Beware the Ticking Time Bombs

Watch out Macomb County taxpayers, our County's financial ticking time bomb is about to explode, and when it does the economic carnage will NOT be pretty!

As reported in the Thursday, October 25th editions of the Detroit Free Press and the Macomb Daily, Macomb County is on the verge of a historic budget meltdown that would jeopardize many of the things that we now take for granted. The financial crisis confronting Macomb County -- more accurately, the crisis confronting every Macomb County homeowner, business owner and taxpayer -- is unlike anything we have ever experienced. Worse, this crisis is likely to linger and expand in the coming years.

Yes, our County is in BIG trouble. This is why elected officials in cities and townships across Macomb County are scrutinizing their budgets. Everyone, that is, except Shelby Township Supervisor $kip Maccarone. Shockingly, $kip seems oblivious to the realities of life today in Michigan and Macomb County, and is pressing ahead unaffected by the economic alarm bells going off everywhere.

$kip keeps spending tax money as if the township's pot is overflowing. Since the Supervisor is the person responsible for preparing the annual budget, spending falls directly in $kip's lap. He may try to pawn responsibility off on the Board of Trustees, but he won't get away with it. The bucks stop with him. He is the one who directs Department Heads to spend less or more, and he has been reluctant to even consider budget reductions.

$kip either doesn't read newspapers (unlikely), doesn't believe what he reads (possibility), or worse, thinks that none of this will ever touch Shelby Township residents. For residents who watch the Board of Trustees meetings, it is clear that $kip is not bothered by the bad news. $kip points to township audits showing strong finances to justify his spending. This is the crutch he is using to support his proposal for a massive $50 million township "campus." The problem is, what impacts one community ultimately impacts another, and failure to plan ahead will mean very tough times for everyone when the economic realities hit us.

Documents show that the township's general fund revenues (taxes) for 2007 are projected to be around $15,600,000 while general fund expenditures are projected to be around $19,400,000. This means that to balance the township's budget for 2007, as required by state law, the remainder must come out of the township's general fund reserves. In other words, the township must take around $3,500,000 out of its general fund reserve (savings account) to support $kip's spending. What would happen if you did this with your family's budget?

The general fund reserve balance is projected to be $9,300,000 for 2007. Taking $3,500,000 out of the reserve to balance the budget (as required by Michigan law) will take the reserve fund down to a little over $5,500,000. Continue down this path, as $kip wants to do, and Shelby Township's general fund reserve will soon be depleted. Then what will we do? Where will the money come from to balance the township's budget when the piggy bank is empty?

If you think we are over-dramatizing this point, think again! This is precisely what Macomb County has done to cover its spending. Four years ago, Macomb County had millions in reserves. Today, the reserve is gone, the bank is empty, and a $16 million deficit is staring us in the face. Frankly, we don't like what we see.

We applaud our township officials who have voiced concern about rising spending. The Treasurer, Clerk and a few Trustees (not all, but a few) deserve our thanks for understanding what is going on. As for $kip, when our township is forced to raise taxes or cut deep into programs which benefit Shelby families, the fault will rest with HIM.

Hey $kip...you can run, but you will not be able to hide. You will be held accountable for your actions - or rather your inaction - when Shelby voters get their say.

$kip is holding our future in his hands, and the ticking time bomb is about to explode. Unless we work for change, the collateral damage from the financial explosion will be massive and far-reaching.

No person is an island, and no municipality can (or will) stand on its own. Everything is interconnected, and eventually the dominoes fall. Will our township be ready? That is the big question hanging over all our heads. Unless we change course, the likelihood is that when the economic troubles hit, we will have little choice: higher taxes or less services.

This will be the true legacy of $kip Maccarone. When this day arrives, we will all be asking ourselves why we didn't fire $kip long before any of this happened.

Don't be afraid of $kip Maccarone. Use the power of your free speech and your democratic rights to demand accountability and bring needed change to our township. YOU have the power!

A Shelby Halloween Horror Story...

In honor of Halloween, we feature the following short movie. This was sent to us by an e-mail reader, and we could not resist.

So sit back, get your popcorn, and enjoy this township horror story -- featuring some of your favorite township characters.

$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.

(Un)Happy Income Tax Hike Day!

October 8, 2007

Today is Income Tax Hike Day in the State of Michigan. This is the sad day when Michigan's income tax goes up from 3.9% to 4.35% -- a whopping increase of 11.5%. Today is also the day when the 6% sales tax expands to many services.

This $1.35 billion tax hike is among the largest in Michigan history. Since 2001, Michigan has steadily risen among a ranking of the states with the highest state and local tax burden, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C., advocacy group. With the current 11.5 percent income tax increase, Michigan now ranks 11th, up from 14th, in the percentage of personal income paid out in taxes.

