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Ranger Rick: Some observations about the roads debacle

Well, Proposal 15Ranger Rick Art_7_0_0-1 will soon be upon us in another week. We can vote ourselves more taxes (some estimates indicate an average Michigan household will experience $800 per year increase in taxes if this is passed), or turn it down.

The legislators, those we voted for to make such decisions, want the populace to vote for taxes upon themselves, then they aren’t blamed. Since most are lawyers or some such ilk, it makes sense – most lawyers play both sides of the fence then send you the big bill for doing so. You know the difference between a carp and a lawyer? One is a scum sucking bottom feeder, the other is a fish.

We are told this is the best solution for the poor Michigan roads situation, there is no Plan “B.” Really? This is the best our legislators can do? To get money to repair existing roads and make new ones. There are other pay-offs because to placate Democrat legislators to support the proposal, an education bribe and earned income tax credit increase had to be added.

If you want to know the ins and outs of this proposal so you’ll be informed completely instead of through the talking heads supporting this proposal you see on TV and hear on the radio, view:

http://woodtv.com/2015/04/19/to-the-point-proposal-1-opponent/

This will give you what you need to make a complete and reasoned decision to vote no because it is such a flawed bill. Tell the Michigan House and Senate to get to work and construct a road repair bill and just roads, nothing else. If they want to give more for schools and “earned” income tax credits, put them in separate bills and vote on them without the pork riders.

I remember when we voted to increase the Michigan sales tax from 4% to 6%. We were told if this was passed, it would provide so much revenue, more tax increases would not be needed – ever. What suckers we were! You know how to tell if a politician is lying…. their mouth is moving!

Yes, my Democrat friends will squeal that is being mean-spirited, but with the performance in Lansing (and D.C.) lately, I think it fits. The politicians doing what they do for their constituents are the good ones, the ones doing it for themselves are scumbags – many are scumbags. Sadly, both Democrats and Republicans fall in the category.

Speaking of roads, our lovely little town of Wayland citizens and businesses pay an excessive amount in taxes to support this town and city services. I used to see city police patrolling the local roads a few years ago. Now, I rarely see an officer – they can’t all be sitting watching for speeders.

And north Main Street from Maple to the center of town looks like Detroit – a third world road. Where are the Public Works people? And I’m not talking about hot, loose asphalt thrown in a hole. I’m talking about a patch to last – you Public Works guys know what I mean – clean out the hole, heat it up with a torch, fill the hole slightly above grade while tamping in the asphalt to create a good, long lasting patch – one that will last longer than the road surrounding it. I’ve seen experienced road crews do patching correctly, and it lasts and lasts.

I’m sure a few of you have enough time during the week to dedicate some time to local road patching. The road in front of the DPW is a mess too, just not as bad as North Main. Reno has some big holes in it too, north of the dentist office. I know the extreme weather of freezing and thawing plays havoc with roads, we are Michiganders and expect potholes in late winter, early spring. But we also know how to fix them correctly.

I encourage the DPW to do what they are paid to do. When the money is allocated to repair/resurface roads, we can rejoice. Until then, we need to patch. Git’er done!

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