Most Shelby Residents Agree: Lisa Manzella Totally Lacks the Trust and Integrity To Effectively Serve As Township Treasurer

Lisa Manzella will NEVER repair the bond of trust that she has destroyed with Shelby Township taxpayers.  This is why her campaign for Treasurer is doomed to fail!

Our March 5, 2012 Inside Out established that Lisa Manzella is desperately struggling to find a rational and realistic reason why Shelby voters should promote her to Treasurer, while simultaneously electing her BOBLEMAN BUNCH slate to public office.  Her struggles underscore Manzella’s ineptness and inability to do the Treasurer’s job!

Election year propaganda aside, when you look at her record as Trustee, there is NO GOOD REASON at all why Shelby voters should trust Lisa Manzella, let alone give her a promotion a pay raise, and control over the township’s checkbook.

Even though Manzella has made it perfectly clear, in writing and in her verbal statements, that she opposes Treasurer Paul Viar’s attempts to cut wasteful spending, make township government smaller, educate taxpayers about budget-busting union pensions, and refuse to cave in to special interests demands when it comes to our pocketbooks, Manzella has no ideas of her own.  She just wants to complain about Treasurer Viar’s efforts to inform us about what is going on — perhaps because Manzella feel beholden to those special interests resisting any changes or financial reductions.

When asked about the Treasurer’s race recently by Phil Nye on Shelby This Week, Manzella’s answer about why she is qualified to be Treasurer was mind boggling.  Here is Manzella’s totally-inept answer to that very simple and straightforward question as reported in our March 5, 2012 Inside Out:

----

Phil Nye: So you’re saying that your qualified to be Treasurer of Shelby Township?

Manzella: Oh ... yes I am.  LONG AWKWARD PAUSE (deer in headlight)

Nye: (pulling teeth) Spell that out for me.

Manzella: Oh ....... well ...... I’ve been in business for 30 years...um...the appraisal business.  I’m also an assessor and also a citizen master planner.  So those tools give me the...um...the...the...the...tools will help me in keeping our property values stable, keep them from further decline.  And I have a...um...good vast basis and background in investing and investments.

I’d like to continue to work for the people of Shelby Township.  This is my community, I don’t intend on leaving.  I would rather be the sole vote — the lone vote — and I have been quite alone, rather than be in bad company.  It’s a difficult position to be in.  It’s not been easy on the Board the last few...years.

I’m dedicated to restoring trust, integrity and dignity back to the Board of Trustees.  I think we’ve lost a lot of that.  We need to get the people’s trust back in their local government.  I really wanna... um... continue to try and do that.  If this was my last term in Shelby I don’t want it to be my legacy of being part of this current Board.  It’s not been something I’ve been proud to be....
----

In Lisa’s Manzella’s alternate universe, the big issue which makes her qualified to be Treasurer is her work as a property appraiser?  She said her victory will keep property values high?  This shows how out-of-touch she is (she can control the national economy?).  You will note Manzella did not mention one single word about spending, controlling costs, pension issues or anything else.  Her response to this question was ALL ABOUT LISA and her so-called “legacy.”

[EDITOR’S NOTE:  Manzella’s legacy has already been written.  She will be remembered as a big spending politician who wanted to bankrupt the township with a campus in order to try and make herself and her political mentor, Skip Maccarone, look good.]

Since Manzella could not come up with a sound reason why she should be elected Treasurer, it proves that she does not have what it takes to do the job.  So why is she running?  Ego?  Politics?  Revenge?

Lisa Manzella:
Shelby’s Most Unwanted

On her campaign website, we get a peek inside the mind of Manzella.  At least the mind as outlined for her by her campaign manager — professional smear artist John Johnson.  If you doubt Johnson’s trash and burn philosophy, ask former Macomb Township Supervisor John Brennan how he was unfairly and inaccurately trashed by Johnson in 2008.  Now, Johnson is working for Manzella and the entire BOBLEMAN BUNCH to try and give power back to the unions and special interests.

