Scrapping/EM conflict bills introduced. MI can now show it's true colors.

[brizee]

The anti scrapping bill finally made it out of committee after two years.

The effects have been as obvious as they are dangerous and ugly. It's so bad you even a mayoral candidate pleading with the state reps to pass this bill as a part of his base platform.

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Legislation has just been put forward to halt conflicts of interest with "emergency managers".

It bars installed em's from utilising/hiring/or otherwise profiteering for their "former" companies.

Again it should be pretty obvious.

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I don't think much of the state level politicians here and I'm not shy about stating it.

However I will give credit where it is due, and when it's deserved.

Ball's in their court, let's see how they act.

[motz]

The anti scrapping bill finally made it out of committee after two years.

The effects have been as obvious as they are dangerous and ugly. It's so bad you even a mayoral candidate pleading with the state reps to pass this bill as a part of his base platform.

I really, really, really hope this gets passed. The hardest thing for me to comprehend about the crowd who dislikes this bill is the fact that scrapping is no longer just a Detroit/Saginaw/Flint/Lansing/etc problem, but a problem that is showing its ugly head in the suburbs. While people don't typically seem to be injured in the burbs, homes are still being stripped and left as rotting husks of their old selves. Kudos that it will be voted on, but I am waiting very very hesitantly.

[corktownyuppie]

I really, really, really hope this gets passed. The hardest thing for me to comprehend about the crowd who dislikes this bill is the fact that scrapping is no longer just a Detroit/Saginaw/Flint/Lansing/etc problem, but a problem that is showing its ugly head in the suburbs. While people don't typically seem to be injured in the burbs, homes are still being stripped and left as rotting husks of their old selves. Kudos that it will be voted on, but I am waiting very very hesitantly.

Agree. This absolutely needs to get passed.

Police, prosecutors, utilities and railroad executives testified in the spring that illegal scrapping has become an epidemic and is creating a safety risk when metal rail ties are stolen and utility transformers are broken into and wires scavenged, leaving customers without power.The number of incidents of illegal scrapping has increased from 527 in 2011 to 1,402 in 2012, according to the Michigan State Police.

GET ON THE PHONE and tell them to VOTE YES ON HB 4593, HB 4594 and HB 4595


Governor Snyder - Constituent Services
PHONE: [[517) 335-7858

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville
PHONE: [[517) 373-3543

Speaker of the House - Jase Bolger
PHONE: 517.373.1787

House Majority Leader - Jim Stamas
PHONE: 517.373.1791

House Minority Leader - Tim Greimel
PHONE: 517.373.0475

[jt1]

Agree. This absolutely needs to get passed.


GET ON THE PHONE and tell them to VOTE YES ON HB 4593, HB 4594 and HB 4595


Governor Snyder - Constituent Services
PHONE: [[517) 335-7858

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville
PHONE: [[517) 373-3543

Speaker of the House - Jase Bolger
PHONE: 517.373.1787

House Majority Leader - Jim Stamas
PHONE: 517.373.1791

House Minority Leader - Tim Greimel
PHONE: 517.373.0475

I'd prefer someone just go out and steal everyone of their catalytic converters. That's probably the only way assholes like Richardville and Bolger will take notice.

[motz]

I'd prefer someone just go out and steal everyone of their catalytic converters. That's probably the only way assholes like Richardville and Bolger will take notice.

Look jt1, Bolger and Richardville are just protecting the rights of free market businesses that choose to deal in shady areas that other people don't. That is so free market that how dare they restrict the rights and freedoms of these job creators.*

*I am being sarcastic. I read that back to myself and realized they might actually use that argument.

[brizee]

I really, really, really hope this gets passed. The hardest thing for me to comprehend about the crowd who dislikes this bill is the fact that scrapping is no longer just a Detroit/Saginaw/Flint/Lansing/etc problem, but a problem that is showing its ugly head in the suburbs. While people don't typically seem to be injured in the burbs, homes are still being stripped and left as rotting husks of their old selves. Kudos that it will be voted on, but I am waiting very very hesitantly.

It sucks that problems have to have a white face on them before they actually become an issue. But that's something this whole country has a problem with not just this backwards ass state.

I've never actually seen any real scrapped/boarded up hulks in the burbs. But with that stat of incidents increasing 3-fold in one year I can believe it.

[dmike76]

Question....if this passes, what will the scrappers turn to for money? Kind of a scary thought......

[jt1]

On some cases it may be a scary thought. Too many people perceive scrappers as strung out crack heads looking for a fix. A lot of the scrappers are organized and run on a near professional level. Hell, some of them own or rent construction equipment.

In the grand scheme of things, people that live outside the city are convinced that the only crime that chases out residents is violent crime. The reality is that property crime causes a lot of residents to leave, especially when DPD won't both to acknowledge or show up to stop it.

[corktownyuppie]

It sucks that problems have to have a white face on them before they actually become an issue.

I agree.

I want to add that this expands not just to putting a white face but also to putting a "majority" face. If I'm the only college student in a neighborhood full of 80-90 year olds and my high speed internet goes out, no one cares. [[Yes, my actual 70-year-old neighbor still is on dial-up). But if you were on campus and internet went out for 3 weeks, you would be risking civil unrest.

There's a relationship between racial dynamics and in-group/out-group dynamics. But it can also be very easy to confuse them for the same thing.

I don't know what the solution is.

[dmike76]

Fair point. I guess that is where my mind went. I'm sure some would go that route but most probably wouldn't.

[motz]

It sucks that problems have to have a white face on them before they actually become an issue. But that's something this whole country has a problem with not just this backwards ass state.

I've never actually seen any real scrapped/boarded up hulks in the burbs. But with that stat of incidents increasing 3-fold in one year I can believe it.

I totally agree on your first point, in more ways than I can say. Part of the issue is that when the majority isn't affected by a problem, it goes unanswered for far too long. And while I recognize it is most commonly a "white face on the problem issue", I feel we need to start recognizing that more and more, this is a socio-economic issue. While most people who are facing economic hardship are of one race, all races do fall into that category. There are plenty of people in Eastpointe/Hazel Park/Warren/etc that are dealing with scrappers, just ask around. Houses in neighborhoods get gutted, just that the perpetrators need to be a bit quieter about than they do in Detroit.

And yeah, the problem has definitely hit Troy and beyond. My parents live in Troy and from 2010 and on, the Troy Times [[that weird little weekly) had crime reports about bank-owned properties being scrapped. The thing is, the people doing it looked and acted much more professional than you often see in Detroit, leading it to go less-noticed.

[brizee]

Scrapping bills pass the house, move to the senate.

98-9 and 99-8.

Gotta be some real true-believer pieces of garbage to have a problem with this.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I would imagine that opposition [[and I am not opposed) is based on specs in the law and it's methods of enforcement, not the ideas behind it.

[Ray1936]

I sure like Nevada's legislature much better. They only meet for four months, every other year. The Governor can call a special session, but he rarely does. It's pretty much a part-time position, unlike the gluttons you have in Lansing.