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Lansing Connection

 by State Senator Nancy Cassis

 


 
Public trust and the right to know is being held hostage

In the words of MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, it is day 189 since the film credit transparency legislation unanimously past the Senate. Let's be clear, the bill was sent to Representative Kate Ebli's House Tax Policy Committee where the bill has stalled and languished, resulting in complete inaction on the right of our citizens to know where the money is going.

We are waiting and the taxpayers are waiting despite the urgency as witnessed by, No. 1, the questionable conduct and financial dealings associated with Hangar42 Studios near Grand Rapids. The Attorney General has announced an investigation. Secondly, Unity Studios that Allen Park purchased through a bond for $25.5 million. The Tax Tribunal judgment stated it's worth only $14 million. Thirdly, a Pontiac Studio has $18 million of its $28 million of debt insured by the State Employees' Retirement System--yes, the State Employees' Retirement System. The Senate Fiscal Agency tells us this system has an unfunded liability of $2.4 billion.

Surely, the administration is aware of the risks and potential scandals the film credit extravaganzas spawn by the temptation of the unscrupulous to betray the public trust. Despite three letters and face-to-face discussions, Representative Ebli continues to stonewall.

Representative Ebli, Speaker Dillon, and Governor Granholm, what are you afraid of? Public trust and the right to know is being held hostage to political skullduggery. Borrowing from the words of Jack McHugh of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, tear down this wall of government secrecy.

For more information, visit my Web site at www.SenatorNancyCassis.com. Or contact me toll free at 1-888-38-NANCY.


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State Senator Nancy Cassis, a Novi Republican, represents the 15th Senate District, which includes the townships of Commerce, Highland, Holly, Lyon, Milford, Novi, Rose, West Bloomfield and White Lake; as well as the Villages of Holly, Milford and Wolverine Lake; and the cities of Novi, Northville (the portion in Oakland County), Orchard Lake, South Lyon, Walled Lake and Wixom.