Why Shouldn't Taxpayers Be Given the Right To Vote On Spending $50 Million Dollars?

There has been lots of discussion over the last two years about the township's new police-court complex. This has actually been talked about for many years, but the rhetoric has heated up recently.

The police-court building is just one element of Supervisor $kip Maccarone's much larger "campus" complex. Yes, we need a new building for our law enforcement professionals. Need is not the issue here, no matter what $kip tells the newspapers.

The issues are what the building will cost (is it $20 million? $23 million? Is it higher?) and how the township will raise the money to pay for it? It is also prudent to ask if it is wise, given the financial shape of our state, to spend this much money at this time.

A large majority of township residents, and some of our elected Trustees, have insisted that this go to the public for a vote before spending $50 million. Why not? Isn't that what democracy is all about?

Obviously not in $kip Maccarone's Shelby Township. When pressed about putting this to a public vote, $kip says that he never said this should go before the voters. In fact, he challenged anyone to produce evidence that he did.

Okay, we'll take that challenge! Below is an article from the Macomb Daily, the local newspaper for Macomb County, Michigan. Read the last paragraph very carefully.

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SHELBY DEVELOPMENT PUSHED -- BUT IT MAY BE UP TO VOTERS
PUBLISHED: February 5, 2005
By Frank DeFrank, Macomb Daily Staff Writer

Shelby Township Supervisor Ralph Maccarone introduced this week a proposal for a $47.5 million development on the grounds of the municipal complex with a simple theme: "If not now, when?"

The answer could well be, "Never, if the voters don't sign on."

Maccarone unveiled Thursday a proposal for construction of a recreation center, library and auditorium, police station and district court building along with renovations to the Senior Center and municipal building.

The supervisor said the work is the compilation of three and one-half years of input "from several dozen experts, department members, elected officials, both past and present, and a host of residents.

"This work is not intended to be a 'plan,' " Maccarone wrote in his introduction. "It is intended as a beginning point that will encourage discussion that will lead to plan.

"Construction of new and renovation of old township facilities (is) long overdue, and to which our residents, of all interests and ages, are so well entitled."

Township officials, both current and previous, have considered similar projects for years. Maccarone, in fact, produced 15-year-old drawings he inherited when he took office showing the planned development of the township's municipal grounds.

Maccarone said the time is right to move forward with the project to coincide with private development of the Van Dyke corridor from 26 Mile Road to the Utica city limit. By creating a Downtown Development Authority, some of the increased tax revenue generated by the private development can be used to help pay for public improvements, he said.

The supervisor said the township could take advantage of its good bond rating to sell bonds to fund the project. The bonds would be repaid over some 30 years, he said.

"I have a high level of confidence that we don't need a millage (new tax) to do this," he said.

But funding may prove a major sticking point among other elected officials. Several members of the Board of Trustees, while expressing support for such a concept, are reluctant to commit millions of dollars without approval by voters.

Treasurer Paul Viar and Trustee David Kady recently expressed such concerns, and Clerk Terri Kowal added her voice.

"I have said all along we should not spend $40 (million) to $50 million without a vote of the people," Kowal said. "It's too big a burden on the backs of the taxpayers.

"Skip (Maccarone) says, 'If not now, when?' I prefer to do it when the economy comes back. I won't vote for it (without voter approval)."

Maccarone said he has "no problem" submitting the plan to voters in the form of ballot questions, although he reiterated a previous statement when he said: "We were elected to make these kinds of decisions."

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That's how the Macomb Daily reported it.

Since $kip said he had no problem putting this to a vote of the people in February, 2005, what has changed over the last two-and-a-half years? Taxpayers are amused that $kip thinks he was elected to spend this kind of money. Not true $kip! If when you ran you told voters you wanted to be Supervisor so that YOU could decide how to spend an additional $50 million of our tax dollars, on top of the millions you are already spending, you would have been laughed out of the township!

Two years ago, $kip said in the article above that his campus is the result of more than three years of input "from several dozen experts, department members, elected officials, both past and present, and a host of residents." We have since learned that there was NEVER any discussion about his grand "campus" plan prior to his February, 2005 unveiling presentation -- except maybe between $kip and himself.

