Mason County Airport

[Willy]

When I saw the woods on the east side of the fairgrounds being removed this summer I asked the airport manager what was going on. He said they were improving the drainage of the airport. I then called the county and got the same answer. I recently stopped by the fairgrounds and looked at the progress of the drainage project and what I saw did not look like any drainage project I had ever seen. It appears that another runway is being installed. Why does this airport need another runway. This isn't Detroit Metro. Only a few planes a day if that use the facility. How much of our tax dollars is this huge project costing. Does anyone know anything about this? I took this photo looking west toward the airport terminal.

[XLFD]

Nick,

I can't speak for Willy, but I see the County using an awful lot of money-- whether it comes from them, Lansing or Washington DC-- on projects that are wasteful of that public money.  They spend $215K on a Campground Gatehouse over $600K for capital improvements at the fairgrounds and nearly a million on this nice, but unnecessary, improvement to the airport, during times when city, state, and federal governments need to cut back on their spending. 

In Ludington with the recent expenditures of over $1.2 million for painting water towers, $850,000 for adding docks at the marina, and $2.5 million on the coming upgrading of the Washington Avenue bridge, rounds up to $5 million of money on pet projects while we can't fork over small amounts for installing sidewalks in school safety zones besides our crumbling poorly lit streets. 

[Dave]

Or have life guards on the local beach during the summer.

[Nick Follrath]

XLFD, 

 I would agree there's an awful lot of our money going to waste. However, we need to ask ourselves as taxpayers, was the gatehouse any more necessary than improvements at the fairgrounds, was the fairground improvements anymore necessary than the additional taxiway? Ludington is a summer community, that is when the most capital is made, we need to focus our spending on projects that will bring people to our community. Projects like advertising, improving accessibility/transportation to our city, and making our community safer, should take precedence over repainting our water tower or building a gatehouse. Like I told Willy, if we want to help our community, we need to lobby for the lowering or elimination of the savings tax. Lowering the savings tax will stimulate growth since more savings will increase capital formation. Businesses will be able to hire more employees, increase production, and stimulate our economy (not only on a local but global scale). With the savings tax eliminated, and the city being a business, it will be able to use that excess money to install new sidewalks, install streetlights, and give more back to the community through lower taxes, or various projects.

[Willy]

Thanks X. Another terrific job of fact finding. This type of project is exactly why this country is going bankrupt. I can see the need for a taxi way for a large and busy airport but for this little airport that sees only a few small planes a day, if that, is totally uncalled for. A lot of hard working tax payers had to fork over a million dollars so just a few planes had a new driveway. Unbelievable. If people don't get off their asses and call for a halt to this type of foolishness then we are doomed. I heard on the radio the other day that in order to pay off our national debt, every man women and child in this country would have to pitch in $49,000 each. This is insane.

[AQUAMAN]

I would have supposed and thought that the airport mgmt. would have provided critical information about how an established airline would be available to fly people to hubs of Chicago, Detroit, or Milwaukee for examples of need for such a project. Does anyone know if such a plan or future need is on the books? I know Manistee has some majors coming and going to hubs, and that's not too far from here for travel as it is, 33 miles or so. If indeed there is just a want, and perception that something good could come of it at some later date, well, then this truly is more folly and wasted taxpayers monies. Too bad, I've witnessed a lot more bigger and mid-sized private jets coming in and out over the summers lately. Either way, such an expensive $1Million project has no business being here without public input and knowledge imho, and to evade the subject to visitors/inquirers like Willy, what's with that? What's the secretive attitude about?

[XLFD]

Exactly; why isn't the Convention and Visitor's Bureau (CVB), the Lud & Scott Chamber of Commerce, the LDN and all the other 'economic development' crowds harping on what good this will do for the County in the future?   

[Dave]

If it could be shown that by making the current 'improvement' to the airport that some sort of at least regional airline would start to service the community, I might be able to get behind the project. If only private planes are going to be the ones using the facility like they are now, I can't see where spending this money is a good idea.

[AQUAMAN]

I think, and can understand the perception of, hey, we're getting a Million Dollar project here for our petty $23,000 ante into it, quit complaining, everyone else is doing it. Well, that may be true, up to a point. But, what these politicians continue to refuse to admit is that we are ALL paying for this type of project, in the long run, and America simply cannot afford such extravagant behavior any longer, same with the Lud. Municipal Marina project, was it truly worth another Million Dollars for the short season and very limited usage of that project? Unless and until that mentality is changed, corrected, and kept in perspective and monetary check, yes, then we will continue to be doomed financially as a nation. Good investigative research, applause.

[XLFD]

We're going to check in on it a little through Federal, State, and/or County FOIAs.  When you hear someone is being banned from the Courthouse, State Capitol, and/or Washington DC, you'll know that something is 'wrong' with this project, LOL.

Aquaman has it right, a million here and a million there add up over time.  And those 'unwilling investors' (taxpayers) deserve better fiscal stewardship by all who handle their filthy lucre.

[Marty Redman]

Hey, I know you fellas don't live that close and it's a little off topic, but whats been going on with the proposed bridge near Detroit?  Is it up for a vote or has it been approved?  That sounds like a waste of more money whetehr its Canuck or Yankee dollars, unless I hear wrong.

