Rally. This rally is one of many across the country. It is being held in Livonia, Michigan at the Burton Manor. There is a great turnout. Speakers from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Farm Bureau, American for Prosperity, and Frank Beckman from WJR Radio. They are all opposed to Cap and Trade legislation and are encouraging you to contact your legislators and ask them to oppose it as well. It is insanity to support legislation that would harm Michigan. We are already hemorrhaging jobs and being burried under stifling taxes.

It is time for all of us to get involved. Pick what ever organization that makes you feel comfortable and take action. Get involved. Makes some noise. Let your voice be heard.

theblogprof: Report From The Birmingham, MI Tea Party Protest - August 22, 2009

theblogprof: Report From The Birmingham, MI Tea Party Protest - August 22, 2009