Why is Brooks Patterson so well liked?

[noggin]

[quote=Novine;170980]"They also have gone with a multiyear budget to enable to plan much farther ahead against economic downturns."

Another of Patterson's myths. Has anyone gone back and looked at the budget projections for most of the past budgets? Most of them missed their marks and the budgets required mid-year cuts and layoffs to keep them balanced. The budgets were only as good as the projections and most of them weren't very good when it came to forecasting the future. Only in the past year or two have those budgets accurately reflected what's going on in the world.

from DB Business Oct 8, 2009:
"Moody’s cites the county’s strong balance sheet and recent three-year line item budget as among its reasons to continue the AAA Bond Rating. “Moody’s believes the county’s financial position will remain strong, given current General Fund reserves supported by alternate liquidity and prudent financial management. The county has identified specific ways to close the projected budget gaps through 2012,” Moody’s says.
The AAA Bond Rating is difficult to retain in the current economy. Only about two dozen of the nation’s 3,000 counties have the AAA rating from multiple rating agencies. Oakland County has maintained its AAA Bond Rating since 1998 with sound fiscal practices. “The county will continue to adhere to its historically strong budget and management practices which have resulted in ample financial flexibility that positions the county well to manage current economic challenges,” Moody’s says.
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson says he is proud of the efforts of the county’s finance team. “The finance team for Oakland County is impressive. Their good work allows us to continue to garner a AAA rating in the toughest economic times,” Patterson says.
The AAA Bond Rating allows Oakland County to finance and refinance its debts at the lowest financial market terms possible. Oakland County taxpayers can expect to save more than $400,000 alone from the AAA Bond Rating on the $12.88 million debt for the 52-3 District Court building."


Must be doing something right!!!

[Novine]

"Only in the past year or two have those budgets accurately reflected what's going on in the world."

Quoting myself since you have some problem with reading comprehension. The OC's been using multi-year budgets for a number of years. All of those were based on a continuous pattern of growth and new tax revenues. Instead, revenues kept falling requiring mid-year cuts. Only in the past year or two have the budget numbers actually reflected what's going on.

[Novine]

The real elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about is that the County's build-out has been unsustainable. Of course, that doesn't affect the County government that Patterson runs except to the degree that falling property values have reduced the amount of revenue that he has to run operations. Where you're really seeing the unsustainable nature of sprawl development is in the County's infrastructure. The Road Commission can't afford to maintain, much less upgrade, the road system that it manages. Detroit Water and Sewer and local communities continues to jack up rates to cover the costs of maintaining and upgrading an aging water and sewer network. Local governments that have seen their property tax revenues fall can no longer afford to maintain local roads, invest in public facilities or continue to provide the level of services that residents expect. Because it's happening on a community-by-community basis, no one is seeing the big picture of decay. But it you put together all of the stories coming out from across the County, you see a County that was built on always growing and finding that it can't afford itself when the growth stops.

[Hypestyles]

when is the OC executive up for re-election again? Who could possibly run against him? a moderate republican? a Democrat? an independent?

[R8RBOB]

when is the OC executive up for re-election again? Who could possibly run against him? a moderate republican? a Democrat? an independent?

2012 and Brooks can no longer be hard-core Republican in a shrinking, changing Oakland County.

[Irvine Laird]

Brooks Patterson runs one of the most effective, efficient county governments in the United States. Oakland County government is not close to perfect, nor is it a paragon for others to follow, but in contrast to most county governments in the land, it is doing well. Patterson can claim credit for that.

And he does, because he is a smart, smart politician. Patterson doesn't care what people south of Eight Mile or east of Dequindre feel or think. The bottom line is Oakland County voters and as long as Patterson can tout AAA bond ratings and balanced budgets, he will get the votes.

Oh, yeah, Patterson is hilarious. Whenever I see his name in a headline, I read the story just for the hilarity of it.

All that aside, Patterson's time will come to an end and when it does, it will probably be the right time. Somehow, we need to find politicians as smart as Patterson and put them in places where they can promote a regional agenda with as much effect as Patterson promotes his Oakland County agenda. Somehow, we need to discover the economic and political incentives to drive our counties together. Somehow, we have to find a way to prosper everyone [[metro Detroit) without diminishing anyone [[Oakland County).

[lincoln8740]

2012 and Brooks can no longer be hard-core Republican in a shrinking, changing Oakland County.

Thanks for the laugh there.

Just to get this straight:

You believe that brooks has to change his style/platforms/beliefs in order to get re-elected in oakland county in 2012?

God I hope you meant to be funny

[R8RBOB]

Thanks for the laugh there.