Here is what Manzella included on her website as the theme for her 2012 Treasurer’s race:

“I am dedicated to restoring trust, dignity and integrity back to the Board of Trustees, stop corrupt spending, and take the politics out of the management of the Township.”

Okay, so this very politically-correct statement sounds nice, but what does it really mean?  How does this sentence impact our township, and more important Shelby taxpayers?

First, to Manzella’s political statement about “restoring trust.”  Trust is earned, not freely given.  When you think about trust what is the first thing that comes to mind?  Someone who stand up for what he or she believes in?  Someone with a clear mission and a plan to carry it out?  So what about Lisa Manzella, can she truly be trusted to restore trust?

Let’s examine trust in the context of some issues before the township.

Manzella and “Trust” — 41-A District Court
Since Manzella has been so vocal about the 41-A District Court, let’s examine where Manzella stands on this issue.  Does she support the court or not?  Does she want the public to be involved or not?

Faced with increased pressure, and at risk of losing her elected Board seat, Manzella has tried to rewrite history about her position on bonding for a new 41-A District Court building.  Here is what she said her position is, right now (an opinion subject to change without notice):
“I was not opposed to the people voting on bonds for a new justice center.  They have always had a right to do so.”
Trustee Lisa Manzella - Letter to the Editor
Source Newspaper editorial, April 18, 2010

Okay, so Manzella supports a public vote, correct?  She wants to take this issue to the people for their input, right?  She sees nothing wrong with a public vote on bonding for a new court, is that correct?

Hold your horses....

Here is what Lisa Manzella wrote in an e-mail to resident Ed Young on Tuesday, March 28, 2006:
“I believe the time is now to complete this project.  I was elected by the people to make decisions, and I believe it is an act of cowardace [stet] to throw this back at the people.  One a self-serving official who has only their own interest, would be coward enough not to act on the police and court building.  I can’t speak to all the projects that may or may not seek voter approval, however I see no reason to go to the voters for the new police and court facility....  The board was elected to make financial decisions for the community.  I will not toss a difficult decision back to the residents to avoid making a decision.”

The above exchange concerning the 41-A District Court is a solid example of Lisa Manzella being against something before she was for it.  This is a classic political flip-flop (brought on by pressure and the election of Supervisor Stathakis) and is not the first time Manzella has flip-flopped.

She has repeatedly, and incorrectly, said the 41-A District Court is a money-making proposition for Shelby, even though financial reports show it is a financial drain on our township.  Manzella has said the court (and in fact her $20 million justice center) is needed in the township and any amount of money spent to prop up the court is well worth it.  She has said that any attempt to stop the court from relocating would be met with her firm resistance from her.  She even said a new court will improve the status of the township because “people in Shelby Township deserve nice things” (Source Newspaper, August 24, 2008).


Despite all of her self-promotion political comments about the court being necessary and financially affordable, here is what Manzella wrote in an e-mail response sent to her fellow Trustees as well as to officials in Macomb Township:

“We can’t afford the court, Macomb can...” so said Manzella on April 8, 2010.  Yet, she spends time at televised Board meetings promoting the court, and has rallied her recall group of loudmouths to her side to try and score some political points.  It seems as though Lisa Manzella is not quite sure herself about which direction to take on the court, and so she is trying to have it both ways.  That may very well massage her ego, but it does nothing to help taxpayers who will pay higher fees/bonds/taxes to prop up a 41-A judicial money pit.

The Inside Out believes it is time to let the 41A District Court relocate.  We do not want to subsidize the court with additional tax dollars.  We do not want higher taxes (bonds) to operate this court.  If Macomb Township wants the court, and has the money to build it, we say “sainara.”

Lisa Manzella has shown no clear direction or focus on the court.  She is for it, and then against it.  She has shown no clear position on a public vote, opposing a public vote for years and only supporting one after the public pressure got so intense she had no choice.

Is this leadership?  Is this what we want from our Township Treasurer?

