The Wall Street protestors deliver a well-developed disdain for corporate wealth and the undeniable and growing gap between rich and poor. But what they fail miserably at is identifying the incredibly wealthy, and growing, government employee ranks. Witness this well-done story in the Detroit News this week regarding public pensions in the state of Michigan. While 49 people receiving taxpayer-funded pensions of over six figures seems paltry in a day when a corporate board members pulls down the same for doing nothing, remember that these pensioners are also doing nothing. This money is provided to them just for a couple decades of showing up, with no investment on their part.
And let’s talk about greed. John Engler is paid $122,136 a year in pension income from the state, over twice the state’s 2009 family median income of $45,254. But Engler is also paid an annual package worth $1.3 million as president of the National Association of Manufacturers (see page 13).
This is a man who signed 32 tax cuts into law during his reign as governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2002. We had to raise them again, of course. Those pensions…
While Michigan is busy making sure the kids at 7-11 and Mikky Dees are properly compensated, we’re grateful to be here in Houston helping ensure the city’s airport system keeps its offshoot enterprises transparent and that everyone involved does the right thing. Public records in Texas are much easier to obtain than in Michigan due to both better laws and a media that has simply put its foot down in many cases and let government know that it has to do its business in the open. Perhaps it is not related, but Texas is also one of the few states not to be economically sagging. Construction is booming and this city shows few signs of any sort of downturn. Michigan truly needs some kind of body like Texas Watchdog that will work to keep government honest. In many states, philanthropists and business interests are funding watchdog groups in the best way possible; line up with the right people, hand over the means and get out of the way. This does not have to be political in any way. Transparency is an issue that rewards both sides in the best way possible; it creates an even playing field. So who’s going to get the ball rolling in Michigan? Is there someone else who sees the need for truly non-partisan coverage of government aimed at keeping records open and is willing to bring on dedicated journalism pros to do it?
The news industry is always catching up to itself, and more frequently editors are letting through stories that have been published before. An April story by the New York Times addressed an initiative to “shrink” cities, or taking out blighted neighborhoods wholesale. The Times’ piece no doubt sprung from this Flint Journal story in March. This is what news has come to. The story is based in Flint, which, as you well know, has been a pox on Michigan for a long time and is home to both one of the nation’s highest crime rates and most widespread poverty. It has gone from a population of 200,000 in 1965 to 110,000 today. We’ve often wondered why school districts and municipalities never seem to contract along with the local population. “Instead of waiting for houses to become abandoned and then pulling them down, local leaders are talking about demolishing entire blocks and even whole neighborhoods.The population would be condensed into a few viable areas. So would stores and services. A city built to manufacture cars would be returned in large measure to the forest primeval.“Decline in Flint is like gravity, a fact of life,” said Dan Kildee, the Genesee County treasurer and chief spokesman for the movement to shrink Flint. “We need to control it instead of letting it control us.” “ This week, the issue is back in the news because a reporter at the Guardian in the U.K. decided to spice it up by adding in a reference to President Obama. Bingo! Big chatter in a slower news cycle. Having outlined his strategy to Barack Obama during the election campaign, Mr Kildee has now been approached by the US government and a group of charities who want him to apply what he has learnt to the rest of the country.Mr. Kildee said he will concentrate on 50 cities, identified in a recent study by the Brookings Institution, an influential Washington think-tank, as potentially needing to shrink substantially to cope with theirdeclining fortunes.Most are former industrial cities in the "rust belt" of America's Mid-West and North East. They include Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,Baltimore and Memphis.” This talk is good, though, and the idea of taking these properties, plowing them and hoping for a better option is a good one. The Flint Journal’s blog does a good job of fielding the issue, as it was the first one there.
