Good leaders listen, take advice to heart, and implement prudent policies and decisions based on that advice. No politician has all the answers, and quite frankly we don't trust any politician who claims to have all the answers to all the questions - even before they are asked.
Such is the case with Skip Maccarone.
We couldn't help but chuckle loudly when we received the graphic above sent by e-mail from a regular blog reader. On this graphic (we are trying to locate the original source) Skip outlines the best advice he ever received. The ironic thing about this is that although Skip received the advice, and admits it is the best that he has ever received, he has refused to take such advice to heart. Not only that, but a female reader pointed out how Skip is smirking at the camera, almost as if he is saying: "See how great I am!"
When asked this question: "What is the best professional advice that you have ever received?" here is what Skip said:
"The best professional advice I have ever received was to always remember that every decision made in governing a community is one that will affect people for years to come. Whether deciding on a new hire, a change in budget strategy, a request for rezoning, or a capital improvement project, the work we do as local government officials will often touch the lives and livelihood of more people than we can imagine and have consequences far beyond the time frame that we may think."
Sounds good. In fact, we wholeheartedly agree! The problem is that Skip has failed to take this advice in governing our township. His blind ambition about a "campus" is a capital improvement project which will have long-term consequences for all taxpayers. That is where Skip fumbled the football, and it time for us to grab it and run for a touchdown.
For example, let's look at the township police/court building debate.
Skip failed to heed advice about the long-term impact of this massive $23 million project. He didn't listen to people who asked NOT to clear cut trees on the land where Skip wants to build this building. Instead of considering the long-term impact on our pocketbooks, Skip refused to even let us vote on this. Skip said that he was elected to make this decision and that (in his opinion) spending $23 million for this project, and $50 million (or more) on the entire “Campus Skippus" plan, was a completely proper decision which Skip claims the people elected him to do.
Despite concerns from his fellow Board of Trustees members, complaints from residents, and warnings about massive $4.5 million budget deficits ($5.4 million deficits if the building goes up), Skip still thinks spending millions and millions of our tax dollars now is right.
Well...Skip is WRONG!
In fact, at the June 17th Board meeting, after receiving horrible financial news about the stability of our township, and the prospect of a $4.5 million general fund deficit, Skip wanted to press ahead with his campus spending project. Backed up by his political puppet Lisa Manzella (and boy did she make some really dumb statements at this meeting and previously), this "duo of doom" tried to push their police/court building.
The truth is that while the Shelby Township police do have the money to construct a new police department (size and costs remain a top concern), the court does NOT. As a result, court fees will have to go up substantially and even that may still not be enough to cover the costs. So, when all is said and done, the end result will be that taxpayers (you and I) will be paying more out of our pocket (higher millages/taxes) to subsidize the court.
Then, even if the police and court issue is settled, the REAL TROUBLE for taxpayers is the township's general fund. Deficits will appear in the next few years, as spending rises faster than revenue. If conditions worsen here in Michigan, the situation (dire enough already) will grow even worse. Here again, taxpayers will be asked to pay more because (by law) township's cannot run deficits.
Since this is such a huge issue with long-term impact on our pocketbooks, why isn't Skip as passionate about dealing with this as he is about building a multi-million dollar legacy to himself?
Common sense would say that if you are given a report about looming general fund deficits, instead of focusing so much on spending, you should address the deficit problem first. Trustee Jim Carabelli brought up this point on June 17th to try and refocus what the real priorities should be. Joined by Trustee Paula Filar and Treasurer Paul Viar, Carabelli said that the structural deficit in the general fund MUST be fixed first. To their credit, Trustee Dave Kady and Clerk Terri Kowal also agreed that the deficit deficiency MUST be addressed.
Look at it this way...
...If you were given a financial report showing that your family's finances were in danger, in fact that bankruptcy was staring you in the face, would you go out and celebrate by purchasing a Cadillac Escalade and a 500,000 square foot home? Would you invite all your family and friends to dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town? Would you extend your credit cards further with a whole new wardrobe, new shoes, and all the fancy bling you could find?
Skip has shown by his actions that to him, deficits and higher taxes are not a concern, and he would just keep spending and spending and spending.
But everyone else we know, who live in the real world, would say "wait, let's look at our finances first before we go broke."
The process IS broken...and Skip Maccarone broke it. Skip not only broke it, he smashed it into tiny pieces, stomped on it, and threw it into the dumpster.
Taxpayers have suffered enough. If Skip gets another four years, the nightmare scenario about deficits, and greatly higher taxes, financial figures which Skip disregards as "phantom" numbers, will be a substantial drain on our pocketbooks for decades to come.
This goes to show what happens when arrogant politicians like Skip Maccarone think they can get away with anything and do anything to anyone at anytime.
It also explains why when people give you good advice in life, you should heed their advice.
While we're talking about advice, my father once said that the best advice he ever received, and which he lived his entire life by, was this: "Always keep your word to people. Your word is your bond and without that, you have nothing. Keep your word, and you will have everything."
Taking my dad's life lesson into account, it is clear that Skip has NOTHNG - because his word means nothing any longer.
If you want to contact us, send a confidential e-mail to STOPSKIP08@AOL.COM.
Remember--election day is TUESDAY, AUGUST 5th.
The primary is when it all counts. So make sure you take the time to vote, and urge your family and friends to get out and use the power of the ballot box to bring positive change to the Shelby Township Supervisor's office.
Our township's future is our hands. Let's not sit on them this election year.
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