Lisa Manzella’s Election-Year “Conservative” Claims Will Never Erase Her Years of Big Spending Political Games

What’s the big secret that
Lisa Manzella doesn’t want
Shelby taxpayers to know?

Election 2012 in Shelby Township is underway.  Not only do we have a Republican In Name Only (RINO), Bob Leman, running for Township Supervisor, but we have his close friend and Shelby recall associate, Lisa Manzella, now officially running for Township Treasurer.

The Manzella/ Leman duo is a match made in taxpayer hell — one that will most certainly bankrupt our township and reverse the progress that has been made for taxpayers over the last four years.

As you will recall, on October 26th the Inside Out first exposed Manzella’s race for Treasurer.  When we first uncovered this information Manzella lovers sent nasty e-mails claiming we were lying about her plans.  However, thanks to our alert “scouts” this information turned out to be true.  Unlike the Nightingale/Manzella/Leman network, we don’t just spout off about things.  We do our research and voice our opinions with evidence to back up our opinions.

We will talk more about Bob Leman and his outrageous attack against our township later.  However, keep in mind that Bob Leman and his BOBLEMAN BUNCH are bad news for Shelby Township.  Leman, specifically, is bad because he is currently suing taxpayers for $300,000, at the same time he wants taxpayers to elect him as the top elected official of the township that he is suing.  This lawsuit is based upon Leman’s thought that he is entitled to a township job, and since he doesn’t have one he will use the legal process to try and get a paycheck.

Also, since Leman has not dropped his lawsuit to pursue his political ambitions, this demonstrates
that Leman is more concerned with getting his hands in our pockets than he is with helping the pocketbooks of financially-distressed taxpayers.  Furthermore, his attorney has told the Shelby-Utica News that if, by some fluke, Leman wins the election, he will be more than happy to settle this lawsuit, giving himself another hefty paycheck.

Now, getting back to Lisa Manzella and her campaign for Treasurer.  As hard as it may to believe, Manzella actually does want to be given the job of Treasurer.  Can you believe it?  The Trustee who has made it clear that she hates public service, does not want to run for re-election and has utter contempt for the people, now wants us to give her a promotion from a part-time job (Trustee) to a full-time elected position (Treasurer).

Let’s use a real-world example.  If your employee spent four years trashing you, spreading rumors and lies, stirring up trouble, trying to divide the workplace, and showing a lack of professionalism, would you give her a promotion and a pay raise — or would you give her the boot?

Lisa Manzella is trying to trick the people into thinking she is one of us.  She is not!  In fact, Lisa Manzella has a BIG SECRET that she hopes residents will not find out about — at least not until the election is over.  However, the secret is OUT and people now know the truth.

Lisa Manzella has most definitely earned the BOOT this election year.  Her words, deeds and conduct prove that she is unfit to serve.  Below are just some of the many reasons why we say this...

TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEE PENSIONS
Lisa Manzella supports the issuance of retroactive tickets to help raise money for police pensions.  She has also opposed the exposure of information about the high costs of police pensions, and what they will mean to our township.  Moreover, Manzella has criticized Treasurer Paul Viar for speaking out about these jackpot pensions, and demand changes to the pension system, while failing to offer any examples of what she wants to do to fix the problem.

As Treasurer, Lisa Manzella will likely sit quietly and do nothing while the police union continues to demand higher and higher pensions - resulting in higher and higher taxes.  The police union will continue to oppose cost reductions, a stark contrast to the fire department union which has worked with the Board to bring costs down.  The police union will continue to put politics first, and pressure elected officials to stop spending reductions, even if this means launching another recall campaign against elected officials who put taxpayers’ needs before union demands.

TRASHING OUR COMMUNITY
Lisa Manzella is a recognized political cyberbully who attacks her fellow Trustees, township residents and our township at large via Facebook and blogs - claiming the First Amendment gives her the right to do so.  Really?  Manzella actually thinks the First Amendment gives her the right (as an elected official) to trash and burn the township, and its residents, who she has been elected to represent?

While some people throw mud, Lisa Manzella loves throwing excrement at people that she does not like or who oppose her vision for our community.  Shame on her!

