Gerry vs. Gary on Term Limiting the Mayor

[XLFD]

In today's City of Ludington Daily News there were two letters to the editor debating the concept of extending the mayor's term limits from three to five, one by Gerry Schoo and one by Gary Castonia and they are replicated here:

Gerry Schoo makes an interesting point, which hasn't really been touted often enough:  half of the people backing this proposal were from outside the City limits.  This is very revealing; why do out of towners pull for a vote, perhaps even spend a lot of money on advertising and support for its passage, when they do not even have Mayor Henderson representing them-- can't even vote for him or this proposal?  Special interests, good answer, Gerry Schoo, and those interests are interested in what John can provide for them, not the Ludington citizens.  In effect, the Committee made Gerry's point by telling us the strong supporters when you turned the next page:

 

 

Four of the seven people named do not live in Ludington, three are not even all that close.  And why not, Mayor John will bend over backwards to get these businesses tax breaks, abatements grants, etc., at the expense of the rest of the citizens.  They all are past beneficiaries of their partnership with the City of Ludington. 

 

Gary's line of reasoning is typical of someone who has been a public servant for awhile, and rather duplicative of the reasoning used by the Committee to justify a career mayor in Ludington.  Be sure to vote for democracy, vote NO on the City proposal tomorrow.

[Willy]

I agree with Mr. Schoo.

[AQUAMAN]

There goes Karma Castonia again! Gary, you know all too well that any effective Mayor will require a willing and assist gift of a "council" that will also vote the same as the Mayor ALL the time, just like it is now. LOOK for the same proposal for City Councilors too if this passes in the near future.Then LOOK at the videos of CC meetings of late, or even the last 2 years ago for that matter, it's always a "fixed agenda", no real individuals that disagree, and can we really honestly say that about any other human beings in real life, in business, or just everyday life, even man and wife? You guys have a real record of importance in politics, that of making non-bid contracts over and over again, spending monies into the Millions on tourist related projects, not that of locals, like infrastructure and utilities, nepotism up to your eyes, and so much more negatives against real progress for Ludington residents all the way around. Question is? Can out-of-towner special interest people actually pay enough for advertisements to sway public votes to sway us into a  dictatorship type government in Ludington? Vote with savvy and common sense Tuesday people, let them know we love and live in Ludington and don't need this type of representation to haunt us for eternity.

[Sean]

All the people you say dont live in Ludington all pay city taxes.  Try to do some real research. 

[Lauren]

Tax payers that don't live in Ludington can't vote. This proposal will not help us. The city has enough control.  It's time to stop the corruption. The only way to stop it is to vote in new people. Our city council needs good people to run for the positions. We need to check out canidates for the city and Mason county courts. If we vote in friends of the groups we already have in positions that gives them more power. An example is the probate judge spot. If you vote for Nellis he is one of there group. If the prosecuter is up for election I haven't heard anyone running against him. We need alot of change.

[Willy]

I was thinking that if this passes it would be possible that from the time a child is born until he/she reaches the age of 40 there could have been only 2 different mayors who had represented that child. This proposal is totally ludicrous.

[AQUAMAN]

I agree X, and I also agree with Lauren this time, about needing new blood and faces to represent Ludington. When was the last time the Mayor had an opposing candidate? Does this not bespeak of an already existent monopoly on this position? If all the taxpayers in Ludington that work and pay real estate tax on businesses down there, this would be an improvement to making these changes, but, if you pay $50K in business taxes and live in say, Hamlin, you cannot vote in town. I am ashamed to see such names as Paine, Manglitz, and Schoenherr on that support advertisement too, these men are leaders that surely know better than to support such a ludicrous proposal.

[Anonymous For Safety]

Those six companies all pay local taxes. They also provide good jobs for local residents to the tune of between 750 to 850 jobs, or more. Taking the low end of 750 jobs at $20,800 per year per job, those jobs generate over $15,600,000 in wages within the local community.
Many local-impact studies show that approximately 68% of all money earned locally also stays within the same local community. It is also estimated that those local dollars circulate within a local community upwards of 6 times. That means that those 6 companies represent approximately $43,000,000 to the local economy. That folks, is wages only and does not include the money those companies pay into the local tax base.