[Dave]

The bridge issue is still up in the air, from what I understand most of the bridge will actually be paid for by Canada with Michigan/Feds throwing in a little money too. Pretty much every commercial you've might of seen on TV regarding the bridge is being paid for the owner of the existing bridge and most of these commercials tend to lack much of any truth to them... at least according to the Detroit Free Press. They just had a story talking about the credibility of one of the recent commercials and basically it was said that about the only fact in the commercials was that the commercials were paid for by the owner of the existing bridge.

Anyhow, this is the story I read a few days ago in the Free Press about the commercials:

 

By now, most TV viewers in Michigan have probably seen one of Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel (Matty) Moroun's ads blasting plans for a new bridge to Canada.

Like the worst political attack ads, the anti-bridge commercials offer a smidgen of fact overlaid with a deep pile of exaggeration and distortion. In the latest one, the only true statement is about the roads being in bad shape. The ad even misspells the name of Gov. Rick Snyder, Moroun's nemesis who backs the government-owned New International Trade Crossing project.

Dick Morris, the Fox News commentator and political consultant who crafted the attack ads for Moroun, calls his handiwork "completely accurate." But Tom Shields, a spokesman for the NITC project, said nothing in the latest ad is true, except the disclaimer that it was paid for by the Ambassador Bridge company.

Bridge ad analysis finds only a smidgen of truth

For months, Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel (Matty) Moroun has been warning TV watchers that Gov. Rick Snyder's New International Trade Crossing project is a boondoggle that would cost taxpayers $100 million a year for a bridge that's not needed.

Dick Morris, the Fox News commentator and controversial political consultant, created the ads for Moroun. In an interview with the Free Press late last month, Morris dismissed complaints about the truthfulness of the messages. "The ads have been completely accurate," he said.

Snyder and his allies backing the NITC project call Moroun's ads false and misleading and say they're designed to protect Moroun's Ambassador Bridge from competition for international toll revenue.

Of Moroun's latest ad, Tom Shields, a spokesman for the NITC project, said Tuesday: "There's nothing in this ad that is truth at all, probably except for the disclaimer that it's paid for by the Ambassador Bridge" company.

As the Michigan Legislature continues to examine Snyder's proposal, the Free Press is examining the accuracy of one of Moroun's ads. A smidgen of fact was found, but there was also exaggeration and falsehood.

What the 30-second ad says: "Republicans and Democrats agree -- Michigan's potholed roads and crumbling bridges are a mess, dangerous to our families and hurting our economy. But Rick Snyder has a higher priority than fixing our local roads. Rick Snyder wants to build a bridge to Canada, instead. The special interests and contractors want the money. Snyder wants a monument. We need our local roads and bridges fixed. Call your legislators today and tell them, 'Fix our local roads.' "

Analysis of Claim No. 1: "Republicans and Democrats agree -- Michigan's potholed roads and crumbling bridges are a mess, dangerous to our families and hurting our economy."

True. There is widespread concern over the wear and tear on Michigan's roads and bridges, and a lot of debate over how to pay for repairs.

Revenue from gas taxes, which pays for most road repairs, peaked at about $2 billion in 2004 and has since dropped by $200 million a year because of factors such as changing driving habits and more fuel-efficient cars. That means less money for the upkeep of roads.

Analysis of Claim No. 2: "But Rick Snyder has a higher priority than fixing our local roads. Rick Snyder wants to build a bridge to Canada, instead."

False. This part of the ad sets up a false choice between local road repairs and the NITC project.

In fact, Snyder's plan is designed to help raise cash for local roads, not drain it away. One of the key selling points is that Michigan would be able to leverage Canada's $550-million advance payment of Michigan's share of bridge costs to gain more than $2 billion in federal funds for road repair.

To suggest that the NITC would gobble up local road funds is untrue.

Analysis of Claim No. 3: "The special interests and contractors want the money. Snyder wants a monument."

False. There is nothing to indicate that Snyder sees the NITC as a personal monument. Of course, contractors want the dollars that a major construction job would bring. But Moroun also wants the dollars -- those that he gets from operating the only commercial truck crossing between Detroit and Windsor.

By the way, this part of the ad misspelled Snyder's name as Synder.

Analysis of Claim No. 4: "We need our local roads and bridges fixed. Call your legislators today and tell them, 'Fix our local roads.' "

This part of the ad again creates the false impression that Michiganders must choose between local road repairs and the NITC project.

Contact John Gallagher: 313-222-5173 or [e-mail]

http://www.freep.com/article/20111004/BUSINESS06/110040381/Moroun-s...

[XLFD]

The Freep has been doing a few articles about the new government bridge itself that seem to stretch the facts themselves for the pro-bridge side.  Established newspaper are generally mouthpieces for the government they are under, unless they have shown a history of independent, unbiased thought.  I see more opinion by the Freep writer than actual fact.

The truth, like usual, is best gotten from someone who looks at both sides and the sum of the facts to make a reasoned opinion.  The best I seen on that topic is this Hillsdale College Economics and Public Policy Professor essay on the need for this bridge.   

Just like Ludington's Washington Bridge, it would have been best to review the need and the alternative options of fixing the bridge for $2.5 million public dollars (which can be used so much more prudently in repairing the streets and sidewalks of the rest of the city) than one or two people in the grant-begging section of the City deciding its course.