Basic HTML Version
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
6
September 6, 2012
We'd just like to officially con-
gratulate Northville Township for
the recent $582,000 federal grant
that will be used to provide a full
complement of firefighters on staff.
These grants, part of the federal
stimulus package, were designed to
keep firefighters and police offi-
cers on the street and help create
and maintain jobs for people who
might otherwise face layoff due to
the economy. Communities every-
where are facing budget reductions
due to the loss of tax income, and
reductions in staffing are usually
the result.
Northville Township officials
and firefighters filled out the com-
plicated paperwork and proved
that they needed and deserved the
funding called Staffing for
Adequate Fire and Emergency
Response or SAFERgrants.
This will give the township the
ability to increase the fire depart-
ment from 26 to 30, a full comple-
ment for the 28,600 homes in the
township at no increased cost to
taxpayers.
Several other of our local com-
munities have also been awarded
these grants. Westland, Romulus
and Wayne have all taken advan-
tage of the funding to continue to
provide adequate fire protection to
their communities.
Last week, the newly combined
Wayne-Westland Fire Department
also got word that their joint oper-
ating agreement and combined
serviceswas being rewardedwith a
$1.4million state grant to help even
more with funding in those com-
munities.
All these communities deserve a
nod of appreciation for the effort it
took to apply and now administer
these funds in their respective
communities. Sure, there are some
restrictions, but the grants pay 100
percent of salaries and legacy costs
for firefighters and are there for
No matter on which side of the
political aisle your preferred candi-
date sits, you gotta know that things
just aren't working the way they
should inWashington.
And, unless you've been hiding
under a rock somewhere, you also
know that Warren Buffett is a pretty
smart guy. Imean, he knows hisway
around the corporate boardroom
and has gone to more than a few
weenie roasts onCapitol Hill.
Recently, he was being inter-
viewed on CNBC and he said, “I
could end the deficit in 5minutes.”
Well, boy howdy, that got my
attention.
“You just pass a law that says
that anytime there is a deficit of
more than 3 percent of GDP, all sit-
ting members of Congress are ineli-
gible for re-election.
Something to think about, right?
I mean, if the guys we elect to
ensure our well being can run
amok the way they have, putting
party rhetoric and catch phrases
above doing any real study and
analysis of issues, there ought to be
a heavy penalty for not doing their
job. Look, if any of these jerks
worked in the corporateworld, any-
where but banking or entertain-
ment, they would have been booted
out the door for non-performance
long ago.
They are like a bunch of lem-
mings, running headlong over the
cliff because that's what party
“leaders” tell them to do. And they
are taking the American people
with them…well, those that make
less than $250,000 a year, anyway.
Somebody, needs to heed ole
Warren's
advice
here.
Obstructionism is not governance,
nomatterwhat your party tells you.
Hey, they could do this if any of
them had enough real concern
about the people that elected them.
After all, the 26th Amendment
(granting the right to vote to 18-year-
olds) took only 3 months and 8 days
to be ratified. Why? Because the
people demanded it and that was in
1971 - before computers, e-mail, cell
phones, etc.
Of course, back then, there were
some people in government who
thought they were there to serve
the people, not their party.
Of the 27 amendments to the
Constitution, seven took one year or
less to become the law of the land -
all because of public pressure.
While I'm on this rant, here are
some other suggestions for them,
called the Congressional Reform
Act of 2012
1. NoTenure / NoPension.
A Congressman/woman collects
a salarywhile in office and receives
no paywhen they're out of office.
2. Congress (past, present and
future) participates in Social
Security.
All funds in the Congressional
retirement fund move to the Social
Security system immediately. All
future funds flow into the Social
Security system, and Congress par-
ticipates with the American people.
It may not be used for any other
purpose.
3. Congress
can purchase
their
own
retirement plan, just as all
Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote
themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the
lower of CPI or 3 percent.
5. Congress loses their current
health care systemand participates
in the same health care system as
theAmericanpeople
6. Congress must equally abide
by all laws they impose on the
Americanpeople.
7. All contracts with past and
present Congressmen/women are
void effective Dec. 1, 2012.
The American people did not
make this contract with
Congressmen/women. Congress
made all these contracts for them-
selves. Serving in Congress is an
honor, not a career. The Founding
Fathers envisioned citizen legisla-
tors, so ours should serve their
term, then go home and back to
work.
I think Mr. Buffet has some great
ideas.
I just wish I could get the rest of
American voters to agree with him
and demand performance and
accountability from those we elect-
ed.
After years of studies, planning and hoping, the long-
awaited new Belleville High School was officially opened by
theVanBurenPublic Schools lastmonth.
It wasworth thewait.
The new facility, referred to bymany at the dedication as a
facility for the entire area, is something in which the entire
community can take pride. After years of attempting to
secure voters' approval of millages and an incredible effort
on the part of the entire school administration and members
of the board of education, the new building was open so the
public could see what the future of education in the Van
Burendistrict will be.
John Davids, an architect with the Fanning-Howey firm
who worked with the board on the planning of the building
was absolutely correct whenhe explained that the newbuild-
ing is nowreally the center of the community inmanyways.
The new building includes a pool, gym, media center with
computer labs and even a fitness center, all of which, officials
said, couldbeusedby the community during non-class hours.
But that to us was secondary to the very core of the new
building and the atmosphere that already permeates the
halls and classrooms.
It may be a showplace, there is no doubt about that, but it
is also a look at the future of education and it is obvious in
every classroom that the main priority here is educating
young people, providing them the opportunities to learn and
giving them an atmosphere and the tools conducive to feed-
ing their youngminds.
The new facility embraces technology as a way to teach
students the skills and attitudes they will need as the digital
future comes rocketing toward them.
These students will not only have the skill set to complete
in the newworld of technology, theywill have been using it as
part of their class routine and learning tools while at the
school.
The board members, the administration, and the entire
community really has something to be proud of with this new
facility. They can be proud of the way it was financed, the
innovative and careful way it was financed, and most of all,
the planning and consideration for the students that went
into every detail of the construction.
The new building stands as a tangible example of the val-
ues of the community as awhole, of the importance residents
place on the education and success of the future generation.
It is a symbol of a vital communitywhich takes education and
a responsibility to the next generation seriously.
Congratulations are certainly in order to everyone
involved.
Grant
funding
will aid
township
Letters
You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit
of more than 3 percent of GDP, all sitting members of
Congress are ineligible for re-election.
”
The new facility embraces technology
as a way to teach students the skills
and attitudes they will need as the digital
future comes rocketing toward them.
”
Warren Buffett offers a few more great ideas
Community can take pride in new high school
Safety officer plan criticized
To the editor;
I have made it my business to
become thoroughly informed about
the issues surrounding our fire
department and public safety in
Plymouth Township. For me the
stakes are high and the cost for a
slow response in the event of a
medical emergency could easily
meanmy life.
Over the past 18 months I've
helplesslywatched as our township
officials systematically attacked
and decimated our fire department
personnel, reduced their staff to a
level that places all residents at
great risk and creates unbearable
overtime and stress on the remain-
ing 13 firefighters.
Our officials falsely profess they
must eliminate a budget shortfall
caused by the City of Plymouth's
pullout of a joint fire services
See
Letter,
page 7
See
Grant,
page 7