Friday, August 03, 2012

Attorney General Bill Schuette says Protect Our Jobs' pro-union proposal is too sweeping for ballot

Attorney General Bill Schuette says Protect Our Jobs' pro-union proposal is too sweeping for ballot | MLive.com
The union-backed Protect Our Jobs ballot proposal would “eviscerate” Civil Service Commission rules and is too sweeping for a 100-word ballot summary, Attorney General Bill Schuette said in a letter to Gov. Rick Snyder.
Schuette recommended that the state Board of Canvassers not approve the ballot language or place the proposal on the November ballot.

Pension debt overwhelms bankrupt San Bernardino, California

Pension debt overwhelms bankrupt San Bernardino, California | Reuters:
Patrick J. Morris, San Bernardino's mayor, said in a telephone interview that the bulk of the city's debt was due to "unfunded liabilities related to pension and benefits" for the city's employees, and "obligations to employee groups in labor contracts."

MEDC Programs Consistently Fall Short of Initial Claims

MEDC Programs Consistently Fall Short of Initial Claims [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
The MEDC oversees the 21st Century Jobs Fund. In a 2008 press release, then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm said, “The 21st Century Jobs Fund is the cornerstone of the most comprehensive and aggressive strategy in the nation to transform our economy, grow new high-tech companies and create good-paying jobs for our citizens.”
Programs of the 21st Century Jobs Fund have not lived up to this description.

Bentivolio Battling GOP Establishment

Bentivolio Battling GOP Establishment [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
The 11th Congressional District was redrawn in 2010 and covers portions of Western Wayne County and Oakland County.
Thaddeus McCotter would have been the incumbent running for re-election but he botched the required signature gathering requirement and then later resigned from office in early July.

WinFall: Report details how a Michigan retiree legally beat the Massachusetts State Lottery

WinFall: Report details how a Michigan retiree legally beat the Massachusetts State Lottery | MLive.com
By buying in bulk for his G S Invstement Strategies group, Selbee could tap into favorable favorable margins, which he calculated to be between 17 and 21 percent before taxes.

Rob Bliss reveals details about project at Pere Marquette Beach

Rob Bliss reveals details about project at Pere Marquette Beach | MLive.com
He did explain however, why he chose Muskegon's PereMarquette.
He said they considered different beaches in West Michigan, includingGrand Haven and Saugatuck.
The Muskegon CVB was the most helpful, he said, PereMarquette's location was also convenient.
"It's also a beautiful beach," he said.

Two separate Norton Shores neighborhoods start watch groups to curb crime

Two separate Norton Shores neighborhoods start watch groups to curb crime | MLive.com
Any other neighborhood interested in learning more about the program should contact Passchier or Officer James Davis at the Norton Shores Police Department at 733-2691.

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Muskegon County Board race in Norton Shores features veteran official, talk-show host

Muskegon County Board race in Norton Shores features veteran official, talk-show host | MLive.com
Scolnik also contends that his style of working together and seeking compromise is more effective.
“My opponent has run a campaign built entirely on negatives … twisting and distorting information without giving the whole picture,” Scolnik said.
“He has not put forth any plan for improving the county and, worst of all, he is attempting to bring the same destructive partisan politics that are occurring in Washington to the Muskegon County commission.”

Chick-fil-A Store Locator | Store-Locator.info

Chick-fil-A Store Locator | Store-Locator.info

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Actuaries Debunk Myth that 80% Pension Funded Ratio Alone Constitutes 'Actuarially Sound'

Actuaries Debunk Myth that 80% Pension Funded Ratio Alone Constitutes 'Actuarially Sound' -- WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
The American Academy of Actuaries cautioned today that a commonly used measure for considering a pension plan healthy—its funded ratio—fails to provide a sufficient measure on its own of a plan's financial health.
"Any realistic assessment of a pension plan should include several measures, not just one," said Senior Pension Fellow Don Fuerst.
"Somehow 80% has become a perceived standard but that is a myth we need to replace with facts."

RileyForCommissioner: My response to The Muskegon Chronicle questionaire

(click link for full response)
RileyForCommissioner: My response to The Muskegon Chronicle questionaire
Why are you running?
Last year, Governor Snyder set out his revenue sharing program tied to requirements for accountability, transparency, service consolidation, employee compensation reforms and other standards.
Almost immediately, the Muskegon county board rushed to vote on all union contracts in order keep pension and benefits at levels that would violate the governor's recommendations.
And do it before the governor's deadline.
Our county leaders skipped their own rules for a required committee meeting to publicly review the contracts and presented the contract vote to the full board with most commissioners not even seeing or reading the contracts themselves.
In other words, county commissioners trashed transparency, changed their own rules and gave up future revenue sharing in order to push through Cadillac benefit packages for every union contract.
Shortly thereafter, they included all non-union members in the same package.
And now county leaders tell us further cutbacks or tax increases are going to be necessary in the near future.
Bob Scolnik voted for every step of this scheme to violate our governor's plan for prudent governance and rush the contract vote.
I would not have done that and I would have taken my message to the public.

Road commissioner, North Muskegon councilman square off in Democratic county board primary

Road commissioner, North Muskegon councilman square off in Democratic county board primary | MLive.com

Muskegon Township's county commissioner pits incumbent vs. challenger in Democratic primary

Muskegon Township's county commissioner pits incumbent vs. challenger in Democratic primary | MLive.com
If elected, Hughes listed her top three priorities as using local businesses and services at the county level whenever possible, reviewing a program’s effectiveness before renewing or extending it and seeking more input from county residents, local businesses and local service agencies about the needs within the county.

Michigan’s 11th – An August 7th Primary to watch

Michigan’s 11th – An August 7th Primary to watch « The Greenroom
Unfortunately, this is one of the things that many people of this country are so frustrated with… people who run for office one way and vote another.
People who take credit, but don’t expect criticism.

HOPEY-CHANGEY: Amazing Live Prison People

Instapundit » Blog Archive » HOPEY-CHANGEY: Amazing Live Prison People….
Posted by Glenn Reynolds at 10:44 am

Many questions need to be answered about jail

Letters: Many questions need to be answered about jail | MLive.com
Finally, a jail may be the best solution to our current predicament.

But where will the money come from?

Why haven't the county commissioners made plans for this enormous expense?

What have they done to reduce costs and save money for the jail?

It seems to me that these questions need to be publicly answered before any taxpayer money is spent on an expensive new facility that our county's citizens clearly can't afford.

Full List - Famous Republicans

Full List - Famous Republicans - Zimbio
Famous Republicans
While Hollywood is comprised of mostly staunch Democrats, there are a few conservative folks who stand tall and strong.

Ted Cruz Rises to Victory in Texas Senate Runoff

The PJ Tatler » Ted Cruz Rises to Victory in Texas Senate Runoff
He won comfortably, with about 53% of the vote. Cruz’s win is a strong sign that the Tea Party is capable of backing a strong candidate against a stronger candidate, at least on paper, and backing that candidate to a resounding victory.

Former SEIU leader indicted

Former SEIU leader indicted - latimes.com
Freeman’s quick climb up the ranks of the powerful Service Employees International Union burnished his reputation as an effective advocate for the disadvantaged, a man who helped improve the lot of about 190,000 workers paid about $9 an hour to provide in-home care for the infirm.

Mr. Scrib's expands to the southwest

Mr. Scrib's expands to the southwest | wzzm13.com
"We are opening up eight to ten stores in the greater Phoenix market right now," says Bill Cooper of Mr. Scrib's Franchising Company.