This is definitely NOT a day of celebration, but rather one of mourning. The political wizards in Lansing have decided that the best way to "improve" our state's very poor economy is to raise taxes. Take money away from people and businesses who desperately need it, and give it to the politicians so they can spend it.

Not much common-sense here, if you ask us!

Yes, Michigan faces a tough budget situation, one which directly impacts Shelby Township residents. Lost revenue sharing dollars has hit our township, as it has communities across Macomb County and the State of Michigan. We have heard repeatedly how this situation has negatively impacted our township, but what happens now? Will our township get our revenue-sharing dollars back, since Lansing politicians now have more money to spend? We highly doubt it, but we'll reserve judgment for now.

Instead of seriously addressing budget reductions, our lawmakers have opted to raise income taxes. They are also expanding the service tax to hit more small businesses. Not only that, they are also talking about raising the sales tax again. This is bad news for us, but even worse news for politicians. Remember, they have to come and ask for our votes in 2008.

Now, weigh that situation against what is happening in our beloved Shelby Township. $kip Maccarone, the township Supervisor, eagerly wants to build his $50 million "campus." He says it can be done without higher taxes. Apparently things are so golden in Shelby that $kip wants to soak us for another $50 million.

But it doesn't take a wizard to realize that the township DOES NOT have the money to build, operate and maintain $kip's "campus" without a large influx of additional funds. Those funds will come from US. This is why $kip's plan is being met with such skepticism from the rest of the Board of Trustees -- and a great deal of mistrust from taxpayers. This is compounded when $kip tells us that he was elected to make spending decisions like this, without asking the people what we think. Not only is that arrogant -- it is WRONG.

Shelby taxpayers are just ordinary men and women. We work for a living, pay our federal income taxes, rising state income taxes, sales taxes, township fees, property assessments and millages. At the same time, we are also trying to to put food on our table, put gas in our cars, pay our mortgages, heating bills, light bills, take care of our families, while trying to save for our kids' college education and our retirement. It is not easy, especially when the politicians keep grabbing more and more of our cash, but we do it everyday.

Now, tell us to fork over another $50 million so that $kip can build his grandiose township campus, and listen to our response: "Go away $kip and take your campus plan with you." What amazes us most is that $kip seems puzzled that Shelby taxpayers doubt his promise to do more with less?

At a time when Michigan faces difficult finances and a weak economy, $kip keeps telling us that Shelby Township is in terrific financial shape. Apparently, although Michigan is suffering, $kip Maccarone's Shelby Township is a financial island all to itself -- untouched by the outside world.

The people aren't dumb. We know a political bamboozle when we see or hear it. What $kip is doing is trying to sell us something that we can't afford. Like a used car salesman, $kip is telling us that we can afford the higher-priced vehicle, with all the extras, when what we really need, and what we can afford, is basic, reliable transportation.

For $kip, spending $20 million for a police-court building makes perfect sense, and spending $23 million ($3 million over initial projections!) for this building is EVEN BETTER. Watch your wallet Shelby Township taxpayers, because the price will probably go up yet again, and they haven't even broken ground yet!

Spend ... spend... spend. Sadly, that's all most politicians can think about. True, there are those wise elected officials in our township and in Lansing who understand that government money is OUR money, but there are not enough of these people to go around. So the result is that we get stuck with decisions like this, that end up sticking it to taxpayers.

We think that $kip should stop trying to spend our township broke and do something to cut our township spending. This is why taxpayers are rightfully cynical when we hear promises that our township can easily afford to spend $50 million -- and it won't have any impact on our family budgets. Who is $kip trying to fool?

Times are tough, and they require tough choices. Supervisor $kip Maccarone doesn't want to make them (and apparently neither do some politicians in Lansing) so we need someone who will.

As far as we're concerned, 2008 can't here get fast enough!

Until then, break out the Kleenex and join others protesting Income Tax Hike Day. By the time the politicians are finished we will all be crying the POCKETBOOK BLUES.

Remember Shelby taxpayers, if you have something to share with us, send an e-mail to stopskip08@aol.com.

Politician $kip Maccarone: Phony As A Three Dollar Bill!

Governing a large township like Shelby, with over 70,000 residents, is serious business. To do it effectively requires a commitment to living up to your word and working for the people. It also boils down to PRIORITIES.

(1) Does a politician put the people's interests first, or his own?
(2) Does a politician understand the responsibilities of political leadership, or is he so blinded by political ambition that he can't see what is going on around him in the lives of ordinary people?
(3) Does a politician work with other duly-elected officials, or is he a lone crusader fulfilling his own agenda?
(4) Does a politician listen to people's opinions and consider alternative viewpoints, or does he tell people what their opinion and viewpoint should be?

A few weeks ago, the “Truth Guys", as one e-mailer called us, were shocked to hear $kip complain about his salary. He was quoted in the July 29, 2007 Source newspaper, our township's local newspaper, "Frankly, when you talk about the three elected officials in the township, we are paid well below what other municipalities make." Strange, we haven't heard the Clerk and Treasurer complaining?!?!

