Bill Rogers opposes the Red Light Cameras

I was glad to see this from my rep on WHMI. These cameras are bad news and is a big issue in the transportation committee. Thank you, Bill.

State Representative Bill Rogers is speaking out against proposed legislation that would allow red light cameras to be installed in Michigan. House Bill 4763 has been taken up for testimony by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It would give local municipalities the ability to install red light cameras at their most dangerous intersections. It carries a requirement for those intersections to follow the state’s yellow light timing standards. Rogers is opposed to the bill, which he says is a way to generate revenue rather than improve public safety. In a press release, he pointed out that those caught on camera would have to pay a fine for a moving violation but would not receive any points on their license. (TD) 

I've dealt with these from personal experience - without ever being at the intersection in the first place. 

State House Redistricting - District 42 (HD-42)

State House - District 42
Current Reps - Bill Rogers (R-Genoa Twp)

Declared Candidates:
Rep - Bill Rogers (R-Brighton)
Dem - Shanda Willis (D-Brighton)

Update 5-26-2012 - Bill Rogers has a challenger from Novi Teacher Dale Rogers, who often posts on the Livingston Post website. Bill's favored to win, although I think Dale has the potential with his background to be a strong challenger if he really knows how to run a state rep campaign. Adding Hamburg and Putnam Twps did not do Bill any favors. While most MEA teachers are democrats, there are many who are swing voters or sometimes weak GOP because of some issues. I noticed that from other campaigns, including some names I recognized that I'd never expect to be on a GOP list until I saw one major indicator that would explain it. I'm not going to bet against Bill here, but I don't expect this to be a repeat of Joe Hune vs Paul Rogers.  

Update 8-30-2012 - Bill Rogers wins the primary. 

2010 Results - Old District (66th)
Bill Rogers - 23,480
James Delcamp - 8,246

The new 42th is descended from the old 66th district in Livingston County. This district changed slightly with redistricting. It dropped Milford to the 44th district. It dropped Oceola Twp and Marion Twp to the 47th district with Cindy Denby. It picks up Hamburg and Putnam Townshops from Denby. This new district is much less republican than it was previously, but Brighton and Genoa Townships will carry this even in bad year barring a Don Sherwood level of disaster. I think the last time a dem won this district was maybe  1990 or more likely 1986 for Frank Kelley.

Bill Rogers has one more term left, then this district will open up.

	McCain	Obama	Total	Diff	GOP	DEM	Diff
Brighton	1984	2097	4081	-113	48.62%	51.38%	-2.77%
Brighton Twp	6589	4188	10777	2401	61.14%	38.86%	22.28%
Genoa Twp	6592	4502	11094	2090	59.42%	40.58%	18.84%
Green Oak Twp	5522	4395	9917	1127	55.68%	44.32%	11.36%
Hamburg Twp	6355	5922	12277	433	51.76%	48.24%	3.53%
Putnam Twp	2210	2157	4367	53	50.61%	49.39%	1.21%
Total	29252	23261	52513	5991	55.70%	44.30%	11.41%
	Bush	Kerry	Total	Diff	GOP	DEM	Diff
Brighton	2226	1763	3989	463	55.80%	44.20%	11.61%
Brighton Twp	6977	3525	10502	3452	66.43%	33.57%	32.87%
Genoa Twp	7081	3608	10689	3473	66.25%	33.75%	32.49%
Green Oak Twp	5779	3618	9397	2161	61.50%	38.50%	23.00%
Hamburg Twp	6933	4933	11866	2000	58.43%	41.57%	16.85%
Putnam Twp	2417	1792	4209	625	57.42%	42.58%	14.85%
Total	31413	19239	50652	12174	62.02%	37.98%	24.03%
Last State House	GOP	DEM	Total	Diff	GOP	DEM	Diff
Brighton	1747	950	2697	797	64.78%	35.22%	29.55%
Brighton Twp	5585	1827	7412	3758	75.35%	24.65%	50.70%
Genoa Twp	5692	1806	7498	3886	75.91%	24.09%	51.83%
Green Oak Twp	4603	1888	6491	2715	70.91%	29.09%	41.83%
Hamburg Twp			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Putnam Twp			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Total	17627	6471	24098	11156	73.15%	26.85%	46.29%

Rick Snyder defends his budget at townhall

I'm not a Snyder Republican, as those who read this blog know, but I'll give him some credit. He crashed today's townhall meeting at Cleary over in Howell. Originally, this was a Bill Rogers/Cindy Denby event. Snyder's earned some respect from me for going out and defending this, especially when the MEA flooded the place with their union supporters blasting cuts. I still don't support all of the Snyder budget, mostly the tax increases.

Snyder talks about shared sacrifice and reinventing Michigan. His budget does not reinvent Michigan at all. It has the same problems of budgets over the last dozens of years.

All the budget fights is over about 18% of the real budget ("discretionary" budget of 8 or 9 billion). I didn't get a chance to grab a packet of the actual numbers (Thanks to Bill Rogers for having those there and on the slides). The real budget is the 45 Billion that is collected in taxes. 80%+ of the real budget is considered off the table. Why? The explanation I am told is due to either federal matching funds requirements or the Michigan Constitution. This is from all the reps and staffers I know.

That explanation is unacceptable. It's Lansing thinking. I know where it's coming from. I understand it. I can not accept it. As for the federal decisions, it's time to stand up to federal mandates, even if it means giving up some of those federal bribes. As for the constitutional restrictions, we have a process to deal with them. State Constitutional Amendments. If Rick Snyder really wants to reinvent Michigan, and I think he does, he can do so by using the bully pulpit by push for an Amendment opening up the rest of the budgets to get rid of our structural deficit. This can be done. It's not easy, but it needs to be done if there is going to be real budget changes and cultural changes regarding the budgets in Lansing.