For the 12th time, a man from Caro was arrested for drunk driving. This man, Jimmie R. Rogers Jr., has spent time in prison for his disregard for our laws. But what does this say about how serious we are about the often-dubious offense? We have seen lives wrecked by the state’s onerous drunk driving laws, both on the victim side as well as the offender side. There are numerous people who have had a couple of drinks and gotten nailed with fines that far exceed the danger they presented to the public. Drunk driving on the law enforcement side is a revenue instrument, seen by officials as a cash cow. The fee to reinstate a license was more than doubled in 1992 from $60 to $125. A sharp Michigan lawyer’s site tells us more about this issue. And given the nature of the income potential, why wouldn’t the state want to extend bar time? Does this mean that these officials care more about revenue than they do about the safety of the public from those viscious drunk drivers? Or does it mean that the crime is not as serious as everyone thinks, since there exists a willingness to put more potentially drunk(er) drivers on the road? The point is that no one is really serious about taking drunk drivers off the road when stated mission conflicts so apparently with the revenue potential. Drunk drivers are bad news, no doubt, but if they were as serious an element as such groups as MADD would tell us, why wouldn't someone like Jimmy Rogers Jr. be locked up forever
Our parks system is allegedly failing. But we have a way out of it. Chances are that you, like most Michiganders, don’t know what the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF)is. The fund is the repository for mineral and oil lease royalty payments, created in 1984 via a statewide vote. The fund is overseen by a board, which is composed of folks from conservation groups, the state DNR and a retired fellow named Bob Garner from Cadillac, whose yank comes via political contributions from both himself and his wife, numbering about $1,200, to Gov. Granholm. We should also note that prolific Republican contributor Frank Torre is on the board. He runs a landscape contracting firm in Pontiac. We supposed that paying into the system merits consideration, a sort of admission fee. The board proposes spending, which is routinely rubber-stamped by state lawmakers. The board meets six times a year with a poorly posted public meeting notice. But what goes on in the meetings deserve more attention, because more than $45 million in taxpayer dollars is doled out in the course of a year. In a state that is shouldering a $785 million budget deficit, this is some serious cash. In December, the board held two meetings, one at 7 p.m. on the 2nd and then the next morning at 9 a.m. At stake was the distribution of millions of dollars. The first meeting included a pitch from a DNR bureaucrat, Vicki Anthes, who asked the board for $11 million to buy some primo Detroit River frontal property from a group called the Detroit River Conservancy, a tax-exempt group that is awash in money. In 2007, the Detroit River Conservancy claimed $80 million in net assets, and paid its president, Faye Nelson, a package worth $240,000 a year. And somehow, a grocery store clerk in Houghton, a mechanic in Petoskey and a computer tech in Three Rivers were supposed to think funding a dubious venture is one of the nation's most corrupt cities is a good idea. But these state residents probably didn’t know about the possibility, which is still pending. As the meeting progressed, a Mr. Tom Bailey, who is executive director of the Little Traverse Conservancy made some comments regarding the economy and the need for economic stimulus, according to minutes of the meeting. Thanks to the constitutional protection of the MNRTF by the State of Michigan and how the program was created and crafted in the 1970s, Bailey noted, this year – and we presume he means 2009 - we will see the largest award of grant money in the history of the program – approximately $45 million. Mr. Bailey continued by stating that this creates a ready-made economic stimulus for Michigan. Most of the $45 million will go into the real estate market, which is one of the most troubled segments of our economy. Twenty-five percent of the $45 million will go to community recreational infrastructure, creating jobs and projects for the communities that will pay dividends for generations as people have full access to our natural resources. Mr. Bailey stated that we should ask the Legislature, not just for land conservation and recreation, but for the sake of our state, to pass the MNRTF bill as early in the upcoming session as possible so these dollars can go into the economy right away. He stated that Little Traverse Conservancy is willing to assist staff in any way possible. Bailey is paid $93,000 a year to help oversee the Little Traverse Conservancy’s $65 million in net assets, per its 2007 tax form. Not so smart – we note that $7.4 million is invested in publicly traded securities. Bet that $7.4 million is a bit worn down today. His comment about sinking most of the $45 million into real estate – also not so smart. And somehow, he believes that the high and mighty mission of these overfunded endeavors is to create jobs, whatever that means. The meeting went on with 18 people appearing to ask for money from the board. They all came bearing numbers and assuring that the money would be – like most public money – wisely spent. The next morning, the group heard from Joe Frick, chief of the office of financial services at the Department of Natural Resources. He advised the board that “there is an unusually high amount of oil and gas