BEVERLY TRAN

Conyers Applauds President Obama’s Plan for Jobs and Education

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @RepJohnConyers**

For Immediate Release

Date: Friday, January 27, 2012

Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers Applauds President Obama’s Plan for Jobs and Education

(DETROIT) – Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement applauding President Obama’s approach to education and American manufacturing which he outlined in a speech today in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“President Obama is right. We need to break the boom and bust cycle that has characterized our economy for the last two decades and work together to forge an America built to last. To do this, Congress must:

· Work to restore the American middle class by encouraging American manufacturing and making higher education more affordable.

“I agree with the President that Congress needs to stop rewarding companies for sending jobs overseas and that Congress should stop subsidizing the oil industry. Instead Congress should:

· Invest that oil subsidy money into clean energy technology that will create new high tech jobs. And;

· Congress needs to make full employment the national policy of the Federal Government by passing H.R. 870, the Humphrey-Hawkins 21st Century Full Employment and Training Act.

“Higher education must be made more affordable and Congress needs to take real steps to alleviate students struggling under student loan debt. I was honored to work with the President to end the system of corporate welfare that took money out of the pockets of student borrowers and I look forward to helping him move additional reforms through Congress that will further improve college affordability and provide prospective students with the information they need to make smart choices about their academic futures. And Congress must now do more by preventing the scheduled increase in student loan interest rates this July.

“Finally, it is not fair that a quarter of all millionaires pay less taxes than millions of middle class households. Congress needs to end these tax subsidies to the wealthy and instead use the money to invest in America’s future and pay down the debt in a responsible manner.”

###

LePage crashes DHHS deliberations: 'Get this done'

2012-01-27T23:48:00.000-05:00

LePage crashes DHHS deliberations: 'Get this done'

AUGUSTA — As lawmakers on the Legislature's budgetary committee grilled the chief of the Department of Health and Human Services on Friday on whether the state would receive federal waivers to make some of Gov. Paul LePage's proposed Medicaid reductions legal, a member of the audience was eager to talk.

LePage.

The governor raised his hand at least three times and requested to speak. After the final time, Appropriations Committee co-chairman, Sen. Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport, invited LePage to the interview table.

During his forceful remarks, the governor reiterated the reasons lawmakers have to ratify his $221 million proposal to reduce Medicaid services.

LePage had given some of the reasons before, but not in this forum, not this way.

What brought LePage to Appropriations was a letter from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services which appeared to present a tall hurdle for $37 million of the governor's proposed cuts. The letter from CMS Director Cindy Mann indicated that the state might not obtain a waiver from the federal health care law to reduce Medicaid eligibility solely for budgetary purposes.

The letter concerned lawmakers on Appropriations, who are being asked to green-light some of LePage's Medicaid reductions, although proposals might not receive federal approval.

The letter is also a concern for LePage, who is attempting to fill a $221 million budget gap at DHHS.

On Friday, the governor briefly discussed the CMS letter, saying he would personally make the case for the federal waiver to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

"If this (budget) is not approved by Feb. 1 and I don’t get on a plane on Feb. 2 and stay in Sebelius’ office, on April 1, the state of Maine will default," LePage said during more than seven minutes of remarks. "(Maine) will not have the money to pay the fourth-quarter 2012 Medicaid payments."

The governor said the cuts were required to keep state money flowing to schools and to keep nursing homes open.

". . . I will be calling you back and asking you to give me the (General Purpose Aid to Education) money so that I don’t have to close nursing homes and we will probably have to close schools," said LePage, adding that he'd have to call the Legislature back into session before requesting education funding.

He added, "This is not normal politics. This is not rhetoric."

LePage said lawmakers were mistakenly addressing his budget proposal as a budget cut.

"It is not," the governor said. "It is (that) we are running out of money and this is the only way that I see to preserve the nursing homes."

He added, "Believe me, give me $221 million today, I go home, call it a day, business as usual."

LePage said the Medicaid issue was brought to lawmakers last year in his biennial budget. However, he said, the Legislature did not approve his proposed reductions.

"Well, the fact of the matter is we are spending at a much faster clip than we even thought," he said. "It’s taken us several months to recognize that we are blowing, or spending, an excess of $10 to $12 million a month more than we have. Add that up by 12 months, you’re at $125 million."

The governor stressed that Maine had been too generous with its Medicaid. He said the state pays "upwards of 200 percent over the federal poverty level for Medicaid" when other states "pay as low as 17 percent."

According to DHHS figures, the 200 percent statement turns out to be a generalization that represents two of the state's Medicaid offerings. Nonetheless, the state does exceed the federal poverty level in other programs.

"What we’ve done as a state has been very, very generous over the last decade," LePage said. "And that’s good. There were good times and we could afford it . . . We are not there any longer. We are not in the good times."

The governor acknowledged that people would lose their health care if his proposal is ratified. However, he said, some would seek private insurance and others would take insurance through their employers. The latter individuals, he said, were discouraged from doing so because MaineCare provided a richer benefit that's funded by taxpayers.

"There isn’t enough money in Maine to feed the beast," LePage said.

