$kip's Disgraceful "Service" To Shelby Township Taxpayers

We previously discussed $kip Maccarone's crybaby attitude about his township salary.He has griped that he is "grossly under-compensated." Despite $kip's rant, we showed, without question, that he is very well compensated for the work that he does as a politician spending our money.

This time, we will focus on $kip Maccarone's much-touted "service" to our township. He wants us to think he has done, and is doing, such a great job. But what is the truth?

$kip's definition of public service is evidently much different than everyone else's. Not only does he think he should be paid more (covered in a previous post), but he also really thinks that because he is the "Supervisor" that he controls (or should control) everything and everyone.

$kip also thinks that he has all the solutions to all our problems. This is why he takes a "go it alone" approach to things ... forcing other township elected officials to read in the newspapers what "the township" (a.k.a. $kip) is up to.

The facts are that under $kip Maccarone's watch:
• Township spending is higher (highest in Shelby history), and that's NOT including $kip's plan to build a massive $50 million "campus"
• The Supervisor's pay is higher (although $kip has publicly complained more than once that he is "grossly" underpaid)
• Township fees to residents and business owners are higher
• Assessments on township property (personal and business) are much higher
• Confidence and trust in the Supervisor is lower
• Cohesion on the Board of Trustees is lower (because of $kip)

What has $kip done to justify his "grossly-undercompensated" taxpayer-funded salary? Good question. As a whole, our seven-member elected Board of Trustees has done far more than $kip could ever accomplish. In fact, whenever $kip has decided to do something all by himself, he has always created an embarrassing mess.

Here is a "thumbs-down" rundown of $kip Maccarone's record of disservice to Shelby Township taxpayers:
— Proposing his $50 million "campus" without consulting with other township officials. Those who watched Skip's February, 2005 dog and pony show on Shelby TV, complete with graphs and fuzzy finances, were amazed. How could anyone buy what Snake Oil $kip was selling? How could anyone propose such massive spending without consulting with others or considering the long-term impact of such a decision?
— Cancelling Shelby's yearly fireworks celebration (he did that in 2005). $kip did this without consulting other Trustees. $kip claimed the township could not afford the $12,000 (give or take) that it costs for the July 4th celebration (but we can afford $50 million for his campus?). He also said fights at Riverbends Park and "drunks making nuisances of themselves in public" were others reasons he cancelled the fireworks. If so, how many people were arrested for such behavior? Public anger convinced the Board to resurrect the fireworks, to $kip's chagrin. The fireworks are now held in August each year to coincide with the highly-successful Shelby Township Art Fair.
— Creating a township "mounted police division." This was supposed to be a big PR hit, showing how much $kip cares about public safety. The purpose: controlling Shelby's "rowdy crowds." $kip recalled fondly how a mounted horse division served Detroit police officers while he was "on the beat." So he spent our tax money for a ONE HORSE MOUNTED DIVISION. $kip told the Macomb Daily on March 25, 2001 that the officer (who happened to have a horse) was "a working police officer with this capability. We'd be foolish not to use it." Other comments made at the time the horse idea came about were "Have you ever seen a kid walk up and start petting a police cruiser?" and "I used to watch Bonanza just to see Little Joe's horse." Well, guess what? $kip's mounted horse idea flopped! The horse was eventually given its trotting papers, after $kip foolishly wasted thousands of our tax dollars to properly "train" and equip this horse.
— Promoting an ordinance to ban fireworks sales at temporary structures for the July 4th holiday. The township was sued, and $kip's law was overturned by a judge as unconstitutional. Shelby taxpayers had to pay $10,000 of our money to support $kip's law in court, plus the township's insurance company had to pay thousands more to defend the township. Now, because of this lawsuit, the township could be at risk for higher insurance premiums.
— Promoting an ordinance to punish residents with blaring car radios. Sure, these boom boxes are annoying, and whenever we hear one we tell the driver "turn your radio down!" The vision of Shelby's finest patrolling our township with decibel meters testing the sound levels of car radios and ticketing drivers convinced the Board to scrap $kip's boom-box ordinance.
— The Soccer City Dome. $kip made this HIS issue, and look at the mess that resulted. Inflated this dome is an eyesore, and deflated it is an ugly mess. Either way, homeowners living near this white monstrosity lose.
— The 24 Mile and Van Dyke Shelby Center Design Plan. $kip points to the widening of the 24 Mile and Van Dyke intersection (an idea discussed long before he moved into the township) as progress. However, he will not mention the larger issue. When he first ran for Supervisor, $kip opposed the award-winning Shelby Center Design project. During the 2000 the "Meet the Candidates" forum, $kip said he opposed the plan because, in his opinion, it would bankrupt the township. As a result of $kip's stonewalling, the development, praised as a breakthrough for our township, is going nowhere fast. Furthermore, given the weak economy it is doubtful that this plan will be fully developed anytime soon.
— The "PEANUT GALLERY". We will never forget how $kip stared down from his taxpayer-funded political perch at the April 17, 2001 Board meeting and belittled township residents as a "Peanut Gallery." Taxpayers came down to voice concerns to the Board, and $kip made it clear he didn't have time to be bothered. Township residents revolted against such overwhelming arrogance and contempt for the people. Skip later tried to dismiss the significance of this comment, smiling, joking, and reflecting fondly upon his childhood days watching Howdy Doody. Howdy Doody? Okay...who is the real dummy here?

Public service is not about how much money you can pocket as an elected official. It is not about how much taxpayer money you can spend on your political ambitions. It is not about telling everyone how great you are and how much you know. It is not about trying to control everything and everyone. It is not about how much you can try to accomplish on your own, so you can then run to the newspapers claiming credit. It is NOT about $kip Maccarone.

True public service is about serving the public. Isn't that enough? Apparently not for $kip. When he ran for office, $kip said: "As for praising the good works of your elected officials, their job is to do good work. Their election to public office is recognition enough." This is a direct quote taken from Maccarone's 2000 campaign website.

Today, seven years after King $kip took his township throne, things have changed. Now, $kip actively looks for ways to create publicity for himself. He uses the local newspapers and his Shelby TV show "Shelby This Week" to try and sell the concept of him as a leader.

Sorry $kip, but the media stuff just doesn't work any longer. We see through all the fluff, and know what you are up to. More importantly, we know what you are really like when the cameras are turned off. So, the jig is up!

Keep sending your ideas and your thoughts to stopskip08@aol.com. Remember, as Shelby Township taxpayers we are all in this together! This is why we all need to stick together.