DECORUM vs. DISRESPECT
Lisa Manzella opposed the adoption of rules of decorum at Board meetings, designed to stop the rude and discourteous behavior of the Nightingale/Team Leman bunch.  She was the only Trustee who voted against adopting rules to guarantee proper conduct during Board meetings.  This is the same Lisa Manzella who only a week earlier complained that more needs to be done to stop the rude outbursts from the floor.  Here is what Manzella said:

“I’m in favor of decorum because it’s getting out of control,” said Manzella, who also said she voted no because the vote was not held at a regular meeting.   “My concern with this, by pursuing this, are we violating anyone’s civil rights or freedom of speech.”

So why would Lisa Manzella oppose rules of decorum, especially after saying she supports them?  Because they go against the grain of her special interest malcontents trying to hold democracy hostage to their disrespectful conduct?

Lisa Manzella’s “I was for rules of decorum before I was against them” speaks volumes about her flip-flop fanaticism when to comes to public service.  When it comes to free speech Manzella has decided that the best political approach to take is to side with those who disrespect our township since they will be the people Manzella will need for money at election time.

LISA THE LIAR JUST CAN’T TELL THE TRUTH

If Shelby had a “Biggest Liar” contest,
Lisa Manzella would win the Gold!

Lisa Manzella has gained a reputation as Shelby’s political prevaricator.  Those who have watched and documented her over the years understand that she either can’t differentiate fantasy from reality, or she  truly is in an alternate universe where what you see is not what you get.

Inside Out readers will remember that great deal of time and energy was spent discussing the DARE program.  When this program emerged as a political football by the Save Shelby recall group, these people said that the Supervisor and Board cancelled the DARE program - leaving our children in jeopardy of drug abuse.

Taking their lie one step further, the group condemned the action which gave the township control over public school crossing guards, claiming this was another bad move by the Supervisor.  Lisa Manzella and her Save Shelby recall grunts tried to claim that since DARE was cancelled the township was forced (by the Utica schools) to take on the duties of paying for crossing guards.  The two issues were unrelated.

The facts that DARE is still being taught in public schools, and the fact that Shelby (like surrounding communities) was given the crossing guards duties by the schools as a UCS cost-cutting move (the UCS had been performing crossing guard work as a service to local communities for years) did not stop this group from spewing its pack of lies.  Once the truth was exposed about how this group deliberately lied, public opinion quickly turned against the Manzella mob.

MANZELLA’S TRACK RECORD TELLS THE STORY
The best way to see how Manzella will act as Treasurer is to look at the what she did and said in the past.  When you review Lisa Manzella’s track record, and view it in the full context of her actions, votes and words as a Trustee, you will understand why more residents do not feel she is a friend of taxpayers, and why most residents disagree that she is the best candidate for Township Treasurer.

Manzella’s actions as Trustee prove that she is NOT a true conservative, even though she now claims to be one.  Instead, she is an “election year conservative.”  What do we mean by this?  An “election year conservative” is a politician who claims to be conservative at election time, and then votes like a big spending politician the rest of the time.  Remember, Manzella is the Trustee who said it is better to spend all the money than save some in the bank.  This is the same big-spending political philosophy Manzella displayed when the Board (under Maccarone) wanted to spend $49 million on a campus of new buildings that would have bankrupted our township — or at least forced historic tax hikes to build and operate.

If Lisa Manzella considers herself a conservative, then (at worst) she is delusional or (at best) has a different definition of “conservative than do more residents.  Perhaps this Manzellian view of a political “conservative” is a philosophy that:
• Conserves power solely for her political friends and supporters;
• Conserves spending for her big-money projects, such as a $49 million campus;
• Conserves township contracts for her special interest contributors who have a feeling of “entitlement” for a specific service (such as towing);
• Conserves democracy for her handful of malcontents who value mob rule, intimidation, threats and disunity over democracy, debate and free speech.

What about the taxpayers?  The Manzellian view of conservatism is a philosophy which tries to trick the taxpayers and conserves the truth about Manzella’s true political priorities until AFTER the election.

Lisa Manzella for Shelby Township Treasurer?  Are you serious, or has Manzella been sipping too much snake oil?  Consider what Shelby Township would look like if Lisa Manzella had been our township Treasurer during last four years:
• Manzella supported $50 million in new bonds/taxes for her “campus.”
• Manzella advocated millions in new spending, including $20 million for an unaffordable “justice center.”
• Manzella publicly said taxpayers should not have the right too vote on new bonds/taxers, going so far as to call any decision to give it to the people “cowardice”.
• Manzella has consistently opposed efforts to educate taxpayers about the high (and growing) cost of union pensions.
• Manzella has criticized Treasurer Paul Viar for discussing the costs of pensions — not wanting to anger her friends and campaign supporters.
• Manzella has said it is better to spend every dime of taxpayer money than save the money in the bank for tough times.
• Manzella has lectured her fellow Trustees that “actions speak louder than words.”  