Just to get this straight:

You believe that brooks has to change his style/platforms/beliefs in order to get re-elected in oakland county in 2012?

God I hope you meant to be funny

Brooks already have changed. Where are you been? HELLO, regional cooperation, mass transit, COBO. Time for you to come out of that bomb shelter you been hiding with the rest of the Tea Baggers.

[lincoln8740]

Brooks already have changed. Where are you been? HELLO, regional cooperation, mass transit, COBO. Time for you to come out of that bomb shelter you been hiding with the rest of the Tea Baggers.

Once again all talk and no $$$$$.

Do you know how pissed off oakland county residents would be if even one dollar flowed across eight mile?

You say "regional cooperation"
we hear "open up your wallets"

[R8RBOB]

Once again all talk and no $$$$$.

Do you know how pissed off oakland county residents would be if even one dollar flowed across eight mile?

You say "regional cooperation"
we hear "open up your wallets"

Four words.....
Cobo Conference-Exhibition Center [[OC hotel and liquor taxes pay to maintain Cobo)


How old are you son?

[lincoln8740]

[quote=R8RBOB;171927]Four words.....
Cobo Conference-Exhibition Center [[OC hotel and liquor taxes pay to maintain Cobo)


[quote]

So all he did was allow an existing tax to continue--- new Brooksie!!!!!!!

uhh didn't he get something in return for that?

By the way you said he could no longer "run as a hardcore Republican" you said nothing about regional cooperation and all that other wishy washy crap.

So what exactly did you mean by that?

[R8RBOB]

[quote=lincoln8740;171932][quote=R8RBOB;171927]Four words.....
Cobo Conference-Exhibition Center [[OC hotel and liquor taxes pay to maintain Cobo)

So all he did was allow an existing tax to continue--- new Brooksie!!!!!!!

uhh didn't he get something in return for that?

By the way you said he could no longer "run as a hardcore Republican" you said nothing about regional cooperation and all that other wishy washy crap.

So what exactly did you mean by that?

Why do you want to nip at me? Trying to school me huh? Okay, I will bite.

You said:

Do you know how pissed off oakland county residents would be if even one dollar flowed across eight mile?

I wanted you to know that Oakland County residents have been sending their money across 8Mile for decades.

As for my comment about Brooks not being so hard-core Republican well look at the facts. Oakland County have gained a number of Democrats...strike that former Detroiters who more than likely vote Democratic and at the same time a number of people and businesses have left Oakland County. No one has said Brooks is doing a bad job but even Brooks knows that his base is shrinking and what do politicians do when they wake up and realize that voters from the other party is in your territory? You start to cater.

[Danny]

Patterson is like Coleman Young in reverse. Just doing what he has to do for his 'White Detroit' called Oakland County. He hungers for regionalizational development while 'Black Detroit' isolates itself from the world. Patterson wants to assimilate 'Black Detroit' into his liking starting with proposed Cobo Hall development, but too many Detroit leaders causing money woes and abusing their power that L.B. Patterson wants North American International Auto Show in the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. Hopefully with KING Dave BING is in power in Detroit he would make political and regionalization peace with L.B. Patterson and move this city and suburbs foward in the future.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

I hope these two people work out for Neda's sake.

[R8RBOB]

For you lincoln8740, so that you can understand why L. Brooks is kinder and gentler..LOL:

2008: 56% of OC residents voted for Barack Obama. 62% voted for Carl Levin.
58% voted for L. Brooks Patterson and 59% voted for Mike Bouchard

In Wayne County:
74% voted for Barack Obama and 78% voted for Carl Levin

Oakland County is no longer a Republican stronghold. Sure, they still elect Republicans but they have no problem electing a Democrat either and Brooks is very mindful of this. Can you say Gary Peters?

[lincoln8740]

For you lincoln8740, so that you can understand why L. Brooks is kinder and gentler..LOL:

2008: 56% of OC residents voted for Barack Obama. 62% voted for Carl Levin.
58% voted for L. Brooks Patterson and 59% voted for Mike Bouchard

In Wayne County:
74% voted for Barack Obama and 78% voted for Carl Levin

Oakland County is no longer a Republican stronghold. Sure, they still elect Republicans but they have no problem electing a Democrat either and Brooks is very mindful of this. Can you say Gary Peters?

So if 65% vote for snyder in november does that mean--brooksie will be allowed to be a hardcor republican again?

[R8RBOB]

So if 65% vote for snyder in november does that mean--brooksie will be allowed to be a hardcor republican again?

Nope because Patterson was for Bouchard and Bouchard lost....again. Snyder is no conservative and that's why he won Oakland County. Maybe if Cox had won since he claimed he was the only conservative running. A lot of good that did him.