Manzella and “Trust” — DARE and School Crossing Guards
The Inside Out has previously called Lisa Manzella a liar — and for good reason.  Manzella and her Save Shelby/Team Leman recall cadre repeatedly lied about the township’s DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program.  This was one of the many lies their circulated during their failed and fraudulent recall in order to trick people to sign a petition over a zoning dispute.  The issues were unrelated, but that didn’t stop those outsiders hired too circulate petitions from spreading such falsehoods.

During the recall, Manzella and her minions accused Supervisor Stathakis and the Board of eliminating DARE.  The subtext of this was that Mr. Stathakis was forfeiting our children’s future as our kids would no longer have information they need to properly fend off drug dealers.  Their scare tactics may have tricked a few people into signing a recall petition, but the overriding fraudulent atmosphere they created on this backfired.

Manzella and her Save Shelby recall mob then added another layer of liars to this equation.  They said that because the township cancelled DARE (an outright lie) the township was forced, by the Utica Schools, to pay for public school crossing guards.  Or, as Manzella said, the township was “saddled with the crossing guards.”

Such a backhanded attack on crossing guards didn’t sit well with crossing guards, and yet Manzella has persisted in spreading this total liar.  She later claimed that she never said the township was saddled with crossing guards.  Well, here is her e-mail.  Read it and judge for yourself.  Did Manzella write that the township was “saddled” with school crossing guards or not?

Actually, the crossing guards were a service that the public schools had provided for years.  However, given the financial times impacting the schools, and the fact that crossing guards are legally the duty of local municipalities, the schools decided that they could not longer after to provide this service.  So they, reluctantly, were forced to give this responsibility back to Shelby Township (and every other local community).  But that is NOT what the Manzella/Save Shelby recall people said.  They deliberately distorted the truth to trick people into signing recall petitions.

Trustee Paula Filar is the person who really helped focus the issue back on the facts.  Mrs. Filar pointed out how DARE’s demise was greatly exaggerated, and how the crossing guards had nothing to do with the DARE issue at all.  Mrs. Filar stood up to attacks from the recall runts, including Nick Nightingale, who spouted Manzella’s message of lies regarding canceling DARE.

Once the big lie was exposed, Manzella insisted that she never said the township cancelled DARE.  However, Manzella did not just complain about DARE’s eliminating one time.  She said this multiple times, and put it in writing on at least two more occasions.  

Occasion #1 ... claiming the Board voted to eliminate dare in an untelevised work session:

There was NO VOTE TO ELIMINATE DARE, as Manzella wrote, because DARE was not eliminated.  It is still active in the public schools.  This was just another flagrant lie which Manzella, to this day, refuses to acknowledge or apologize for.

Occasion #2 ... linking DARE with the fraudulent Save Shelby/Team Leman recall:

Supervisor Stathakis and the Board eliminating DARE (a flat-out lie) was one of “about 20 bullet points” used by Manzella and her recall crew to trick people into signing recall petitions.  Never mind that the recall petition was about a zoning dispute.  The group simply threw mud around hoping that some would stick and, unfortunately, some people did sign petitions based on false pretenses.

Even though Manzella now claims to never have tried to misrepresent the DARE issue with residents, the facts tell a different story.  Manzella has lied to us in the past, she is lying to us today, and she will undoubtedly lie to us in the future.  This is why Lisa “the liar” Manzella does not deserve to be promoted to the position of Township Treasurer this year.

Manzella and “Trust” — Taxes and Spending
We have documented many times before how Lisa Manzella is the biggest spending Trustee on the Board of Trustees.
• Manzella supported the $20 million justice center, even chairing the committee that came up with this stupid and costly idea.
• Manzella wanted to saddle taxpayers with millions in new bonds without a public vote.
— Macomb Daily, July 7, 2009 —
Manzella also said elected officials should make the decision on the future of a new court building.
“We were elected to do a job,” she said.  “We need to stand on our own two feet.”