So what is Lisa Manzella’s BIG SECRET that she is trying to keep hidden?  The truth that she is a high-spending, high-taxing, special-interest-coddling, politician.  She is NOT a friend of taxpayers and supports an entitlement syndrome for her friends.  She believes the idea way to build herself up is by tearing others (including our township) down.  Lisa Manzella is, without question, a disgrace to our township.

Manzella’s public record proves that her future actions as Treasurer (if she were elected) would jeopardize our township, devastate taxpayers, and take Shelby back to the days (under her political friend and mentor Skip Maccarone) when our township teetered on bankruptcy, faced record deficits, and was headed toward higher taxes or (at the worst) a state-run emergency financial manager.

We can NOT afford Lisa Manzella and her big spending plans for our township. 

Until next time...

Transparency?? Shelby’s Current Board of Trustees Is the MOST TRANSPARENT Board Taxpayers Have Had In Township History

A Commitment to Enhanced Transparency and 

Openness Has Made Shelby Township A Stronger, 

More Financially-Secure, More Accountable and 

More Taxpayer-Friendly Place to Live and Work!

The 2012 election season is here.  How can we tell?

• Residents who have plans to run for township office start magically appearing at televised Board of Trustees meeting so they can get their face on television.

• Political gadflies ratchet up their uninformed attacks against our township officials - elected officials who have upheld their promises and done the job that Shelby taxpayers expect.

• Special interests groups — with a political goal or an axe to grind — start making lots of noise at Board meetings (shouting, swearing, disrupting meetings, etc.) to push their agenda.

We are going to be hearing a lot about TRANSPARENCY this election year.  Why?  Because those who oppose the current Supervisor and Board of Trustees desperately want to make it seem as though the township is not transparent - even though the facts speak differently.

Truth be told - our current Shelby Township elected officials are the most transparent, most accountable, most proactive, most open and most conservative Board we have seen in more than five decades.

Supervisor Rick Stathakis and the Board of Trustees have done a remarkable job of trimming costs, reducing the size of government, protecting services, and avoiding tax increases on struggling residents.  Shelby Township stands as a shining example of what a local government body can do when the values of taxpayers come before those of special interest groups who feel “entitled” to some kind of government benefit — be it a paycheck, a pension or a towing contract.

The Inside Out applaud Supervisor Stathakis and the Board for their commitment to transparency, and for consistently looking for ways to open the doors of government to the people, expand our understanding of spending issues, openly discussing ways to reduce costs and protect the integrity of the township’s budget, and expand public access to information that impacts us.

When you look up the word “transparency” you will find several other words:  Openness.  Accountability.  Communication.  Candidness.  Straightforwardness.  Each of these words explains how our Board of Trustees has worked to expand transparency and get ordinary taxpayers more directly involved in government in ways that were never done before.

So just how have Shelby’s Trustees expanded transparency?  Through teamwork, persistence, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right for taxpayers.

(1) Expanding public access to information.  Supervisor Stathakis and the Board have placed the township’s budget, revenues and expenditures, online for easy access via the Internet to all anyone with a computer.

(2) Giving residents and business owners a greater voice.  Supervisor Stathakis and the Board have established “Priority Meetings” to give Shelby residents and business the opportunity to help set annual township goals and objectives.  This process is unique to Shelby Township.

(3) Ending past practice (begun by the previous supervisor) of holding Board votes during untelevised work sessions.  Today, all votes on issues (with exceptions for emergencies) are done in an open meeting on television - so all Shelby residents can hear and see the discussions which go into making these important decisions.

(4) Improving the township’s bidding process.  Supervisor Stathakis and the Board have demanded competitive bids for all township contractors, including towing and engineering services.

(5) Upholding a commitment to fiscal responsibility. Supervisor Stathakis has been totally transparent and responsible when it comes to his own salary.  He voluntarily cut his pay by 5% and took an additional voluntary 20% reduction in health care costs.

(6) Enhancing the township’s financial tools.  Stathakis and the Board introduced the FIRST EVER yearly forecasting tool for township budgets.  This helps elected officials, department heads and employees more accurately and effective control costs.