We strongly agree with residents who have written to us about this topic. Yes, the people's voice should be heard. We love our active-duty township police officers, and they do a commendable job protecting us and responding when the call for help goes out.

The issue is money and who should decide how to spend a projected $23 million dollars (or more). $kip says he should make that decision, and we disagree.

We should DEMAND a public vote on $kip's campus project. Anything less is a disservice to township taxpayers!

$kip seems unwilling to budge on taking this to a vote of the people. Why? What does he have to hide? This is precisely why people don't trust $kip any more.

Considering the way $kip has spent our money since being elected, and his plan to spend $50 million more, we may have to eventually change the official Shelby Township logo. After all, $kip seems to think money does grow on trees.

Remember, send your e-mails to stopskip08@aol.com. Together, we will have an impact and taxpayers WILL take our township back.

Our Watchdog of "Truth"

"Hey, great stuff..keep 'em coming. But I think you need a mascot. Something which symbolizes what you stand for and what you are trying to do."

We received that friendly e-mail advice days ago. Hmmm.....we never thought about that one. A mascot? What could it be?
- Something simple, yet compelling.
- Something which tells our mission at one glance.

After getting our brain trust together to discuss this, "what about a watchdog" one of our members said. THAT'S IT. WHAT A STROKE OF BRILLIANCE! Afterall, there was talk about building a $20,000 dog park in Shelby Township just three years ago.

So without further delay, we introduce to you our new mascot. His name is NOBS (which stands for NO bullsh--). As you can tell, NOBS gets pretty angry when politicians waste money. He gets even angrier when arrogance or political double-talk stands in the way of progress for people.

$kip may think we are barking up the wrong tree...but we shall see next year. In the meantime, watch out $kip...NOBS is sniffing around and may bite you in the @%#$ at election time!

Enough for now. We just wanted you to meet NOBS...the newest member of our truth squad.

Follow the Money (not the leader!)

FINALLY...after seven years, there is talk in the township about cutting spending. Actually, it is more like a whisper. Given that the Township Building Department will be more than a HALF-MILLION DOLLARS short of revenue projections for 2007, we are told by township officials that it is a good time to CUT.

Instead of taking the lead on this issue and doing what is right for taxpayers, the Board of Trustees is having to pull $kip Maccarone in this direction. Why? Big spending politicians like $kip Maccarone never like to cut. We applaud the rest of the Township Board for being prudent in trying to do something to save money. Treasurer Paul Viar has, without a doubt, been one of the most vocal Trustees on spending. He asks questions and demands answers about where OUR money is going. Thank you Mr. Viar.

Now back to $kip. You would think that if $kip wanted to be taken seriously about spending, he would do something serious about spending. However, here again $kip seems more willing to talk the talk than "walk the walk." Those who watch the Board meetings have seen $kip talk and talk and talk and talk about the problems facing the township. Declining state revenue sharing (certainly a major issue) is one of those things $kip talks about all the time. He warns about the dire consequences of these cuts to public safety and township services. Does $kip heed his own dire warnings? Of course not! Never has...and likely never will.

Put up or shut up $kip! When the Board meets to discuss budget restructuring what does $kip do? He graciously decides to reduce expenses in his office by $1,000. That is all $kip can come up with in a multi-million dollar township budget? Since that's all $kip can put up, taxpayers wish he would just shut up!

By comparison, the Treasurer's office will restructure and save us more than $32,000. The Treasurer will eliminate one position. This is a first step toward restoring fiscal sanity in the township. Again, thank you Mr. Viar.

Now, let's get back to $kip. The total savings from the Township Board's restructuring is estimated around $78,000 -- or so the newspapers tell us. Could be more - could be less! But $kip's $1,161 savings from his office is a mere pittance of the total savings to township taxpayers.

$kip tells the newspapers (he loves to talk to reporters!) that the township faces the layoff of two employees because of the budget situation. Then, in the very same article, says that the "laid off" workers can apply for other open positions in the township! Sounds more like a "shift and shaft" policy (shift employees around to shaft taxpayers) than a real policy to reduce costs.