The governor urged lawmakers to "get this done."

"I need to get (to) Washington and and try and sit with (Sebelius) and convince her that the game of being overly generous and the economy is such that they need to work with us," he said.

LePage asked if lawmakers had questions. None did. Several appeared surprised that the governor had chosen to address the panel.

"I’ll answer any questions if you have any," LePage said, "otherwise I’m going downstairs to make a phone call to Secretary Sebelius."

It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will be heartened by the governor's promise to try to persuade Sebelius to grant the Medicaid waivers. Prior to his remarks, Maine DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew cautioned lawmakers about drawing conclusions from the letter.

"This response from CMS is not helpful, nor is it based on a formal proposal," said Mayhew, adding that state officials had been working with the Attorney General's Office to gauge whether the state had a chance to obtain the waivers from the Affordable Care Act.

Mayhew said the health care law's Maintenance of Effort provision was tying the state's hands in addressing its Medicaid budget. She said the federal government should be persuaded to grant an MOE waiver, given a shortfall that threatened its entire Medicaid program.

Mayhew also noted that the state would seek assistance from its congressional delegation to obtain the waivers.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, recently said the waivers appeared unlikely.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in a written statement Friday, stopped short of endorsing the MOE waiver, saying it was "imperative for the federal Department of Health and Human Services to work closely with the state to maintain the safety net that protects our most vulnerable citizens."

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, went further.

She highlighted an amendment she helped secure in the federal health care law that would mirror what the governor is trying to do with childless adults on MaineCare.

Snowe said the amendment was trying to fix an inequality in which states with low eligibility didn't have to make the same tough budget decisions as states like Maine with higher eligibility.

She said that if the federal waiver is granted to lower the eligibility for childless adults from 200 percent above poverty level to 133 percent, Maine "would still have income thresholds for parent coverage that would be higher than 40 other states."

She added, "Indeed, 17 states have coverage only up to 50 percent of poverty, with five states covering only up to 30 percent."

Snowe said the government must continue to help those most greatly affected by the economy.

"At the same time," she said, "there are tremendous fiscal challenges confronting the state, including those resulting from the rising costs of MaineCare."

Michigan Redistricting Maps Approved By Department Of Justice (INFOGRAPHIC)

2012-01-26T19:40:00.006-05:00

Michigan Redistricting Maps Approved By Department Of Justice (INFOGRAPHIC)

The U.S. Department of Justice has approved Michigan's Republican-designed redistricting plan, despite complaints from Democrats and a lawsuit that alleges some of the newly-drawn districts violate the Voting Rights Act.
Michigan must have any changes to districts and voting laws "pre-cleared" by the Justice Department because of the state's history of discrimination in elections.
But despite the DOJ's decision, a coalition of groups will move forward with its challenge to the new state House district maps.
In December, the Detroit branch of the NAACP, the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus, Latino Americans for Social and Economic Development (LASED) filed a lawsuit alleging Voting Rights Act violations in the redrawn state House districts. The plaintiffs say the new maps unfairly divide Detroit voters, combining sections of the city with surrounding suburbs.
The coalition charges Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Secretary of State Ruth Johnson with approving a discriminatory redistricting process. Members say the new districts will pit minority candidates in Detroit against each other.
A spokeswoman for the DOJ declined to comment further on the redistricting approval or the lawsuit.
Opponents of the new districts are especially concerned about Southwest Detroit's Latino population, which the map splits between the new 5th and 6th state House districts.
State Rep. Rashida Tlaib currently represents Southwest Detroit in Michigan's 12th district but will now run for reelection in the new 6th district. The new lines mean Tlaib's constituent base will drop from 45 percent Latino to 15 percent.
"It dilutes the Latino vote to the point where I'm seriously worried there will not be one state House seat that will be the voice for the growing Latino community in Michigan," she told HuffPost.
To compare the new redistricting map with the current districts, move the slider from right to left.
<br />
Tlaib said state Democrats presented a redistricting plan that placed nearly 50 percent of Latino residents in one district. She added she supports the lawsuit challenging the state House redistricting.
Tlaib has also been vocal about changes to the Detroit area's congressional districts.
"It looks like somebody was intoxicated when they put that together," she said. "It really does dilute and decrease the level of power that we have as voters to make sure that the right person is representing us."
Michigan lost one U.S. House seat due to a decline in population in the last census, and State republicans have drawn charges of gerrymandering Detroit area districts to make up for the loss. The new 14th district was named one of the "Top Five Ugliest Districts" in the nation in a Roll Call survey. It winds around Detroit to include half of Southwest Detroit, the riverfront, Grosse Pointe and many of the city's northern suburbs.
<br />
The new congressional districts spell trouble for metro Detroit's incumbent Democratic congressional representatives, who are already planning some district swapping.
Veteran Rep. John Conyers, a Democrat who currently represents Michigan's 14th district, will run in the new 13th district, which encompasses a good chunk of Detroit. Rather than take on Conyers in his old district, incumbent Rep. Gary Peters will challenge first-term incumbent Rep. Hansen Clarke for the 14th district seat.
Clarke and Peters face primary opposition from Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence and former state Rep. Mary Waters, who announced her bid for the seat on Tuesday.
Clarke, Peters and Conyers were unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Infographics by Jake Bialer, with demographic and district border data from Data Driven Detroit and the state of Michigan.
The U.S. Department of Justice has approved Michigan's Republican-designed redistricting plan, despite complaints from Democrats and a lawsuit that alleges some of the newly-drawn districts violate the Voting Rights Act.
Michigan must have any changes to districts and voting laws "pre-cleared" by the Justice Department because of the state's history of discrimination in elections.
But despite the DOJ's decision, a coalition of groups will move forward with its challenge to the new state House district maps.
In December, the Detroit branch of the NAACP, the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus, Latino Americans for Social and Economic Development (LASED) filed a lawsuit alleging Voting Rights Act violations in the redrawn state House districts. The plaintiffs say the new maps unfairly divide Detroit voters, combining sections of the city with surrounding suburbs.
The coalition charges Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Secretary of State Ruth Johnson with approving a discriminatory redistricting process. Members say the new districts will pit minority candidates in Detroit against each other.
A spokeswoman for the DOJ declined to comment further on the redistricting approval or the lawsuit.
Opponents of the new districts are especially concerned about Southwest Detroit's Latino population, which the map splits between the new 5th and 6th state House districts.
State Rep. Rashida Tlaib currently represents Southwest Detroit in Michigan's 12th district but will now run for reelection in the new 6th district. The new lines mean Tlaib's constituent base will drop from 45 percent Latino to 15 percent.
"It dilutes the Latino vote to the point where I'm seriously worried there will not be one state House seat that will be the voice for the growing Latino community in Michigan," she told HuffPost.javascript:void(0)
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To compare the new redistricting map with the current districts, move the javascript:void(0)slider from right to left.