(7) Framing the discussion about Shelby’s future.  The Board unanimously adopted the first ever MISSION STATEMENT to help guide the Board and give residents an idea of how Trustees are working for them.  Key elements of this mission statement include: balance the budget with a minimal use of reserve funds, no increase in taxes, no reductions in essential services, such as fire, EMS and police, and work diligently every year to meet the township’s top ten annual priorities, as outlined with assistance from residents and business owners.

(8) Educating residents about current issues and events during Board meetings.  Previously, Shelby residents were kept in the dark about what the Board was doing to address their concerns and issues.

(9) Exposing false allegations for what they are - political attacks.  Supervisor Stathakis made public an alleged “harassment” complaint filed against him by a township police officer.  This complaint was dismissed as “unfounded” and Trustees voted 5-0 (Stathakis abstained) to dismiss the alleged “harassment” charge.  This “harassment” complaint has been dubbed “The Great Shelby Cookie Caper.”

(10) Welcoming and encouraging public comment/debate.  Watch the televised Board meetings and see for yourself how a handful of residents conduct themselves.  They come up and gripe about, smear, trash and condemn our township officials.  This handful of people (most of whom are running for office of supporting the BOBLEMAN BUNCH) scream obscenities from their seats, rush the podium (we are waiting for one of these goons to jump the Board table and start fighting), and spend their time telling us how much they know about everything (Mr. Cook and Mr. Holeton come to mind) and how little the Trustees know about the township.  Then, these same people have the nerve to say Mr. Stathakis is trying to silence public debate (by telling the wild gang to show civility) and is depriving people of their right to free speech (because they can’t use four-letter words in their rants).

While Supervisor Stathakis and the Board have been working for taxpayers, what about that other group called the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH”?  What have they been spending their time doing?

As much as their leader, BOBLEMAN, talks about transparency, it is clear that his talk is little more than political rhetoric - and it is clear that his rhetoric is much more important to him than facts.  He once worked for the township, and knows very well how transparency has improved since Supervisor Stathakis and the Board has been in charge.  He may now try to deny this fact, out of political expediency and his drive for another township job, but his denials will never override the truth.

Sure, BOBLEMAN will bounce the word “transparency” around like a beach ball at a summer picnic, saying he can do better.  However, BOBLEMAN’s complaints that Supervisor Stathakis and the Board are not transparent is pure political nonsense.

The fact is, BOBLEMAN wants to silence transparency when it comes to letting taxpayers know how much money we are spending for jackpot union pensions.  While admitting (now) that pensions are a problem, he offers no suggestions for how to correct them.  Why?  Because he doesn’t want to anger his union buddies who are giving him campaign money?

Where is the so-called BOBLEMAN transparency?

BOBLEMAN also says he will keep him promises to the people.  Really?  Consider this:  a few hours before a staged event at the township hall to hand in signatures for his race for supervisor, BOBLEMAN’s campaign had already broken one of his first promises.  Here is what BOBLEMAN told the Shelby-Utica News on January 18, 2012:

A “very clean” campaign?  A campaign based on “facts and things happening in the township?”

A pledge that he is “not going to run a dirty campaign”?

OOPS...someone obviously forgot to tell BOBLEMAN’s campaign consultant, John Johnson (we will discuss Johnson’s baggage and background later).

BOBLEMAN’s CAMPAIGN OF FRAUD & DECEPTION

Seven months before the August 2012 township primary, and just a few hours before he officially filed his petitions to run for supervisor, BOBLEMAN’s campaign had already engaged in deceptive dirty tricks not “based on facts.”  We predicted that the Leman/Johnson crew would bring their Detroit-style bag of dirty politics to Shelby Township.  We just never thought they would be so deliberately deceitful this early.

On January 26, 2012, BOBLEMAN, through his campaign surrogates, paid for a robocall to Shelby Township taxpayers.  This was a deliberately false political attack disguised as a so-called “TAXPAYER ALERT”.  It was clearly designed to create anger and confusion among the public that something shady was going on at the township hall, when nothing was going on at all.

How in the world can BOBLEMAN talk about transparency, and expect anyone to listen to him or believe anything he says, when his campaign is hiding behind deliberately deceptive attacks like this? Secret meeting?  How can it be secret since the Board knew about it; residents knew about it; the meeting was posted (as required by law) in the township; our local newspapers knew about it; and even the robocall guy knew about it?  Fair and open bid process?  Since the BOBLEMAN BUNCH want us to think that the township’s bid process is unfair, BOBLEMAN should come clean, be transparent, and tell us specifically where the process is not fair and how he will fix it.