revenue -- $92.4 million, credited to the MNRTF for 2008. One-third of the revenue is available to spend for acquisition, development, operating costs and payments in-lieu of taxes -- $30.8 million. MNRTF had $380 million to spend. The board then proceeded to approve about $45 million in expenditures, including: • $96,000 for disabled access to Rolling Hills Park in Washtenaw County; • $255,100 for pool house improvements at Lion’s Field in Algonac; • $1.982 million to expand Lake Lansing Park North in Ingham County Which is fine in one regard – we have wonderful parks in Michigan, terrific green spaces and we should be willing to spend on such things. Normally. But today is not normal. In the Detroit News story linked at the start of this blog, we are told that “A trust fund, approved by voters in 1994 to meet long-term infrastructure needs, is instead being tapped for operations and is nearly depleted.” (But we do have money for new digs for at least one DNR office) At any rate, someone missed a very public meeting. This is the opposite of what was said at the MNRTF gathering on Dec. 3. But says Sen. Patty Birkholz, R-Saugatuck, chairwoman of the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee: "The condition of our parks is embarrassing at best and abysmal at worst. If we don't do something, there will be closures of some of our state parks." The proposed remedy is a higher vehicle registration fee. But how about some legislation that would permit money from the trust fund to be transferred to our state parks rather than expanding an already sufficient park in Ingham County? Or perhaps we can tell these well-heeled conservancies to do it themselves, and, by the way, we’re in a recession and please cut those salaries and spend some of that money you already have in the coffers. Better yet, how about Sen. Birkholz propose legislation to amend the structure of the MNRTF and consider this an emergency. This is the crime of a media depletion.; there is no one to cover these key meetings in which millions of public dollars are approved to spending. We will continue to look at these board, panels and committees and hopefully expose their activities in hopes of making a difference. Detroit River Front Conservancy
Now this is a good watchdog site, albeit a bit limited in focus. Rep. Mike Rogers, who represents parts of mid-Michigan, is a polished politician who delivers a pretty standard moderate Beltway rap – the feds spend too much (now that the president is a Democrat), we need a strong defense, the auto industry is in trouble, blah blah. Nothing truly courageous. To one end, he recently introduced his own site in the name of government accountability. Notice the links go to mostly government-administered Web sites. Talk about the wolves watching the hen house. It's a true bureaucratic answer to transparency. "Let us do it." But Mr. Rogers Neighborhood rightly focuses on the hypocrisy that comes from our elected representatives, and with some good humor.
Michigan’s economic troubles are well documented and widely known. But did you know that the state’s federal contracts have doubled in dollar terms since 2004? The pace has been led by General Motors and Chrysler, and last year, businesses in the state performed $8 billion worth of contracts. The state now ranks 19th in the nation in federal contract revenue, even as Michigan sets the pace and essentially defines the conversation of unemployment in the U.S. Most of Michigan’s contracts involve vehicles of all sorts – military mostly. State leaders still promote these federal contracts but there is no proof that these do much at all for an economy overall. Does this also paint a picture of government employment overall boosting an economy? Of course it does. We are just rarely confronted with the stark reality – government does not create jobs, or enough to make a difference. But it can create job opportunities.
We still love the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA), an offshoot of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation which authorizes tax breaks. In its meeting last month, there was a bit of exchange about a new Meijer being built in Berlin Township a bit east of Flint. The new location will hire around 190 full time workers. This, from the minutes: “(Board member Jackie) Shinn inquired about the difference in cost compared to Indiana. There was a $2 million difference in the labor in Indiana and it is less expensive to build there. Meijer faces a significant competitive disadvantage by relocating in Michigan without the benefit of incentives.” The board’s response to this? A 100% standard employment tax credit for 8 years. We are for tax concessions when they are needed to remain competitive – within the state. But when we are looking at a neighboring state that has a better shot at landing a large employer because of its union base and attached costs, would that not ignite some kind of debate? Union costs in Michigan are of course what fuel this cost discrepancy. Michigan has about 30% more labor membership than Indiana. A quick look at the records shows that Jackie Shinn, chief deputy director at the Michigan Department of Transportation, has no inclination at all to reflect on why Indiana can get the job done cheaper than Michigan. Her political contribution list is filled with money filtered to the pro-union forces here. She has donated thousands of dollars to the Granholm administration and has been rewarded with a lofty, powerful position as a result. The free market is not free when you have a cabal with such fealty to costly union strongholds. Did we mention Michigan’s unemployment rate?