Tlaib said state Democrats presented a redistricting plan that placed nearly 50 percent of Latino residents in one district. She added she supports the lawsuit challenging the state House redistricting.
Tlaib has also been vocal about changes to the Detroit area's congressional districts.
"It looks like somebody was intoxicated when they put that together," she said. "It really does dilute and decrease the level of power that we have as voters to make sure that the right person is representing us."
Michigan lost one U.S. House seat due to a decline in population in the last census, and State republicans have drawn charges of gerrymandering Detroit area districts to make up for the loss. The new 14th district was named one of the "Top Five Ugliest Districts" in the nation in a Roll Call survey. It winds around Detroit to include half of Southwest Detroit, the riverfront, Grosse Pointe and many of the city's northern suburbs.
The new congressional districts spell trouble for metro Detroit's incumbent Democratic congressional representatives, who are already planning some district swapping.
Veteran Rep. John Conyers, a Democrat who currently represents Michigan's 14th district, will run in the new 13th district, which encompasses a good chunk of Detroit. Rather than take on Conyers in his old district, incumbent Rep. Gary Peters will challenge first-term incumbent Rep. Hansen Clarke for the 14th district seat.
Clarke and Peters face primary opposition from Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence and former state Rep. Mary Waters, who announced her bid for the seat on Tuesday.
Clarke, Peters and Conyers were unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Infographics by Jake Bialer, with demographic and district border data from Data Driven Detroit and the state of Michigan.

Michigan Celebrates 175 Years of Statehood

2012-01-26T15:24:00.001-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @RepJohnConyers**

For Immediate Release
Date: Thursday, January 26, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Michigan Celebrates 175 Years of Statehood

(DETROIT) – Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) made the following statement celebrating the State of Michigan’s 175^th birthday. On this day January 1837, Michigan became the 26^th state to enter the union.

“Over the past 175 years, generations of Michiganders have built this state into a center of American industry, learning, and culture. As a center of American manufacturing and the developer of the modern assembly line, Michigan and its people have influenced the course of modern history. Michigan’s many world class educational institutions educate people from across the country and the world. And as the heart of the American automobile industry, Michigan continues to have a profound influence on the Nation’s economy and culture. I am proud to join my fellow Michiganders in celebrating this great milestone and encourage people to take a moment to reflect on our state’s heritage and contributions.”

Conyers: Emergency Manager Not a Solution to Highland Park School District Budget Problems

2012-01-26T15:09:00.000-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @RepJohnConyers**

For Immediate Release
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers: Emergency Manager Not a Solution to Highland Park School District Budget Problems

(DETROIT) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement in response to Governor Rick Snyder’s January 20^th letter to Highland Park School District parents advising that the district is in jeopardy of closing within the next few months due to budget shortfalls and informing them that he has appointed an independent financial review team to examine the district’s finances.

“I appreciate that the Governor has stepped forward to provide some immediate financial assistance. It is important to ensure that young people in the Highland Park community have a stable and secure learning environment. However, I believe the best way for our community to move forward is for stakeholders at all levels of government to work together to solve this problem. Any discussion by the Governor of employing a emergency manager in Highland Park is premature at this time.”