Come on BOBLEMAN, where is all your self-professed transparency now?

How can we trust BOBLEMAN and his slate of candidates when his campaign lies so casually like this?  How can we expect teamwork from a group that believes lies are truth, rumors are facts, and division is unity?  Since BOBLEMAN and his Nightingale/Save Shelby gang obviously lives in an alternate universe, how can we trust them to effectively run our township?

BOBLEMAN’s campaign is a fraud.  Period!  He clearly hopes to bamboozle Shelby residents with the illusion of transparency.  Beware of the BOBLEMAN/Save Shelby snake oil!  Just one tiny sip of this elixir will leave a burning aftertaste in your mouth.

Look at BOBLEMAN’s record (we will explore that later) and it will tell the real story.  BOBLEMAN and his crew hopes to win election through the politics of spin and distortion disguised as “transparency.”  Talk is cheap, and when it comes to “transparency” BOBLEMAN and his bunch are taking the cheap way out as they try to take power away from the people.

Here’s another interesting topic worthy of reporting, for it says VOLUMES about the candidates for township office and who we can really trust to stand up and do what is right for taxpayers.

On the same day that he announced his campaign for supervisor, BOBLEMAN was joined by his “loyal” supporters.  These supporters included two prominent, big-spending Democrats who proudly backed the budget-busting spending agenda of the previous supervisor:  Clarence Cook and Dub Hearon.  Cook and Hearon are pictured standing to BOBLEMAN’s right in the photo which appeared in the Shelby-Utica News.

Many of our readers who are Democrats have written to us saying that they totally reject the Cook/Hearon approach to township government.  Cook and Hearon both subscribe to the notion that “the government that spends the most, governs the best.”  In fact, Clarence Cook once told the Board “yous [stet] need to understand...you work for us.  The people.  If you need more tax money then do what you have to do.  You have to do what the people want.”

Mr. Cook will obviously disagree, but the truth is that Supervisor Stathakis and the Board have done exactly what the majority of the people want.  We want government spending reduced; we want reductions in budget-busting pensions; we want union employee health care costs brought down to more realistic levels; and we DO NOT support the notion of raising taxes to support higher spending.  The people want a township government that understands the economic realities we face, and that works within those confines to provide quality services we expect without breaking the budget or forcing higher taxes.

On behalf of the overwhelming majority of taxpayers who don’t go to meetings to make fools of themselves by screaming and swearing in public, we thank our Board of Trustees for a job well done!  Don ’t let angry outbursts from a few loudmouths dissuade you from doing what we elected you to do: serve as a voice for taxpayers.


Election 2012 is fast approaching, and the BOBLEMAN BUNCH is trying to pawn themselves off as the voice for Shelby.  Actually, they are a voice of a faction within our township that believes in special interest power grabs, big spending agendas and higher union pensions all paid for with higher taxes.  This group represents a vision that will take Shelby Township backward to the days of bloated budgets, project deficits and threatened tax increases.  They support the status quo when it comes to spending, employee payroll, health care and pensions.  They seem to care more about morale among township employees, and working with the unions to give these employees union contracts with higher pay and benefits, than they do fighting for the interests of hard-pressed Shelby taxpayers.

Transparency will become a hot political buzzword in Shelby Township this election year.  You see, desperate candidates out to achieve a vindictive political goal will try anything they can to win.  Considering the challenges Shelby Township faces today, especially during these very tough economic times, we offer this advice to township residents...

...When you hear the word “transparency”, examine the record of the individuals and candidates who are complaining about transparency.  What is their motive?  What is their hidden agenda? What is the truth about their record and its impact on township taxpayers?

...The next time you receive one of those phony “taxpayer alert” robocalls laced with lies; when that anonymous flyer smearing our township appears on your car windshield; or when that nasty campaign literature from an unknown organization arrives in the mail personally attacking our township officials and distorting their record of achievement, keep in mind that these shenanigans are coming from the BOBLEMAN BUNCH.

...Remember, that the people who cry the loudest about a lack of “transparency” by the current Board are the same people who are trying to hide their record, their hidden agenda, their motivations and their actual political goals.

Until next time...