We are amused by the recent Pig Book of Congressional Spending, if only for its Michigan entries. How about $951,500 by Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and House appropriator Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.) for downtown Detroit energy efficient street lighting? In a city with more trouble than it’s worth, this is as good as our elected officials in Washington can do. Well, OK, let’s also give them credit for the the $3.8 million earmark for the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy , a 501c3 that has already held massive fundraisers. What happens if the effort to save Tiger Stadium fails, despite all the good intentions? That $3.8 million will go somewhere. The state also has a gem along the lines of spending your money in the questionable name of energy. HB 4217, introduced in February by Democratic Rep. Fred Miller, would require the use of high efficiency light bulbs and electronic ballasts (used in fluorescent lights) in public facilities. The house passed it 69-35 The bill sits in committee on the Senate side. And Michigan rolls.
Auto insurance rates in Michigan are the highest in the nation. It’s one more sad top spot for the state, and things are only going to get worse. Recall that in her state of the state address, Gov. Granholm asked that insurers freeze their rates. But it won’t happen; the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA), which is the bureaucracy that pays out medical claims for auto insurers, is going to raise rates effective July 1 by $20. Insurance in Michigan has gone up dramatically in the past 8 years, most drivers will notice. Some lawmakers are making noise about reigning in the claims association, such as state Sen. Glenn Anderson, who seeks more transparency in the association’s conduct. Michigan in unique in that it is the sole state with bottomless medical coverage for those hurt in an auto accident. I know that when I lived in Texas and Florida, that coverage was an option that many did not use. The association is a train wreck, with the decision making board composed of five members – all from insurance companies. They hail from the Auto Club Insurance Association, Auto-Owners Insurance Company, GMAC Insurance, Progressive Insurance Company and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. Is it hard to see why this is such a mess? When a lifetime claim comes in, who would they rather have pay it out, their company or a taxpayer? Legislators mostly wave at the problem, even creating a Web site that feigns interest in lowering rates. But just to see how sincere they are, click on the link for "Michigan Legislature Begins Auto Insurance reform Hearings." It's a dead link. Problem solved.
It’s sunny and 75 outside my room at the Austin Motel. This is much better. Propublica is an investigative site that does a pretty good mainstream media take on news. You’ll find some half-baked liberal slant and much reverence for all things Democrat. But I was pleased to see the posting of the Obama team’s financials. It turns that that you, too, can request these things via the Web. For House members, go here and for White House appointees, head here. Wouldn't it be something if Michigan, in its love for openness and transparency, made it this easy?
I read this one today and cannot figure out how this stuff passes for information. The gist is the spending of $2 billion in taxpayer money on things that are somehow deemed worthy. Whether they have merit or not is worth discussing, but more than anything, it’s insulting to issue such a statement. For example, among the money allocated is “$900 million for public education in Michigan, including services to at-risk students, students with disabilities, and homeless students…” – This would be news if that $900 million excluded services to “at-risk students, students with disabilities, and homeless students.” Does the governor think the public is that stupid? A statehouse reporter could call the gov’s office and ask why this is noted. More money is set aside for what?: “$190 million for community-based service programs and food assistance to help citizens who are being directly impacted by the struggling economy…” OK, good idea. What service programs are going to get the money? What is food assistance? Is that food? How about “$48 million for public safety programs, including efforts to protect children from internet predators and provide services to crime victims…” This implies that we are not providing services to crime victims and that we are not protecting children from internet predators. That’s pretty big news. But can’t a reporter call and get some specifics? What kind of services? How are we going to protect children from internet predators? Since 1976, Michigan has provided financial compensation to crime victims with a lawful limit of $15,000. In fact, the entire array of services to crime victims is subject to law. Is there something, some way, that Michigan has been derelict in handling this? At the Web site of the Crime Victim Foundation, a quote from Gov. Granholm is bannered: "From time to time, I see a victim, who, by no fault of his or her own, is placed in a desperate situation with no place to turn; the Foundation responds to that victim." The Crime Victim Foundation’s tax returns are not available online so we can’t tell how much public funding it already receives. And I am fully in favor of helping crime victims in whatever fashion we can; these are folks who are often already impoverished and our blessed humanity gives us the love for our fellow man to assist in any way we can. Churches, social groups, and other community efforts are truly needed. But this unchecked spending of billions of dollars goes on without question and inane press releases such as this continue to be issued. And they will as long as the media obediently chews its cud.