If you want me on board with any "shared sacrifice" plan, you have to get to the meat and potatoes of the problem and not just 18% of the budget. Any plan that doesn't touch 82% part of the budget I oppose. Put it all on the table, and get this on the ballot for this August so we can get a real balanced budget without raising taxes.

Bill Rogers on the tax votes

I just got an email from Bill Rogers right after my post on the doctor tax. Here's what Bill sent out to us.

House Democrats Vote To Raise Your Taxes
Tonight, Lawmakers Penalize Taxpayers, Business Owners and Doctors

I am outraged that tonight, the House Democrats pushed through a series of tax increases on Michigan residents and job providers in order to balance the state's budget, while stalling for the last nine months!

In bills ultimately approved by the Democrat-led state House, the proposals raise taxes by almost $400 million, including the elimination of $116 million in Michigan Business Tax credits that Livingston County businesses have been utilizing, a new health care tax, and the elimination of a scheduled $100 increase in per person deduction for state income taxes.

It is unbelievable to me that we even considered tax increases when Michigan families and businesses already took a massive hit in 2007 with an income tax increase and a massive 23% surcharge tax added onto the new Michigan Business Tax (MBT). To bring up tax increases at the 11th hour under the cover of darkness is a stunning breach of the public trust. We had a bi-partisan, signed agreement to balance the state's budget without raising taxes, and now the Democrats have broken that deal!

To end a government shutdown in 2007, Democrats proposed and pushed through a $1.4 billion tax increase, one of the largest ever in Michigan's history. Since that time, Michigan's unemployment rate has more than doubled. The state is facing a $3 billion shortfall for the current fiscal year it is working on and is already facing a projected $1.4 billion shortfall for the following fiscal year!!!

We must balance the state's budget without relying on Michigan residents and business owners to send more of their hard-earned money to Lansing. I am embarrassed that the House Leadership continues to pass the buck on Michigan's future instead of making the tough decisions that need to be made.

We MUST look at making the structural reforms now if we ever want to get our state back on track financially and economically.

All taxes bills passed by the Michigan House must now be approved by the Michigan Senate and signed by the Governor. To see how your Legislator voted on these tax increases, please visit www.michiganvotes.org.

Livingston County Candidate Forum, September 23, 8AM

The Argus had this on their website:

Candidates for the 47th and 66th district seas in the Michigan House of Representatives will take part in a candidate forum on Sept. 23 at 8 am at the Livingston Regional M-TEC in Howell.

They incorrectly have the wrong website for the sponsors. It's http://www.thecenterformichigan.net

SEPTEMBER 23: TOWN HALL FORUM

Brighton, Fowlerville, Howell

8 a.m.

Livingston Regional M-TEC, 1240 Packard Drive, Howell

47th-66th State House District Candidates Donna Anderson, Cindy Denby, Scott Lucas, Bill Rogers

I'm not a fan of the polticial stance from the Center for Michigan and their push for the constitutional convention, but I'll give them kudos for setting this up. Tuesdays are usually a bad day for me, but if I can make it I will. I've never seen Scott Lucas in action, and I think Anderson v Rogers is an interesting matchup.

IMO, the more forums and debates, the better, as long as the questions are good and issues based, and not the crap being spewed by the New York/DC media the last few days.

Another candidate in the 66th?

The Democrats had their county event with UAW boss Ron Gettelfinger. Did they have the illegal 50-50 drawing there? I didn't want to pay $60 to find out. If they did and if anyone has a picture, let me know.

There was an interesting blurb from the Ann Arbor news at the end of the article.

Anderson is the Democratic candidate for the 66th District state House, a seat being vacated by Republican Chris Ward because of term limitations.
"The most important thing is the Michigan economy,'' Anderson said. "We need jobs and job training. We have to consider all the people of Michigan.''

The Anderson mentioned would be Donna Anderson, who ran against Valde Garcia in 2004. That election was the closest of the three district based state races in Livingston County, but most of that was due to narrow losses in parts of Ingham and Shiawassee County, also in that district. Valde won the Livingston portion by 18,000 votes and took every precinct, including the five/six or so that often go for a democrat. Now, keep in the mind that this will be an open district this year. I do take all races seriously. No district is truely safe, although I don't think we'll lose this one unless we God forbid get a Don Sherwood type of situation which I don't expect at all from Bill or Jason.

I did catch Anderson in a debate back in 06. She is very liberal and out of the mainstream on most issues in this county. However, she has one thing I think that is going for her and that is that she did not give a lot of what I call politispeak (or double talk, smoke and mirrors). That is something I do respect.

Another candidate has filed earlier, Tommy Crawford. There probably will be a primary then in both parties for this seat. They are rare among the democrats around here, but do happen. There was one for a county commission seat in 06 and for the open special election for what was Mike Rogers then state senate district eventually won by Valde Garcia.

Jason Corosanite and Bill Rogers are both filed on the GOP site for this district. This will be the first primary race of any sort in the 66th since Judie Scranton edged Steve Williams in the 2000 primary. That primary was based more on social issues. I expect this one to be more on economic issues, but we'll see.

Updates

Two big items I'd like to go into detail if I have enough time.

1. Steve Williams is dropping out of the 66th district house race (my district) due to family reasons. Bill Rogers (Mike's brother and County Commissioner) is in.

2. The state house repealed the BS services tax and replaced it with an unacceptable "surcharge" to businesses that have to pay the MBT business tax. Both Chris Ward and Joe Hune voted correctly on this tax bill.