Detroit Charter Misses Out On Financial Oversight Opportunity

2012-01-25T14:35:00.001-05:00

I seem to recall an item I worked on during the City Charter revision process which called for an Inspector General. As the Charter has recently been passed by the vote, it would seem there should be option for the Inspector General to admiral some of the tasks of weeding out fraud, waste and abuse within departments, programs and contracts. No one would listen to me, as usual.

See, the archaic Ombudsman is the only department other than Corporate Council who has powers of subpoena, which have never been used, seriously. The Ombudsman ensconces individual report findings into aggregate data and dumps it on City Council in annual reports, so nothing ever gets fixed. The office only reports on what it supposedly does to keep its out-dated paychecks a-coming.

Then, if City Council is to now go to Council by District, there busts another illogical fallacy to keep the Ombudsman.

I raise the Ombudsman because the Inspector General has no powers of subpoena, further limiting it potential.

In addition, it was never considered that the Inspector General could privately contract for investigation,which would entail appointment for special powers of subpoena.

Lastly, there was no referral mechanism for the Inspector General to report violations of law to Corporate Council for prosecution and recovery. Another missed opportunity for oversight.

Unfortunately, a great opportunity has been lost in the Inspector General because this would have strengthened the argument against the Emergency Manager. It would have been one of those "why re-invent the wheel" contentions.

Oh well. Now we have the same folks overseeing the same mismanagement. Just wait, there is more.
Keep looking into the dark cavern of child welfare. This is why I proposed getting the language of "children are our most precious treasures" put into the preamble of the Detroit City Charter. It passed.

"Children are our most precious treasures" is code for posterity, future interests, economic stabalization, and it circumvents the FOIA exemptions and exclusions for audits and continuous quality improvements in program quality and delivery of services.

One of these days someone is going to listen and heed my advice.

Funding at risk for Detroit's social services

Detroit— The city is managing federal funding so poorly that it's risking future dollars for social service programs intended to help disadvantaged residents, officials examining Detroit's finances say.
State officials found numerous cases of misspending on salaries and other expenditures in the administration of Head Start, Women, Infants and Children nutrition support, home weatherization and other programs, according to the state's preliminary review of the city's finances.
That puts the city in a vulnerable spot as it seeks to convince state officials that it can handle its fiscal crisis without outside intervention. If Gov. Rick Snyder determines the city requires the oversight of an emergency manager, that person could bar the city from administering federal funds and instead give the job to Wayne County or a private company.

Members of Congress and Missing Children

2012-01-24T13:19:00.000-05:00

Interesting fact I just stumbled upon. Since 1974 Members of Congress can include in the franking information on mission children.

The "franking" is the official marking on mailings, including emails and other electronic forms.

Too bad no one has done it. Ever.

If I was in Congress I would be pushing the envelope... literally.

Getting Your Jollies From The Child Abuse Hotline - Baby LK Report For January 22nd 2012

2012-01-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

Baby LK recaps the week in news for the child protective industry.

Conyers: People Must Know Who is Flooding the Airways with Anonymous Political Ads

2012-01-21T03:58:00.001-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @HouseJudDems**

For Immediate Release
Date: Friday, January 20, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers: People Must Know Who is Flooding the Airways with Anonymous Political Ads

(WASHINGTON) – Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement in advance of the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, which falls on tomorrow January 21. The Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case wiped out a century of legal precedent, granting corporations the same free speech rights as individuals and allowing for unlimited spending by corporations and special interests on political campaigns.

“Two years ago, the Supreme Court opened the floodgate on unlimited, anonymous corporate money that distorts elections and accords giant corporations the same free speech rights as real people. In order to address this dangerous decision, my colleagues and I introduced a narrowly crafted constitutional amendment, H.R. Res 78, to ultimately undo the damage the Citizens United decision wrought on the democratic process. However in the meantime, Congress must immediately take up disclosure legislation similar to H.R. 5175, the DISCLOSE Act, which passed the House last Congress. People have a right to know what entities are responsible for the anonymous ads flooding the airwaves. And until the Citizens United decision is overturned, Congress must ensure that all the facts are available to voters before they make a decision at the ballot box.”

Rogers' support of Keystone XL is about fear mongering; disregard for environment

2012-01-20T12:13:00.000-05:00

01/19/12- Rogers' support of Keystone XL is about fear mongering; disregard for environment