Michigan’s first applicant to receive legal medicinal marijuana has been documented. This is one more test of states' rights, and President Obama and his Attorney General Eric Holder have already promised that the feds would no longer harass and prosecute those who administer medicinal pot under state law. I think it’s safe to say this is a politician’s promise. Just a week after the vow was made, DEA agents popped a dispensary in California, and I expect this will continue, as Obama made the gesture to appear youthful and above the issue. And he sure doesn't want to look at it in terms of state's rights. If he were to give it that form of merit, what would that mean for gay marriage, gun laws, and abortion? The issue is an important one in the role of states' rights. One on side of the fence, we have conservatives who feel the medicinal provision is a “nose under the tent” and they have a point, when you see who the supporters of medicinal pot are: NORML, MPP,and other stoner groups are always at the front of the push for medicinal. If state’s rights is so important, though, to many conservatives, why would this not be a classic case of letting the voter’s speak? Liberals are often remarkably silent when it comes to the issue, leaving the Libertarians to advocate next to the red-eyed. I fall on the state’s rights side. It is folly to ignore the will of the voters and it could be leveraged in an overall debate on just where the federal reach of the law ends. I think it ends when voters of a state say it ends. I am reminded of a fellow I met in Las Vegas in 2003 in the course of working on a story for the Washington Times not all that long ago. In researching the story, I met a fellow named Pierre Werner, a committed pot head, entrepreneur and a true eccentric. I connected with him on the phone when I first arrived in town, and a day later, I drove to a shady North Las Vegas neighborhood and loudly rattled the cage that encased the entry to a cinderblock home. That was how I was told to knock. And out walked Pierre. We chatted for a while and I must have convinced him I was not the law, because within 15 minutes, I was walking into a grow room with enormous plants. Over the next few days, Pierre and I had lunch at a local country club at which he was a member and we went to a Las Vegas 51s baseball game. I wrote a side bar on Pierre for that story, which is now being used by a drug rehab center for some reason. One of the best things about being a journalist is that you have the chance to hang out with these interesting characters and get to know how they work. I just noted this story on his release from prison. You guessed it: His law enforcement radar failed him. Musta been that last fattie. The application to become a medicinal pot patient in Michigan is remarkably simple. And this is where the weed jokes end... Medical Pot Application
This is a classic case of the media leading the charge to lean on big government in order to right a ship. And why Michigan leads the nation in unemployment, among many other things. The idea that the White House needs to bail the state out is standard silver-spoon ranting that will only hurt Michigan in the long run. As we know, lower taxes, remove the bureaucratic barriers that hamper small businesses and spend tax money on quality of life things like decent roads and sensible development. Instead, the media and state government screams unashamedly for more welfare. This is a mindset that is sure to bring continued disarray and harm to the people. And then there are the true crazies who are caught up in this “we are the world” sentiment. Two Michigan lawmakers want to raise the state income tax from 4.35 percent to 5.5 to pay for someone else’s kids to go to what we presume are already public school. Which we already pay for. Brilliant.
Auto suppliers in mid-March joined the ranks of companies with their hands in the government till, receiving up to $5 billion in financing under a new program from the Treasury Department. The Auto Supplier Support Program is meant to give “suppliers the confidence they need to continue shipping parts, pay their employees and continue their operations,” Treasury said in a press release. The program was created thanks to some strong lobbying by the Original Equipment Suppliers Association and other supplier advocacy non-profits. We notice, though, that in February some of the state’s brightest economic minds got together for the monthly meeting of the Michigan Strategic Fund Board, one more panel that meets with absolutely zero oversight from the media or public. The panel is there to hand out public money, and this group is particularly charged with giving away money from the Community Development Block Grant(CDBG), a federal program that “works to ensure decent affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities, and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of businesses,” according to its site. What the Strategic Fund Board decided to do is give away $260,000 to Berrien County in order to help a private company named Harbor Light Metals, an aluminum producer that provides parts to automotive companies, purchase some equipment. The county was excited, of course, because somehow it is sure that Harbor will provide some jobs. Maybe, maybe not. But wait a minute, didn’t we just fork over $5 billion for companies like this? What happened to buying your own gear, making something people needed or wanted, and then using that revenue to pay back the loan you took our to buy the gear? The item read on the Fund Board’s minute like this: Harbor Light Metals, LLC, located in Benton Harbor, is a minority owned company producing aluminum alloys sold to automotive, industrial and export buying markets. Its major customers include Alcoa, Toyota, and Briggs & Stratton. The Company has the opportunity to diversify their customer base to include aerospace and defense. To that end, the Company needs to purchase additional machinery and equipment, a total investment cost of $709,000. Berrien County is requesting $260,000 of CDBG funds to assist in the purchase of machinery and equipment by the Company in support of this project. Done deal. Your money. No problem. Next, the Strategic Fund Board heard the case of Mahle Engine Components, an international concern with a shop in St. Johns, Michigan. It, too, is an auto supplier and a member of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association. Remember, the group that lobbied for the $5 billion auto supplier bailout? It seems Mahle wants to expand and diversify its piston ring production. Is this a sound move given the direction of the auto industry? Not sure, but a private company is entitled to make its own decision in a free market. But the City of St. Johns is so sure it’s a good idea that it asked for $61,400 to build an additional road so that Mahle can embark on its dubious enterprise. These are small amounts of money in the scheme of things. But it is alarming to see this public money thrown at companies who are already receiving more than they should. We are for tax breaks and concessions in the spirit of economic competition when conditions are right. But they are not right now, and both the private and public sectors need to stick to a pretty tight game plan, and that is to make money on both ends. This handing over of taxpayer dollars is a crime. And that a board such as the Michigan Strategic Fund Board operates with no public oversight is a travesty.