"No one will lose their jobs due to this (restructuring)," Maccarone said. "There will be some changes and some people will be moved around, but no one lost their jobs because of the changes."

Now you know why some people say that government jobs are the most secure jobs around. There is always a pot of money (mind you it is OUR money) to pay the bill. Too bad that men and women living and working in the "real world" (outside government) don't have the same comfort level knowing that they will not lose jobs because of corporate changes.

$kip says these layoffs are the first he can remember since becoming supervisor. Our Township Clerk Terri Kowal says these are the first layoffs she can remember in her 18 years of service to Shelby Township. "We've done everything else we can do," $kip told the press. Oh really? Sorry, but we seriously doubt that!

Success in government hinges on the level of trust politicians have with the people. When you tell them one thing, and do another, that trust is gone. When you make false claims to support your inaccurate statement, that trust is gone. When you spend and spend and spend, at a time when everyone else is cutting, that trust is gone. When you belittle the people who put you in public office, that trust is gone (forever).

To end this post on a humorous note, a reader of this blog sent us an e-mail with an interesting poem. We are reprinting it below in the hope that $kip will read it and note the error of his ways. Hope you enjoy it!

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THE TRUTH ABOUT USER FEES
(The "Hidden Tax")

There once was a king who sat rather alone, on his gilded and cushioned tax-and-spend throne.

His bankers and builders were fairly content, but as far as the government's petty cash went...

The ledger book stuff didn't look all that good, 'cause the king and his cronies spent more than they should.

The king pondered and worried and paced up and down with a king-size and regal empirical frown.

It suddenly hit him, the answer was clear: he needed to hire a slick financier.

There were hucksters and lawyers and swindlers and thieves who had fiddles and diddles and tricks up their sleeves. But the king soon grew weary and sent them away, except for one lonely servant who managed to stay.

"Martini the Counter is my name your Grand Majesty,
and I have an adjustment for your treasury.
A user fee which is invented to please,
and the name of this tax is 'A penny a sneeze.'

"This fee is quite simple and causes no pain
a little exaction on everyone's nose-
a penny-a-sneeze for as long as it goes."
The king smiled and smirked and giggled and gasped,
"A wonderful windfall, solutions at last!"
A week or two later, the sneeze laws were passed.

The king kept on spending, and in very short time'
it was one sneeze a nickel, or three for a dime.
He hired accountants to keep all the books,
and a secret police force to chase after the crooks,
who might hide in their closet in the dark of night
to wheeze or sneeze well out of sight.

Martini in charge now of sneeze revenue,
soon hired the best seven hundred and two
Gesundheit inspectors with beady black eyes,
who denied fees are taxes - "just lies."

The king made a speech when the great moment came.
"Our nation is troubled, our heads bowed in shame.
The kitty is empty, the scepter in pawn,
both Visa and Mastercard are overdrawn.
But there is still hope with the relative ease,
of a small patriotic and taxable sneeze.
So let us all sneeze now. The first one is free.
The others cost money. Let's go: one, two, three...
AH-CHOO!"

The King then got arrogant, he moved much too fast,
these new user fees were too little to last.
So he added hiccups as taxable sin,
then limping, then dandruff, then scratching your chin;
but nothing worked out; so the kitty stayed dry,
and even politicians didn't know why.

The country is poor now, the cities eyesores,
the places of merriment all closed their doors.
The menfolk walk barefoot, their gaze stupified,
the women are trembling, their kids hollow-eyed.
No laughter is heard, and no soft lulliby,
except on occasion a clandestine sigh...
The birds in the trees stopped the songs in their tracks
for fear that there might be a bird-singing tax.

The king has been banished, his minions sent packing.
But his legacy of spending still leaves us lacking,
the money we need to keep our government strong.
You see, the king's taxing and spending was outrageously wrong.

What happened? How come the King lost his touch?
The truth is that a penny a sneeze ... was a penny too much!