LANSING-- Democratic candidate for the 8th Congressional District Lance Enderle today slammed Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Brighton) for his support of the ill-fated Canadian Keystone XL pipeline project.
The project would have traversed 1,200 miles of American soil, often in environmentally sensitive areas including a major aquifer, to transport tar sands oil from Canada to Texas. The oil in question is environmentally dangerous to remove from the earth, requiring massive amounts of water, steam and heat to remove, and must be mixed with other, lighter oil products to be transported under high pressure in pipelines. The oil is also tainted with toxic heavy metals like mercury.
The Obama administration on Wednesday announced it would reject the proposal for the pipeline. The move has been heavily criticized by Republicans, including GOP Rep. Tim Walberg, who represents Michigan's 7th which suffered thelargest environmental disaster in midwest history in July of 2010. At that time, the Enbridge Energy Partners Lakehead Pipeline 6B burst open spewing an estimated 1.1 million gallons of toxic tar sands oil and the petroleum "diluent" into the Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. Cleanup continues from the spill, with the company and the EPA having trouble removing a heavy tar-like substance left behind from the spill which is now covering acres of the bottom of the river.
On his Facebook page, Rogers called the Obama administration decision "short-sighted," claiming the move will "force" Canada to sell it's toxic oils sands product to China, and enrich Iran in the process.
"Evidently, Mike has no clue about the internal politics of Canada," said Enderle. "The First Nations of Canada have been very clear -- they won't allow pipelines to traverse their tribal lands, which would be necessary to fill tankers on the Pacific coast to tank over to China. And why do they oppose this? Because they know what residents of Calhoun County discovered in 2010 -- oil sands oil is toxic, dangerous and nearly impossible to remove from the environment."
"To claim that somehow Iran will ultimately be the beneficiary of Canadian oil to China is ridiculous on its face," Enderle continued. "China is currently getting oil from Iran, and getting more oil from Canada will simply reduce the demand for Iranian oil, reducing Iranian oil money. Mike is scare mongering."
"And all those jobs Mike is talking about? How many of them are 'indirect' jobs created by toxic, life-changing spills caused by improper handling of this toxic goo?" Enderle asked. "Yes we need jobs, but more jobs produced by scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel of oil production helps no one, and makes the U.S. put off the important job of leading the world into the development of renewable energy sources which do not cause environmental catastrophes.”

Conyers Praises President Obama’s Decision to Reject Keystone Oil Pipeline

2012-01-19T07:51:00.000-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @RepJohnConyers**

For Immediate Release
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers Praises President Obama’s Decision to Reject Keystone Oil Pipeline

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released a statement praising President Obama’s announcement that the State Department will deny a permit allowing construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline to begin.

“Republicans insisted that President Obama make a decision on the Keystone pipeline deal before a thorough review weighing the economic benefits and environmental costs of the project could be conducted,” said Conyers. “I fully support President Obama’s decision to forestall current plans for the oil pipeline. The Congress must work towards achieving energy independence that focuses on renewable resources and research into green technologies. There is a finite amount of oil in the world’s reserves and it is running out. If America is to thrive in the 21^st Century and beyond, Congress should invest research dollars into clean energy technologies that will create jobs now, lay the groundwork for future industries to employ America’s workers, and cure America of its addiction to foreign oil.”

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Conyers and All House Democratic Michigan Members Urge Construction of New International Bridge Conyers and All House Democratic Michigan Members Urge Construction of New International Bridge

2012-01-19T07:48:00.000-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @RepJohnConyers**

For Immediate Release
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers and All House Democratic Michigan Members Urge Construction of New International Bridge

(Washington D.C). – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-M14.) and Representatives Hansen Clarke (D-M13), John Dingell (D-M15), Dale Kildee (D-M05), Sander Levin (D-M12), and Gary Peters (D-M09) sent a letter to Speaker of the Michigan House Bolger, Michigan House Minority Leader Hammel, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Richardville, and Michigan Senate Minority Leader Whitmer urging the Michigan legislature to prioritize the passage of legislation authorizing the construction of the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) project early in the 2012 legislative session.

The NITC project will create a world-class international bridge and secure a transportation corridor with Michigan’s largest trading partner, Canada. It will create 10,000 new construction jobs for Michigan workers and generate more than $2 billion in federal matching highway funds for Michigan roads.

The letter is attached as a pdf and the text follows below:

January 18, 2012

The Honorable Randy Richardville The Honorable Jase Bolger

Majority Leader Speaker

Michigan Senate Michigan House of Representatives

P.O. Box 30036 P. O. Box 30014

Lansing, MI 48909 Lansing, MI 48909

The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer The Honorable Richard Hammel

Minority Leader Minority Leader

Michigan Senate Michigan House of Representatives

P.O. Box 30036 P.O. Box 30014

Lansing, MI 48909 Lansing, MI 48909

Dear Speaker Bolger and Leaders Richarville, Whitmer, and Hammel:

As you prepare for the 2012 session of the Michigan Legislature, we write to urge you to prioritize the passage of legislation that will allow work to begin on the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) project. Michigan desperately needs the 10,000 construction jobs and $2 billion in federal matching highway funds that would be immediately provided by this project. Additionally, the NITC will strengthen our nation’s bond with Canada – Michigan’s largest trading partner – by providing a secure alternative route to Ontario and significantly increasing the capacity for increased trade between our two countries.

Constructing a second bridge at the Detroit-Windsor crossing will help grow the 237,000 Michigan jobs that depend on trade with Canada. The NITC would provide six new lanes, bringing the total to ten between Detroit and Windsor, while also directly connecting 1-75 to Highway 401. These additional lanes will help prevent the delays that cost Michigan’s shippers and manufacturers millions of dollars each year. Chrysler estimates that current delays at the Detroit-Windsor crossing add more than $600 to the average car manufactured in our region. Without a second bridge, these delays will likely grow worse, with truck traffic across the border expected to double by 2035.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has stated that Canada’s $550 million investment in the crossing’s customs plaza will allow Michigan to receive nearly $2 billion in matching for road construction projects across the state. If the NITC project is approved early in the 2012 legislative session, construction projects across the state could begin putting thousands of Michiganders back to work this year fixing our state’s highway infrastructure and speeding our state’s economic recovery.