The state of Michigan has announced awards to five esteemed builders to build energy efficient homes. A $5,000 stipend goes to these companies, and how proud they must be to have grabbed your money from among the hundreds of construction firms that could do the work. But one of the recipients, MJC Builders of Troy, based in Macomb County, has had some problems in the past. Not just from unsatisfied customers. But also from the…state, the very same that just handed them your money. In 2000, MJC was fined $500 for refusing to respond to a filed complaint. Now we know that there are all kinds of things behind such actions, including a grumpy client. We also see the head of MJC, Michael Chirco, is a diligent contributor to campaigns and PACs, including the Building Industry Association and a number of judges in his native Macomb County. The latter can be explained perhaps by the fact that he has been a party – a plaintiff – in 8 separate cases in Macomb since 1997, primarily him suing other developers. There are also some complaints out there. But we are not giving them any validity. MJC might be a fine example of responsible building. We’re sure they are green green green. Are apartment complexes green? Because the City of Taylor, Michigan settled a lawsuit against MJC late last year over its plans to build a series of plexes around town. But out of the vast number of constructions outfits looking for work in Michigan, wouldn’t a little due diligence be in order when handing out favors? Perhaps that $5,000 will ease the sting of that $500 fine.
Who is lying here? A Republican lawmaker says that the state needs to cut 5% of the budget across the board. The Democratic governor says she’s trying but wants to wait to see how tax revenue went for the first four months of the year before doing anything. As it is the way of politics, my guess is that both are not shooting straight. But a Granholm’s spokeswoman concedes that state worker pay is going to go up. Liz Boyd, spokesperson for Granholm, said state employees will receive a 1% raise in October for 2010, and are scheduled for a 3% raise in 2011. Which helps make it clear who is not cooperating.
The Michigan Department of Corrections, by law, posts the list commutation hearings that will be taking place in the coming weeks. Commutation is not a pardon: If granted, the inmate reports to a parole officer for four years after release. These cases range from murder and kidnapping to armed robbery. Most are very serious and often violent crimes. Members of the public have a right to attend these hearings and speak if they desire. These can be emotionally charged events and I’m always surprised more reporters don’t attend. Perhaps they are too busy handing out parental advice or giving tips on home decorating. In one recent case, a man who had been incarcerated since he was 19 was released. He was 64. What kind of story do you think you could pull from that? Answer: A very good one in the hands of a graceful journalist. Next week, the parole board will hear the case of Paul Allen Dye, a man convicted of both 1st and 2nd degree murder in 1990. According to case files , the murders occurred in Wayne County: Early in the morning of August 29, 1982, [Donna Bartels and Glenda Collins] were killed in the clubhouse of the Forbidden Wheels Motorcycle Club. They had each been shot through the head. Their bodies were dumped on the curb of a residential street and discovered there by early morning commuters. Four club members were in the clubhouse at the time of the murders. Dye, Bruce Seidel, James Dawson, and Steve Stever all admitted to helping clean up the clubhouse after the killings. Seidel, the prosecution's chief witness, accused Dye of killing the women. Dye accused Seidel of being the killer. Dawson and Stever, who had been in an upstairs apartment apparently asleep at the time of the killings, testified that Seidel walked upstairs, awakened them, and told them that Dye had just killed two women. Seidel, Dawson, and Stever further testified that after Seidel and Dye dumped the bodies, all four met in Stever's garage, where Dye admitted to the killings. Dye has been locked up for 18 years and has zero sanctions, MDOC spokesman Russ Marlan told me. As with any commutation case, the state parole board has voted twice to hear his case for commutation after reviewing mental health reports and statements from the sentencing judge and prosecutor. So this hearing on April 9 is a big one. But what is compelling about Paul Allen Dye’s case is its legal history. His appeal made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it may well be the first official opinion from the court with Justice John G. Roberts, and it sided with the inmate. In the process, it also bench-slapped the 6th Circuit Court for refusing to consider Dye's legal argument, which included the accusations of prosecutorial misconduct. The author of one sentencing blog, legal scholar Douglas Berman, notes: "So, when playing the "law nerd" version of Trivial Pursuit, remember that the question "Who prevailed in the first written decision of the Roberts Court?," should be answered "convicted murderer Paul Allen Dye."" We know that this gets all legally intricate, and that’s not our mission here, but it is noteworthy that Dye is up for commutation. And this legal democracy holds hands with free markets, in our book.