$kip went on to explain how he is just looking out for us poor souls who pay taxes, because without higher salaries we just won't get good people to serve in public office. "My opinion is that it discourages qualified, effective candidates from running if they feel they will not be fairly compensated."

That's $kip's opinion...but what is the truth! If you go back and look at past elections, for Shelby Township and everywhere else, you will see many candidates running for all offices - in both political parties. Frankly, we don't remember any, including $kip himself, who complained as candidates about the salary of their positions...until now.

Okay, so $kip's complaint about compensation was a just a one-time thing, right? Wrong! In fact, this topic came up before the last election and, once again, $kip showed his desire for higher pay. "Essentially, we're grossly under-compensated when compared with (the other) communities," Maccarone said to the Macomb Daily on November 23, 2003.

GROSSLY UNDER-COMPENSATED!!!!!! Excuse us...but that phrase is GROSSLY ARROGANT.

Nobody told $kip that as Supervisor he would rake in the cash. Fair compensation is one thing, and we all agree with that. Everyone who works hard (both in government jobs and, more importantly, in the real world) deserves fair pay. But to complain to taxpayers about being grossly-undercompensated is OUTRAGEOUS.

Then, after lodging his salary complaint, $kip talks about RAISING his pay. Our ears hurt after hearing such garbage!

As you will see below, considering what $kip gets from Shelby taxpayers, he is far from undercompensated.

Did you know:
... $kip gets a taxpayer-funded salary of around $85,000/year. Multiply that by eight years, and by the end of this term $kip will have been paid more than $600,000.
... $kip gets approximately $10,000 of taxpayer money (give or take) put directly into his retirement account every year. That means by the end of this term, $kip will have soaked up another $80,000; and
... $kip gets free health care coverage and life insurance, paid for by taxpayers. We wonder what the value of those benefits are in the real world? Whatever that figure is, add it to Skip's total compensation; and
... Under township rules, if $kip has the right combination of years of service + his age he gets to keep his taxpayer-funded benefits for LIFE. In other words, we will all be paying to take care of $kip long after he leaves office. The value of these benefits is UNLIMITED!

Taken as a whole, the money and benefits that $kip receives as Township Supervisor are VERY FAIR ... far from his "grossly undercompensated" complaint.

At the Tuesday, October 2nd Board of Trustees meeting, the issue of political compensation came up once again. Treasurer Paul Viar brought a motion to rescind the previous motion to raise the salary of the next Board. In other words, the salary of the elected officials on the next Township Board (without $kip in the center chair) will be the same pay as the current Board. What's wrong with that? Look around at the real world (the world outside government) and you will see that this is happening everywhere. In fact, a pay freeze is still better than a pay cut!

$kip tried his best to defend the constant increases he has received. He claimed he was standing up for maintaining the "status quo." In other words, since the compensation of township politicians was raised before, the Board should just keep doing it over and over and over. He tried to distract from the motion with a ridiculous rant about changing the formula for health care benefits. Much to his credit, Trustee Jim Carabelli intervened to stop $kip's bickering distraction. Carabelli then successfully refocused the Board on the real issue at hand -- elected official compensation -- and asked for a roll-call vote on the Treasurer's motion to rescind the pay raises. Good job Trustee Carabelli.

As a result of this motion, $kip was backed into a political corner. He had little choice but to vote to support Treasurer Viar's motion to freeze the pay of the next Board at the current level, after spending several minutes trying to discredit the motion. His face was as red as a beet, but $kip had no choice. The final vote was unanimous to freeze the pay of the next Board.

So while $kip Maccarone spends him time whining about his compensation, and why he should be paid more, our township faces serious challenges. Challenges which require common-sense leadership. Challenges which require a true commitment to the people. Challenges which require creative thinking. Challenges which mandate that the supervisor work with the other elected Trustees. Challenges which $kip Maccarone seems ill-prepared to take seriously.

Shelby Township is a terrific community! Residents want, and deserve, a strong township. We want fully-trained and fully-equipped police and fire departments to protect us. We want good roads. We want a modern township library - be it new construction or a renovated building. We want quality development which maintains our property values. We want to protect the beauty of our trees and parks. We want, and deserve, the best.

$kip Maccarone wants us to think he is the only one who can give us what we need. $kip wants us to think that without him at the helm, our township would hit an iceberg and sink. Sorry, but the only thing titanic around here is $kip's ego! When you compare his words with his actions — politician $kip Maccarone is as phony as a $3 bill.

Okay, so $kip thinks he is "grossly undercompensated." Given that, maybe its time for $kip to go back to practicing law. We understand that most attorneys these days earn a pretty decent living.

Join us in our campaign to Stop $kip Maccarone! Use your power of free speech. You can contact us at stopskip08@aol.com.