We believe the case for moving forward with the NITC project is clear. The NITC project poses no fiscal risk to the state, as the cost of this $1.3 billion dollar investment in Michigan will be borne completely by private investors and the U.S. and Canadian governments. Further, should the tolls collected from the bridge fall short of the dollars needed to repay Canadian or private investors, the Canadian government has agreed to cover any revenue short fall. In short, this project is no risk, all reward for Michigan taxpayers.

Construction of the NITC will ensure that Michigan keeps its edge and continues to be a leading conduit for the $62 billion in annual bilateral trade between the United States and Canada. We urge you to pass authorizing legislation as soon as possible so that we can begin to transition the Detroit-Windsor crossing into a modern, multi-modal system that creates jobs in Michigan and guarantees safe, secure, and efficient commerce across our northern border.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr. Hansen Clarke

MEMBER OF CONGRESS MEMBER OF CONGRESS

John D. Dingell Gary Peters

MEMBER OF CONGRESS MEMBER OF CONGRESS

Sander Levin Dale E. Kildee

MEMBER OF CONGRESS MEMBER OF CONGRESS

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Don't Throw A Pot Of Boiling Water At A Social Worker - Baby LK Report For January 15th 2012

2012-01-16T17:52:00.000-05:00

Baby LK recaps the week in news for the child protection industry.

All eyes on 2012 elections at AFL-CIO King holiday observance

2012-01-14T03:18:00.001-05:00

All eyes on 2012 elections at AFL-CIO King holiday observance

by: John Rummel

January 13 2012

tags: unions, women, elections, worker rights, Michigan

DETROIT - "There is no doubt Detroit was the right place to come," said Arlene Holt Baker, executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, in opening the labor federation's 26th annual Martin Luther King Holiday Observance Conference here Jan. 12. She was referring to the many historical ties Dr. King had to the city. His renowned August 1963 Washington D.C. "I have a Dream" speech was first given to tens of thousands in Detroit the previous June, with much of it written in Detroit at Solidarity House, the United Auto Workers headquarters.

Holt Baker was also referring to the current Republican attack on workers and this city. Labor will honor Dr. King by recommitting to his fight for social and economic justice, she said. Acknowledging that the challenges are many, she said, "It's a new day, a new labor movement," and "victory can come to the 99 percent if we stand united."

One illustration of that "new day" in labor is the leading role played by women. It was noteworthy that in addition to Holt Baker, Karla Swift, president of the Michigan State AFL-CIO, and Saundra Williams, president of the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO, gave welcoming comments.

Swift decried the "death by a thousand cuts" inflicted on working families in Michigan. Teachers are being stripped of bargaining rights, she noted, the tax burden is shifted to seniors and the poor, unemployment benefits are cut and emergency managers are being given unbridled power to cancel municipal union contracts and sell public assets.
"It's time to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the 1 percent" Swift said, declaring, "We will work our tail off to win back the Statehouse."

Regarding Republican efforts to introduce "right to work" in Michigan, Williams quoted Dr. King, saying, "We must guard against being fooled by false slogans." Williams continued, "'Right to work' provides no rights and no work."

To the 550 conference attendees Williams also noted another new development that King would have celebrated: "Labor cares about the entire community."

Holt Baker, Swift and Williams presented longtime Michigan Congressman John Conyers Jr. with the Justice, Peace and Freedom Award for his devotion to workers' rights and civil rights.

To loud applause, Conyers, who was first elected to the U.S. House in 1964, said he is now working on the Employee Free Choice Act which allows workers to vote on union recognition with a "quick, fair ballot with no interference from employers."

Looking ahead to the 2012 elections, Conyers said, "We have to educate our brothers and sisters. Some of the 99 percent are not voting with the 99 percent."

Conyers said he had known King well and said King had guided his political career. After the civil rights leader's assassination, Conyers said he gave deep thought about how to honor King, and then detailed the 15-year fight he led to have Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday finally recognized as a national holiday in 1983.

"We got a history lesson from the real historian," commented Holt Baker.

Rev. Wendell Anthony, Detroit NAACP president and pastor of Fellowship Chapel, decried the voter suppression laws and emergency manager threats that are making Michigan "the Mississippi of the North." If an emergency manager is appointed for Detroit, half of all African Americans in the state will have lost the right to choose their own leaders, he pointed out.

Expressing the spirit of Dr. King, Holt Baker said labor has learned something important this past year: "the strength of collective action" and "of public protest." When we stand together with those who share our values, "the numbers are on our side and victory can be ours," she said.