Michigan is one of 16 states that will be overseen by the General Accountability Office in its use of federal stimulus money. Now when we read this blurb on the governor’s Web site, we see a note that says “click here for testimony from Gene L. Dodaro, Acting Comptroller General of the United States…” but we see no link. This is not a good start in terms of transparency, when the very announcement that you will be monitored is not transparent. Here is what the office could not seem to provide. Curiously, the news that came earlier this month seemed to evade the Michigan media team. But Crain’s in Chicago ran a nice little Illinois-centric piece about it. While we were at it, finding this site that allows us to report fraud or waste is an interesting idea. Not sure if it works, but we’ll be keeping an eye on the spending of these funds here in Michigan. We have no trouble dialing the 202, which was once our home. GAO Follows Michigan Spending of Stimulus $
Rick Wagoner is finally leaving General Motors and we couldn’t be happier. His poor performance over the past 18 months befits his rather graceless departure, and his ineptitude was on display almost monthly. A quick visit to the Wagoner Hall of Shame includes some choice comments: 5/8/07: “You see, the global auto industry is beginning to revolutionize the way that autos are powered… and the source of the energy used… and it promises to be the biggest change to hit our industry since, well, the invention of the internal combustion engine. Why is this happening now? Well, for a number of reasons, it has become increasingly clear in recent years that oil alone will not be able to supply all of the world’s rapidly growing automotive energy requirements. For the auto industry, this means that we must develop alternative sources of propulsion, based on diverse sources of energy, in order to meet the world’s growing demand for our cars and trucks.” 2/10/05: “Now, some people might have thought of American manufacturing as dying... but I prefer to paraphrase Mark Twain's famous quote: accounts of our death have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, the comeback of American manufacturing in the last two decades has been a remarkable story. In the early 1980's, American business, and particularly American manufacturing, was described by many as inefficient and ineffective... in a word, uncompetitive. The U.S. was losing its credibility as an industrial power. But American business and American manufacturers worked hard to fix what was wrong. And the U.S. has emerged, once again, as the most productive and competitive economy in the world.” 6/12/03: Speaking of one of the ways GM has taken a chance and come up looking good, “by investing more than half a billion dollars in this facility, the Renaissance Center, because we have a responsibility to make sure this city has a very bright future...” Yes, Rick has been quite the star. But who will ever forget his shining moment, his last grasp as he begged for public money on Cap Hill after flying in on his private jet. GM has declined to comment on the move. But we are sure there is some major glee among the troops. Tomorrow’s question is of his successor. Will it be an Obama appointee or will the administration change course and allow the free market to work?
Steve Miller is an investigative reporter with over two decades of experience in daily newspaper, Web and magazine reporting and writing. Miller has done time as a court and cops beat reporter at the Dallas Morning News and as a national reporter for the Washington Times, and as a correspondent for national publications including People magazine, High Times, Boston Magazine, Miami New Times, Houston Press, The Daily Beast and U.S. News and World Report. In 2012, he was an Edgar award finalist for his book, Girl, Wanted: The Chase for Sarah Pender. He is a recipient of the digital investigative award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Miller was also the former vocalist in the Midwest punk rock outfit the Fix in 1980-81.
Posts