• Manzella wanted to spend $50 million on a “campus” scheme just because her political friend, Skip Maccarone, thought it was a good idea.
• Manzella wanted to increase fees paid by residents to the court by 100% more than the judges themselves, to help raise money for the court:
— Macomb Daily, April 23, 2006 —
Sierawski and Chief Judge Maceroni agree to increase fines for traffic tickets an additional $5 per ticket.  That money then would go into the Court’s building fund.  Trustee Manzella said she would have preferred a 100% increase above what the judges recommended.
“I thought $5 was a little light,” Manzella said.  “If we get to June and make some plans to break ground, maybe we can think about $10.”
• When the Board discussed whether or not to put a fence around the parking lot at the new police building (they ultimately voted not to), Manzella said it would be better to spend the money than to save it in the bank.  Manzella’s carefree spending attitude drew sharp criticism from other elected Board members and the general public.

Given her free-spending attitude, can we trust her to effectively monitor our money?

Manzella and “Trust” — Open Meetings
Manzella spent a great deal of time criticizing Supervisor Rick Stathakis and the Board of Trustees for voting in a work session to keep the Shelby Woods North condominiums from going into foreclosure.  Doing so would have been a disaster, both for the residents living there and for the township as a whole.  Manzella used this issue as a political football, tossing it around the township in a bid to demonize anyone who voted to save this development.  She also got a handful of people stirred up by twisting the facts to try and make herself look good at the expense of the rest of the Board.

Residents who watched as Manzella and her group fanned the flames of misinformation found themselves asking this question:
“Did Manzella actually want the development to go into foreclosure so she could blame the Board (and especially Supervisor Stathakis) for doing nothing so she could try and become some kind of hero on Fox 2 News?”

Manzella has been highly critical of Board work sessions, even though she must know the value of such work sessions to the overall operation of the township.  Manzella forgets that it was Supervisor Stathakis who ended the policy (begun by her friend Skip Maccarone) to take votes in work sessions on all important issues, especially those that could be seen as controversial.  The new Stathakis policy says that, with exceptions for emergencies (saving a development from foreclosure), work sessions will be used to discuss issues but all votes will be taken at television at a regular Board meeting.

When Manzella’s friend, Maccarone, was in charge of the township, Manzella believed work sessions were a correct venue to vote on issues.
• Under the previous supervisor, Manzella did not speak up or object to a motion, made in a work session, to spend $20 million of OUR money for her fancy, high-priced justice center.
• Manzella voted, at a work session to approve the misguided $50 million campus plan.
• Manzella seconded a motion and voted, at a work session, to reclassify $789,358 from the township’s Fire Fund as “administrative fees” from the Fire Fund to the General Fund - using this money to help support the Maccarone/Manzella high-spending agenda.

Since each of these decisions involved issues facing taxpayers, voting should have been done at a regular Board meeting where residents could engage in a debate over the motion.  Yet this was not done, probably to try and keep public input to a minimum.

So, even as Manzella has griped about emergency votes at work sessions to save a development from the disastrous impact of foreclosure, she had absolutely no problem voting YES to spend millions of our tax dollars at township work sessions (under Skip Maccarone) when there was no emergency.

Furthermore, when the topic of televising work sessions was raised a couple years ago, Manzella was the very first Trustee to oppose the idea.   She said, on the record, that she did not want work sessions televised because she was afraid that she would not be able to speak freely at televised meetings.  She also said she feared that statements made by her could possibly be used against her.  So much for openness and transparency in government!

Now, in an attempt to become Treasurer, Manzella is using the words trust, dignity and integrity?
• Given her lack of trust, as evidenced by her pack of lies and political flip-flops, is she deserving of a promotion from Trustee to Treasurer?
• Given her vicious attacks on fellow Board members and the general public through her Facebook rants — comparing Supervisor Stathakis to Adolf Hitler, calling people (in writing) a “big fat ass”, telling a voter (in writing) “if I even run for office again in shelby, which is not likely, I certainly don’t want your vote I have no reason to be nice to someone who is not nice to me.  Rick is evil, and he seems to have fooled you.... The man belongs in jail.  I have to be a very nice and kind person, to those deserving (Facebook post March 28, 2011 at 1:45 pm); and using Facebook to smear her fellow Trustees, thus earning a reputation as Shelby’s political cyberbully — is she fit to serve on the Board?  These are but a few of the many Manella’s rants that have been made public.

