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PAGE 2 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN January 24, 2019

PLYMOUTH

Grant those of their constituents. investigate the issue.
“Giving away taxpayer money
“It's appalling that a big-wig
to fund urban sprawl and create republican with Lansing connec-
FROM PAGE 1 one-time jobs is not good policy,” tions would make the taxpayers
stated Plymouth Township of Michigan pay for the water
sides of the aisle. The bill includ- Trustee Chuck Curmi. and sewer infrastructure for his
ed grants from $75,000 up to the “The $20 million is an atro- own private, profit-driven hous-
subject $10 million amount. The cious waste of public monies. It ing development. This develop-
73 projects placed on the spend- subsidizes sprawl, mandates er sings the praises of capitalism,
ing bill were said to be missing untold additional public infra- then gleefully turns to corporate
documentation about delibera- structure spending like widening socialism to boost his profits.
tions, according to those con- M-14, and begs the question of This is a total misallocation of
cerned about the project. how public safety will be provid- tax dollars. Fix the damn roads.
State Rep, (R) Laura Cox, ed. Why should any developer Governor Whitman are you hear-
District 19, chair of the House get a $35,000 per residence gift ing us? Please intervene on
Appropriation Committee in from the state to compete with behalf of taxpayers and trans-
December, now seeking to other developers? How is this parency,” he said.
become the chair of the state really an 'urban services district,' Evan Pratt, Washtenaw
Republican Party, is rumored to in the words of the appropria- County water resources commis- Laura Cox Kurt Heise
have fostered the Michigan tion bill [Senate Bill 601, page sioner and director of public
Economic Development 75]? How many more pressing works, after hearing of the sec- ” ”
Corporation (MDEC) grant ear- needs could have been met with ond $10 million grant, said he (it's) preposterous Plymouth Township
marked for the Salem Township these millions of dollars? It's a wanted to know the source of the
project that was approved by the sad thing to see this rural farm- funds. to believe that is not going to be left to
state Legislature in July 2017. land slated to become home to a “Awarding infrastructure one person bear the burden
According to Bridge Magazine, different kind of pork,” said grants without a competitive
Cox recently claimed to have no PlymouthTownship Trustee Jack process and clear criteria such as myself, of this ill-conceived
knowledge of the details was Dempsey. (besides population) is really dis- a state rep, project. The fact that
quoted as saying “(it's) preposter- “I have serious concerns turbing to those of us seeking
ous to believe that one person about the proposed Salem help from the state for existing would have Michigan taxpayers
such as myself, a state rep, would Springs project. Water, sewer, sewer problems and related pub- the ability have given $20 million
have the ability to put a $10 mil- roads, traffic, stormwater and lic health issues. I guess there's
lion grant in the budget.” public safety are all elements of two sets of rules for getting to put a to this private
The builder, who now has $20 the project that are not fully return on investment and the $10 million development just
million to start construction, is addressed. Salem Township is requirements are pretty skinny
the subject of critics who ques- in no position to handle this radi- for a well-connected developer. I grant in the budget. adds insult to injury.
tion the impact on the infrastruc- cal change to their community, bet every legislator who voted
ture, roads, schools, sewers and and Plymouth Township is not for this represents one or more
public safety. going to be left to bear the bur- communities that could have private,” he said. public.”
According to Salem Township den of this ill-conceived project. used just 1/10th of that money State Sen. Jeff Irwin, D. Irwin represents the 18th
Supervisor Gary Whittaker, The fact that Michigan taxpayers back home.” Washtenaw County, was dis- Senate District, encompassing
Schostak approached former have given $20 million to this pri- Mikey Smith, vice president turbed to hear of the project and the cities of Ann Arbor, Saline,
Plymouth Township officials a vate development just adds of Country Club Village Home was curious to know who Ypsilanti, and Milan and the
few years ago to cut a deal for insult to injury,” said Plymouth Owners Association in Plymouth requested the funding. townships of Ann Arbor,
water and sewer usage. He said Township Supervisor Kurt Township has been a resident “It is concerning that the Pittsfield, York, Augusta, Salem,
Schostak officials then asked Heise. since the area was built starting records surrounding the request Superior, and Ypsilanti.
Salem Township to borrow the Ken Schwartz, supervisor of in 1997. The upscale subdivision for this funding are sealed. This “The state budget is not infi-
money through a bond that Superior Township which is backs up to Napier Road on the is an example of the lack of nite and there are very real ways
would be paid off by developer sandwiched between Salem west side and will be near the transparency that exists in the in which pork barrel projects
fees. The township declined to Township on the north and new Salem Springs. Smith says appropriations process. The like this affect our communities,
participate, he said. Ypsilanti Township on the south, “at the end of the day you can't public deserves to know who schools, roads, and mental
Plymouth Township officials said he is adamantly against the stop development.' requested this money and who health care. I can think of better
and other board members spoke Schostek project. Schwartz said “We feel the dollars could this project benefits financially ways to spend $10 million of the
out after hearing of the payout he's in the process of asking the have been well spent on schools because from what I can gather, taxpayer's money rather than
reflecting their feelings and governor and attorney general to and public infrastructure, not this process does not benefit the subsidizing new McMansions.”
Stonefly volunteers are needed

Friends of the Rouge are seeking vol- ter by phone at (734) 927-4904 or spetrel-
unteers for the Annual Winter Stonefly la@therouge.org.
Search set for Jan. 26. Volunteers will be meeting for the first
Pre-registration for volunteers is time at Plymouth Arts and Recreation
required for the opportunity to learn Center, 650 Church St, Plymouth, MI
about what lives under the ice in local 48170.
Rouge streams while giving back by The Stonefly Search is part of Friends
helping collect data on the health of the of the Rouge long-term monitoring pro-
river. gram that includes the Spring and Fall
Interested volunteers must pre-regis- Bug Hunts.
To subscribe to The Eagle call 734-467-1900.