Conyers Reintroduces Haiti Recovery Legislation On The Second Anniversary of Devastating Earthquake

2012-01-13T01:29:00.000-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @RepJohnConyers**

For Immediate Release
Date: Thursday, January 12, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers Reintroduces Haiti Recovery Legislation On The Second Anniversary of Devastating Earthquake

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) announced the reintroduction of the “Haiti Empowerment, Assistance and Rebuilding (HEAR) Act of 2012.” The HEAR Act authorizes up to $2 billion over the next two years to support the sustainable recovery and long- term rebuilding of Haiti. The bill outlines critical strategic initiatives and mandates to ensure that U.S. assistance efforts comprehensively address the priorities of the people of Haiti.

“Two years after its devastating earthquake, stability and long-term recovery in Haiti remains elusive,” said Conyers. “If we are to fulfill the commitments made by the American people in the weeks and months following that terrible tragedy, the United States must establish and commit to a long-term reconstruction assistance plan. The HEAR Act would allow for the creation and implementation of such a strategy and I call on my colleagues in the House and the Senate to pass it without delay.

“With 70 percent of the population unemployed or underemployed and half a million Haitians still living in camps, there is clearly much more that must be accomplished. A comprehensive development and recovery strategy will go a long way towards remedying these failings and ultimately creating a country that provides greater economic equality, independence, and democratic accountability for the Haitian people.”

The HEAR Act will improve the United States’ ability to assist with the long-term rebuilding of Haiti by:

·         Authorizing up to $2 billion over the next two years to support Haiti reconstruction and rebuilding in order to demonstrate a long-term commitment to assisting the people of Haiti recover from the devastation of the January 12, 2010 earthquake.

·         Directing the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to prepare and submit a comprehensive rebuilding and development strategy for Haiti, in consultation with the Government of Haiti, civil society organizations, private sector entities, and other implementing partners, and in coordination with the international community. The strategy should include specific and measurable goals, benchmarks and time frames, an implementation plan to achieve policy objectives, and a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan tied to quantifiable and measurable indicators.

·         Establishing a strategic policy framework to affirm and build a long-term partnership with Haiti and ensure U.S. assistance efforts will comprehensively address critical priorities, in support of the Government of Haiti and the Haitian people, including:

o Just, democratic, and competent governance, including security sector reform and strengthening;

o Economic growth and economic sustainability, including investments in infrastructure, improved urban management, and agricultural development;

o Environmentally sustainable programs that are respectful and restorative of Haiti’s natural resources; and

o Investments in people, particularly women and children.

· Ensuring that rebuilding and reconstruction efforts build from existing assessments for Haiti and support the Government of Haiti’s Action Plan for the Reconstruction and National Development of Haiti, other existing development plans for Haiti, including the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for Haiti, and follow shared principles in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action.

Michigan Busted In Child Welfare Training Fraud Scheme

2012-01-12T18:38:00.001-05:00

Remember when I questioned the exorbitant amount of Title IV-A funding for CPS training? I sincerely believe that TANF funding was used to come into compliance with the federal settlement agreement with Children's Rights.

That's right. Fraud. The state cut off TANF financial assistance to families, and cut food stamps amounts, in order to get 100% reimbursement for compliance training on how to put more kids into foster care.

Busted.

Michigan Department of Human Services Training Audit on Foster Care 2011

Romney Demanded Mom Give Up Baby

2012-01-12T12:06:00.000-05:00

Romney Demanded Mom Give Up Baby

The conservative evangelicals in South Carolina are sure to be leery of Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith, but after this, they may not be the only ones. The Real Romney, a new biography written by a pair of Boston Globe reporters, reveals that as a Mormon bishop in the 1980s, the GOP frontrunner demanded a single mom give up her baby for adoption or face excommunication from the church. “This is not playing around,” the woman said. “This is not like, ‘You don’t get to take Communion.’ This is like ‘You will not be saved. You will never see the face of God.’” The authors say that people are not often excommunicated from the LDS Church over such matters, and the woman had positive things to say about Romney outside his role in church leadership. But the woman left the church, and Romney denies the threats took place.

Conyers: 10 Years Later and Congressional Republicans Still Refuse to Close Guantanamo Detention Center

2012-01-12T12:02:00.000-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @HouseJudDems**

For Immediate Release
Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers: 10 Years Later and Congressional Republicans Still Refuse to Close Guantanamo Detention Center
(WASHINGTON) – Today marks the tenth anniversary of the detention center located at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. On January 11, 2002, the Bush Administration transported twenty detainees to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, the first of 775 detainees that have been housed at the facility over the past ten years. A decade after its creation, 171 detainees remain housed at the facility, 89 of whom have been cleared for release but whose transfer has been blocked by provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement in response:
“The failure to close Guantanamo Bay lies not with President Obama but with Republican leaders in Congress who have thwarted this Administration’s efforts to shutter Guantanamo at every turn. Provisions in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, just passed by Congress at the end of last session, prohibit the release of 89 detainees who have been cleared by the C.I.A., F.B.I, National Security Council and Department of Defense for transfer or resettlement. Congress has repeatedly barred transfer of detainees to stand trial in our time-tested Article III courts. These obstructionist efforts have made it all but impossible for President Obama to solve a legal quagmire created by his predecessor that has harmed the U.S. government’s credibility at home and abroad. On this tenth anniversary, Congress should commit to working with President Obama to close Guantanamo and bring an end to this ugly period in American history.”