Manzella claims she wants to take politics out of running the township.  How can someone who has been the MOST POLITICAL Board member — going so far as to support a politically-motivated recall laced with lies — make such a claim?  She realistically can’t, but Manzella is hoping that the voters of Shelby will forget everything she has done and said over the last four years, and just blindly vote to give her a political promotion this year.

The bottom line?  Lisa Manzella lacks integrity as a public official.  No amount of election-year propaganda (or BS) will erase her big-spending record, her hostility toward taxpayers and her angry and spiteful attitude toward other elected officials.

Good luck Lisa — but you’d better prepare to go back to the land appraisal business full time.  Not even your campaign manager, John Johnson, will be able to save you this year.

Given the importance of the 2012 elections, we offer the following:

On Tuesday, August 7th elect 
Trustee Mike Flynn for Shelby Township Treasurer
• A Proud Lifetime Conservative Republican
• Common-Sense Spending Priorities
• Special Interest Fighter
• A True Leader That All Taxpayers Can TRUST!


This is the view of the proud Shelby taxpayers
who publish, and read, the Inside Out.
— Not authorized by any campaign committee

Until next time...

Lisa Manzella Struggles To Find A Logical Explanation About Why Taxpayers Should Elect Her and Her BOBLEMAN BUNCH Crew

Why do I want to be Shelby Treasurer?
Um...can I think on it and call you back with an 
answer sometime tomorrow after I confer with 
my campaign manager, John Johnson, to
find out what I am supposed to say?

Trustee Lisa Manzella is running for Shelby Township Treasurer.  The Inside Out was the first to predict this possibility (interestingly) on Halloween 2011.  Seemed appropriate enough!

Yes...Shelby’s big-spending Trustee thinks she
has done such a fantastic job that she deserves a promotion and a pay raise.  Manzella is so delusional that she actually thinks her past record, and her past words and disgraceful statements about residents and elected officials, somehow qualifies her to become Treasurer.

Treasurer of an alternate universe perhaps!

The Inside Out has documented Lisa Manzella’s track record for the last several years.  Our blog is filled with stupid comments, nasty attacks and just plain dumb comments made by Manzella as Trustee.  If she thinks these comments will just magically disappear, or not become relevant in her Treasurer’s race, then she doesn’t understand politics very well.

Why do you want to be Shelby Township Treasurer?  That’s a pretty simple question, right?  One which, you would think, any serious candidate would have a solid and relevant answer to before considering launching a campaign for this important township position.  We stress...any SERIOUS candidate. 

However, when asked this basic question by Shelby This Week host Phil Nye, Manzella seemed stumped.  She then gave a rambling response and raised issues that are not priority items for a Township Treasurer.  

________________

Nye: So you’re saying that your qualified to be Treasurer of Shelby Township?

Manzella: Oh ... yes I am.

LONG AWKWARD PAUSE (deer in headlight look)..............

Nye: (Like pulling teeth) Spell that out for me.

Manzella: Oh ....... well ...... I’ve been in business for 30 years...um...the appraisal business.  I’m also an assessor and also a citizen master planner.  So those tools give me the...um...the...the...the...tools will help me in keeping our property values stable, keep them from further decline.  And I have a...um...good vast basis and background in investing and investments.

I’d like to continue to work for the people of Shelby Township.  This is my community, I don’t intend on leaving.  I would rather be the sole vote — the lone vote — and I have been quite alone, rather than be in bad company.  It’s a difficult position to be in.  It’s not been easy on the Board the last few...years.