Everyone needs to know that those 6 companies are responsible for infusing many millions of dollars into the local economies and should not taken lightly nor scoffed at.

On the other hand, charter boats are almost exclusively geared toward the tourists. Many a charterboat captain will furlough during the winter in warmer pastures such as Florida or Arizona, and they take a sizeable portion of their local earnings with them to spend at a faraway location that does not benefit the local economy at all.

Democracy is a two-way street.

[Willy]

Anonymous

I agree that these companies are important to the Ludington area economy however your statement that the  wages can be multiplied 6 times then say that's how much that money is actually worth to the local economy is ludicrous. Yes, I've heard that type of reasoning before and it's used to bolster how important a company thinks it is in relation to the local economy. That's like saying I circulated a 5 dollar bill between 6 family members so in actuality my family doesn't have 5 dollars it has 30 dollars. Nonsensical economics. As far as property taxes, a business may give the money to the local treasurer but it isn't their money. That money came from their customers. It's called a "business expense" which is added to the price of a product or service. When taxes go up, prices go up. These companies aren't here because they feel charitable. They are here because it is profitable so please, can the pleas for sympathy. Whenever outside residents, regardless if they own businesses or not, try to influence local politics then something is fishy. Would you feel the same way if these folks were all, say, retirees with no links to any Ludington business? They just feel they have a need to stick their noses in other peoples Governmental affairs. Your little dig at local charter captains is revealing.  You don't think the absentee owners of these companies spend a large portion of their money outside of the area? Furthermore, are these business owners to good to live in Ludington?

[CLFD]

Anonymous For Safety,

 

Excellent analysis, and worthy of serious consideration by anybody who believes that local businesses should not have any say in local issues. The charter captain comparison is totally valid, because I know of one local charterboat captain who speaks ad nauseum about local politics but does not even live in the city of Ludington. So who really is speaking out of both sides of their mouth at the same time?

It does not take a degree in economics to understand that a dollar earned by a resident in a community is filtered throughout the same community several times over. If $50 dollars is spent at the local restaurant, then part of that money helps pay the wages of (1) the workers at that restaurant, and (2) the owners of the restaruant. Then those people take their wages and spend some of it at other local establishments within the local community. It goes on and on.  I've heard the ''6-times'' reference many many times over the years, so it must have some sembalance of truth to it.

It seems to me those companies contribute directly and indirectly to a large amount of local tax revenue too.  If those companies do provide about 750 local jobs, those workers pay their own fair share of local taxes in several ways including the property taxes on their homes. And those companies pay their own fair share of local taxes too.  The local charterboat captain that talks ad nauseum about local politics even though he does not live in the city of Ludington also pays a very sizable amount of local property taxes. So yes, local businesses that add value and revenue to a local community even though they might not actually LIVE within the community DO have a right to speak about local issues that affect their own livelihood. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with that.

Some people seem to suggest that business owners should be required to live in the same community where their business is located. Sometimes is seems like the Freedoms in this country continue to be attacked by those who want everybody to hold the same opinions as they do.  Where is the freedom in that?

[Sean]

I just don't understand this hole proposal and why? The term limit is there for a reason, just like there is for the Governor and for the President.  Henderson has been here long enough and his term is up and he should walk out with his head held high, if he feels like it should be.  Let someone else come in and take over like we have the past.  This hole proposal is all due to the Mayor being buddy buddy with the city council members and with the John Shay.  He cares more about his ego lately and playing fire fighter, even though he shouldn't be aloud to be a fire fighter since he is part of the city council.  Lets get new blood in here who want to spend our money to make our community safer and not spending it put yourself in the spotlight.

[AQUAMAN]

You know, people like CLFD, Anonymous the newest of the newbies, and Sean, you all have "fixed agendas", and sound like somebody that the City Council would hire as "forum assassins": for your own jollies and entertainment, kinda like not so uneducated, but duly authorized agents for "propaganda, folly, evasive maneuvers, and juvenile pranks". Do you actually get a "big paycheck" for this behavior? Your inuendo and personal assaults, against whatever Charter Capt. you wish to "be a whipping boy", simply vanished in the same fog and darkness which you portray as "good old boys! And we ALL know who those guys are, and what they want to hide from Torchers!