INVESTIGATORS: Money to Burn in Lansing?

WXYZ.COM ^ | 9-25-2007 | WXYZ

[Westlander]

Next Sunday at midnight remains the dire deadline for the state to balance next year’s budget or start shutting down government operations. So why, even in the face of such dire consequences, why would the governor and legislature alike keep racking up future debt on a questionable project.

Michigan’s beleaguered taxpayer’s aren’t buying a new building, we’re just leasing it from Ferguson and his partners in a 25-year deal that adds up to $116.7 million dollars…that includes paying his taxes on it and a $3 million dollar fee for his company to manage it.

[Westlander]

What do expect from a Canadian Governor--Granholm.

[annelizly]

definitly not prudent during the dire financial straits that michigan is in.

This summer I also noticed tons of road construction going on. Every bit of it unnecessary. sprucing up streets that had nothing wrong with them. grants going to towns all over the state to “beautify”. as if that is something that should be considered necessary when a state is in a “depression”.

[CheezyChesster]

Just gotta Love her “No Worker Left Behind Program”. Though I can’t imagine where she’s gettin’ all the money to support it. Offering all Michigan Auto workers affected by Corporate downsizing, up to 2 years FREE tuition ($10,000) to a collage of choice and up to 2 years paid unemployment benefits !........Just Damn !!, I don’t know how much longer I can hold out being a Republican supporter.

[Zetman]

What do expect from a Canadian Governor--Granholm.

What do expect from a Governor who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area?--Granholm.

Born in Canada and grew up out here in the Bay Area.

Double Whammy!!

You poor Michiganders!! We here in the SF Bay Area send our sympathies, as well as our most humble apologies.

[Westlander]

Yep, and she was ‘educated’ in Massachusets.

[martin_fierro]

Investigative journalism?

In Lansing?

Must be Sweeps Week.

[Westlander]

It gets better--Ferguson is a longtime finacial donor to Granholm, his daughter is an aide to the governor, Michigan State University property where the State Police headquarters are located never asked them to vacate, the lease on the present buildings doesn't expire for another 20 years--and it's $1 a year, there is no provision for parking at the new building, and the State Police never asked for a new building. Michigan, home of Granholm, Levin, Stabenow, Conyers, and the mom and son team of the Kilpatrick's. I gotta get out of here.

[Snoopers-868th]

Isn’t the proposed new building site also in a flood zone?

[sarasmom]

Michigan should consider requiring all “union pension” paid retirees to actually live in Michigan, lest they lose their pensions.

Perhaps they can also legislate their own internal state monetary currency?
8^)

[Desron13]

"Next Sunday at midnight remains the dire deadline for the state to balance next year’s budget or start shutting down government operations."

Hmmmmm... Shutting down government operations...

So where's the down side?

[Westlander]

Yep, I don’t recall the name of the river.

[Westlander]

Check this site out.
http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=8798

[Think free or die]

"This summer I also noticed tons of road construction going on. Every bit of it unnecessary. sprucing up streets that had nothing wrong with them. grants going to towns all over the state to “beautify”. as if that is something that should be considered necessary when a state is in a “depression”."

Now that you mention it, I saw the same thing when I visited my parents in August. One of the main roads was ripped up for resurfacing and intersection work. I asked my parents about it, because I remembered it being in fine shape the year before. They agreed that it really didn't need work at all, but told me that the state gave the city some funds for roadwork and the local authorities were working hard to spend it.

[Snoopers-868th]

I think it is the “Grand” River.

[annelizly]

yeah,
my husband lost his job in michigan last year and couldn’t get much for unemployment benefits. considering he’s worked since he was 14 and never ONCE was layed off it really ticked me off.

whatever you do, don’t make a mistake on the phone when using MARVIN. you lose EVERYTHING!!!

[FreedomHammer]

This is nothing less than unconscionable corruption that needs to be thrust into the national limelight. Its exactly the kind of waste and incompetence they use to "justify" jacking taxes up on us.

The State Police didn't request a new headquarters.

MSU didn't request the buildings back.

The existing lease is for $1/year and has over 20 years left on it.

The facilities have a helipad & large staging areas that the new building wouldn't

We wouldn't even be buying the building - rather we're just paying one of Jenni's friends to build the building, then lease it back to us along with a fat contract to maintain the building over time.

Call me naive, but I actually expect our representatives in Lansing to actually look out for our best interest ... that means all of us ... and to be mature & responsible with the trust we've invested in them.

Watch the video at the above link, please, and pass it along. This needs to be exposed.

[grellis]

The site is on the Grand River, but not a flood zone. In insurance terms, it would be categorized as "100 years plus." There are only a couple of spots in Lansing proper in which the Grand can flood. The Red Cedar is far more problematic.

Having said that, I am absolutely horrified by this Police Palace. Completely unnecessary. And to park a building like this riverside, where the city should be looking at projects which would be an economic draw...just horrified.

[grellis]

If you would like to be added or dropped from the Michigan ping list, please freepmail me.

ACTION PING

This may or may not be a done deal. Why not call our reps and find out? If you can't find a phone number for your rep in the govt section of your phone book, lemme know. This is the first issue I'll be taking up with Joan Bauer today.

[grellis]

This needs to be passed along to O’Reilly, Hannity, Rush...

[FreedomHammer]

I passed it along to several local newspapers & television stations yesterday along with Rush, Hannity, Beck and others yesterday. I’ll probably send it again today along with adding more names like O’Reilly and Savage too.