I’m dedicated to restoring trust, integrity and dignity back to the Board of Trustees.  I think we’ve lost a lot of that.  We need to get the people’s trust back in their local government.  I really wanna... um... continue to try and do that.  If this was my last term in Shelby I don’t want it to be my legacy of being part of this current Board.  It’s not been something I’ve been proud to be....
___________

Here is a link to the Shelby This Week telecast.  Watch it for yourself and you will see what we mean about Manzella’s lame rationale about why she is “qualified” to become our Treasurer.

Shelby This Week 2/29/2012 Revised from Shelby Tv on Vimeo.

Okay Lisa...we get it already...
• You don’t like serving as an elected Trustee.  You have said, on Facebook, that you have more important things to do than try and work with the current Board.
• You have opposed the public priority meetings, and have refused to attend these meetings claiming (on Facebook) that you “have better things to do.”
• You don’t like Supervisor Rick Stathakis, you have made that crystal clear since your friend and advisor Skip Maccarone lost in 2008.  You have aired your rants on Facebook, calling the Supervisor corrupt, a liar, and a host of other nasty names.
• You don’t like Treasurer Paul Viar, because he has opposed outrageous spending, like your multi-million dollar campus that was abandoned as “too expensive.”  You further oppose how Treasurer Viar has brought public attention to budget-busting, jackpot union pensions.  Even though she has said exposing such information is not a good idea, she has refused to come up with any ideas of her own for addressing this pension issue (except for higher taxes to boost the pension fund).
• You don’t like how the Board has worked tirelessly to save money, instead of spending every dime in the general fund budget.
• You don’t like how the Board has worked together (with you being, most often, the lone loony vote) to advance the best interests of taxpayers.

Manzella’s long and awkward pause, when asked by Phil Nye if she is qualified to be Treasurer, reminded us of another liberal who had the deer in the headlight look 33 years ago.  We are talking about Edward Kennedy who didn’t really have an clue when he was asked, in 1979, why he wanted to be President.

Check out the video below...

So why is Lisa Manzella running for Shelby Township Treasurer?  Is this an ego-driven campaign?

Furthermore, what makes Manzella think she is qualified to be Treasurer?  Her job as an appraiser?  What is the very first issue she raises about why she wants to become Treasurer?  Keeping property values high?  Really?????  If Manzella gets elected, is she saying our residential and business property values will automatically go up?

While Manzella thinks the job of a Township Treasurer is to keep property values high, most taxpayers disagree.  Sure, rising property values are important, but the Treasurer’s job is more relevant to spending and saving money.

What about government spending?  As Trustee, Manzella has always been for higher spending.
What about township taxes?  As Trustee, Manzella has not been overly concerned about taxes since, in her view, they can always be increased as needed to meet the needs of the politicians.
What about fees paid by Shelby residents?  Manzella is not too worried about that because fees can always be raised and more tickets written to raise revenue.  She wanted to burden residents with a fee increase of 100 percent above what the 41A District Court judges wanted to raise money for her justice center idea.
What about the expensive $50 million campus?  Even though the campus has been discredited as unnecessary and expensive, Manzella still thinks spending this amount of money is a great idea.  As Trustee, Manzella supported millions in new bonds to build this multi-million dollar governmental complex without a vote of the people.
What about building a new District Court building?  Manzella refuses to budge and thinks building a new court, even at the risk of higher taxes on residents to operate it, is a great idea. She has no firm concept of finances or the costs of governmental overreach.  As Trustee, she chaired the committee that devised the plan to build a $20 million justice center, even though financial projections said the township could not afford such a building and doing so would throw the township into bankruptcy.

What surprises taxpayers most is that Lisa Manzella says she has not been happy working on the Board the last few years.  She said took that one step further by adding that she is not proud of what the Board has done.  Not proud?  Really?

- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the current Board of Trustees is the most transparent Board in Shelby Township history by putting all township expenditures on the website for easy access to everyone?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board took a projected budget deficit (proposed by her friend Skip Maccarone) and turned that into four years of budget surpluses?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board reduced general fund expenses by over $1 million, without layoffs or service cuts.
- Lisa Manzella is not proud how the Board addressed the need for increased space and other issues in the police department by building a new police station with CASH instead of forcing higher taxes/bonds on taxpayers?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board balanced its budget every year (during very tough economic times) without being forced to raise taxes (as many other communities have done)?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board protected crucial fire, EMS and police services, without mandating layoffs or higher taxes (as many other communities have done) to support these services?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board reduced overall expenses in the Fire Department by $1 million with no layoffs or service cuts?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud of how the Board implemented public priority meetings to give residents direct input for helping create township priorities and programs?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board adopted (for the first time in history) an operating strategy which gives the Board a road map for conducting its important duties for taxpayers?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that Shelby Township signed a shared services agreement with Rochester Hills to provide quality services for residents at a lower cost?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board reduced the financial burden of health care costs by mandating that union employees pay a larger portion of their health care, as all workers in the private sector have done?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board reduced the township’s payroll by hundreds of thousands of dollars through attrition — and NOT layoffs.
- Lisa Manzella is not proud of how the Board upgraded township roads, including the much-needed Van Dyke widening from 23 Mile to 24 Mile road?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud of how the Board voted to expand bike paths and sidewalks in the township?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud of how the Board facilitated crucial storm sewer upgrades to Section 30 to address basement flooding issues?
- Lisa Manzella is not proud that the Board demanded, and voted to implement, competitive bidding for all township services, including towing and engineer work?

Given all these accomplishments (and much more) how could Manzella not be proud?

Ask yourself what would have made Manzella proud?  Spending more?  Taxing more?  Doing less?

When you listen to Manzella you would think Shelby Township is worse off today than it was four years ago.  However, as we all know, Shelby Township is better off today than it was when Supervisor Stathakis was first elected four years ago.  In fact, we are MUCH BETTER OFF when you consider where we would all be today if Lisa Manzella got her way and forced $50 million in new taxes on township residents.  Think about that and how it would impact you today.

Despite all these accomplishments, Manzella is running around the township like the village idiot claiming the Board of Trustees (which she has been part of) has done nothing to help taxpayers.

If, as Manzella has been complaining about, the Board of Trustees has done nothing to help taxpayers, why in the world should Shelby taxpayers elect Manzella as our Treasurer?  Manzella’s message defies political logic.

The only thing which makes Manzella proud these days is the group of wannabes running as a “team” for the Board of Trustees with her blessing and support.  This BOBLEMAN BUNCH will, without question, bring higher spending, higher taxes, higher pensions and even LOWER PROPERTY VALUES to every township taxpayer if they take power this year.

*BEWARE*  Meet the BOBLEMAN BUNCH.
Can we afford to have these people running the township?

The BOBLEMAN BUNCH, formerly known as the Save Shelby recall group, will be working together with their team’s campaign consultant John Johnson.  Johnson will, undoubtedly, smear our township and our Board in this coming election cycle, just as he did in Macomb Township in 2008, to get his special interest slate elected to office.

Who are the people running on the BOBLEMAN BUNCH slate?
• Supervisor wannabe - Bob “former police chief suing the township for $300,000” Leman;
• Clerk wannabe - Richard “mouthpiece of the fraudulent and failed Save Shelby recall” Batchelder;
• Treasurer wannabe - Lisa “the liar who loves spending money” Manzella;
• Trustee wannabe - Clarence “the chronic complainer” Kook ....oops, Cook;
• Trustee wannabe - David “the know-it-all” Curtis;
• Trustee wannabe- Gary “I love unions and want to give them more money” Kopp;
• Trustee wannabe - Brent “I got kicked out of the Treasurer’s spot by Manzella but still need a job” Freeman;
and finally..................... (as predicted by the Inside Out)
• Trustee wannabe - Nick “the loudmouth who wants to give his family a lifetime towing contract” Nightingale.

There you have it Shelby taxpayers ... the BOBLEMAN BUNCH in all their glory.

And some people said this election year was going to be boring?

Heck, as we see it, given the appearance of the BOBLEMAN BUNCH, this will be the most fun, and more important, election Shelby taxpayers have seen in 50 years.

Until next time...

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...