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So remember this poem the next time $kip Maccarone talks about the need to raise "fees." Since becoming Supervisor, $kip has raised fees and assessements on residents, businesses and landowners. Now, with the township's Building Department being $500,000 in the red this year, watch out for even higher fees down the road! How else will $kip raise the money to build and operate his $50 million township "campus?"

President Ronald Reagan, one of the greatest presidents of our time, once told us that "A f-e-e is a t-a-x." He went on to point out how liberals always look for ways to justify higher spending by raising fees, called by some political observers as the "HIDDEN TAX."

Anyway you collect them, fees are just a slick method of imposing higher TAXES on ordinary citizens.

Remember, if you want to join this campaign to Stop Skip Maccarone in 2008, send us an e-mail at stopskip08@aol.com.

Oh what a tangled web he weaves....

..when Supervisor $kip Maccarone deceives!

Are we calling $kip Maccarone a liar! Nah....that would be mean.

Let's just say that $kip uses selective interpretation and perception of facts to try and prove that he is right all the time.

$kip never lets reality get in the way of promoting his political BS.

When $kip first rode his white horse into Shelby a few years ago as a candidate for Supervisor, a lot of us bought what $kip was selling. And why not -- look what we had at the time. The bar was set so low that anyone would have been better than what we had. So voters took the gamble.

With his classic wink and a grin, $kip made all sorts of promises - what politician doesn't? Promises are one thing, but actions are another. Below is a brief recap of what $kip promised when he ran for office. Read them and judge for yourself if he actually lived up to his words.

(1) "Simply stated, I want to bring professionalism, dignity, efficiency and excellence to the office of Shelby Township Supervisor."
-- $kip broke this promise to taxpayers a few weeks after taking office. He hadn't even finished unpacking his stuff and setting up his office when he decided to let his arrogance show.

(2) "I believe that we need a Supervisor who can inspire teamwork among Township Board members and who will treat citizens and the officials they have elected with diplomacy, dignity and respect."
-- Here again, $kip broke his promise. Remember when he called taxpayers a "Peanut Gallery." Nuff said! What about the way he chastizes and criticizes anyone with a different viewpoint? He has shown, time and again, that he does NOT understand the true meaning of teamwork. Instead, $kip does whatever he wants, and never consults, let alone talks to, other member of the Shelby Township Board of Trustees "team".

(3) "Under my leadership, there will be no disrespectful treatment of citizens or Board members at Board meetings."
-- Yah, right! $kip has taken disrespect to a new level of political bickering.

(4) "I look for Shelby Township to accomplish great things with lessened discontent."
-- $kip creates discontent. He is the the primary reason there is so much animosity on the Board of Trustees. It is amazing that the Board has accomplished anything at all, given his miserable leadership.

(5) "No single person can accomplish everything. But worthy goals can be achieved with the support and cooperation of the Township Clerk, Treasurer, Board of Trustees, our fine Township employees and you the citizens of the community."
--$kip regularly ignores the Clerk, Treasurer and fellow Trustees. He doesn't listen to Township employees and he talks down to the citizens of the community. $kip wrongly believes that HE -- and only HE -- can do everything...and when he does, things get messy!

(6) "I believe that it is important for your Supervisor to set a good example for all of the Township. He or she must set a positive tone in the community and among the other officials who you, the voters, elected."
-- The only thing positive about $kip's tone is......well......to be honest.....there is NOTHING positive about $kip's tone! As for him setting a good example for others, it was because of Skip's actions (or more accurately, his nasty four-letter vocabulary) that a township employee filed a workplace harassment suit against him, leading to the firing of a township employee. Great positive tone $kip!

These are just a half dozen ways that $kip deceived us. Truthfully, we've had enough of $kip Maccarone. His lofty promises have been replaced by lousy performance. Its time for $kip to pack his bags and go run for Macomb County Sheriff!

$kip loves to tell people who come to speak at Township Board meetings "your time is up."

Shelby taxpayers have a message for $kip Maccarone come August, 2008: YOUR TIME IS UP!

Until next time....keep those e-mails coming. Remember, you can contact us as stopskip08@aol.com.

We told you this would be FUN!