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Conyers Praises Plans for Detroit U.S. Patent and Trademark Satellite Office

2012-01-12T11:11:00.001-05:00

Now for the Detroit Satellite U.S. Copyright Office!

For Immediate Release
Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers Praises Plans for Detroit U.S. Patent and Trademark Satellite Office

First ever U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Satellite Office will create more than 100 high tech jobs

(DETROIT) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) praised the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announcement that the very first USPTO satellite office will open in Detroit this summer. The Elijah J. McCoy United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO-Detroit Office) will be located on 300 River Drive and the USPTO estimates that this satellite office will create more than 100 high technology jobs. The USPTO is aiming to open the office by July 2012.

“This announcement is a boon to the economy of Detroit and Southeast Michigan,” said Conyers. “Not only will the office, to be located at 300 River Drive, offer more than 100 high technology jobs, but opening the satellite office here should facilitate patent filings by thousands of Detroit area businesses. It will also establish Southeast Michigan as being at the very vanguard of technology innovation.

“USPTO Director Kappos has made an excellent choice in opening the office in the Detroit business district, and I look forward to working with the USPTO and the Commerce Department in making sure the office opening is as successful and expeditious as possible. The announcement sends a strong signal to businesses, innovators and educators all over the nation and the world that Detroit is a top notch technology destination.”

Provision for the Detroit Office was specifically included in the “America Invents Act,” patent reform legislation signed into law on September 16, 2011 that Rep. Conyers, as the current Ranking Member and former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, had worked on for over seven years.

Conyers, Jackson Lee: Supreme Court Should Protect Minority Voting Rights in Texas Redistricting Case

2012-01-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

**Follow Me On Twitter @HouseJudDems**

For Immediate Release
Date: Monday, January 9, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers, Jackson Lee: Supreme Court Should Protect Minority Voting Rights in Texas Redistricting Case

(WASHINGTON) – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a consolidated case involving recent changes to Texas’ congressional district map. According to the 2010 census, Texas gained more than 4 million new residents with much of the growth occurring in the state’s African American and Latino population. Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), Texas must seek preclearance from the Department of Justice for changes to its congressional district map to ensure against retrogression – that minority voters are not worse off under the new plans. However, rather than seeking an administrative review through DOJ, Texas chose to seek approval for the new plans through a Three-Judge Court in Washington, DC.

In a separate action under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a Three-Judge Court in Texas found that the new congressional map proposed by the Texas legislature actually reduced the number of “minority opportunity districts” – districts in which minorities constitute at least 50% of the voting age population and may elect a candidate of their choice – as required under the VRA. The ultimate issue before the Court is what districting configuration the lower court should have referred to when ordering the interim electoral map to be used in this round of legislative elections in Texas this year.

“The Supreme Court should act to ensure that minority voters there have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice,” said House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich). “The lower court found evidence of discriminatory intent and that the maps proposed by the legislature appear to deny minority voters the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The Court should not stand in the way of legal proceedings that will bring these facts into the open or delay the rights of minority voters.”

"Texas is a richly diverse state, and the new congressional map should reflect the large influence of Texans of Hispanic, African-American, and Asian descent, not weaken their voices,” said Representative Shelia Jackson Lee (D-Texas). “Our state's gains in congressional seats are the direct result of minority growth, and the new congressional map should reflect this reality."
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Michigan's Chattel Ranching Plan

2012-01-09T16:48:00.003-05:00

Michigan has no intentions of changing anything in its child welfare philosophy. It will enhance performance standards but it will not deviate from its paradigm of codifying poverty.

The following is a policy in dealing with chattel ranching (a.k.a. foster kids):

Psychotropic Medication

Children placed in the custody of the Michigan Department of Human Services often have biological, psychological and social risk factors that predispose them to emotional and behavioral disturbances. The use of psychotropic medication as part of a comprehensive mental health treatment plan may be beneficial. However, caution must be used in administering psychotropic medication to children in DHS custody because of heightened concern due to publicized cases where questionable prescribing patterns threaten a child’s health. Policies and procedures to guide the psychotropic medication management of children in DHS custody will be made in consultation with child and adolescent psychiatrists. The Michigan Department of Community Health will collaborate with DHS to provide the system oversight of psychotropic use.

Drugging foster kids is far more beneficial as it will increase Medicaid revenue streams and is more cost effective in reduction of therapy and monitoring family visits. Drugging foster kids significantly reduces the risk of litigation when a child is tortured and raped while under stare care.

Here is another 'benevolent' Michigan foster care policy dealing with age-outs.

As of May 1, 2008, Michigan extended automatic Medicaid eligibility to youth leaving foster care at 18 until their 21st birthday. The DHS dedicated a staff position and developed a one-page form the caseworker faxes to Central Office to open Foster Care Transitional Medicaid (FCTMA). A FCTMA brochure was developed for youth and has been provided to all local DHS offices. Private and public agency CPA caseworkers provide the brochure to youth prior to their exit from the child welfare system. This brochure also serves as a guide for caseworkers. Training for caseworkers statewide is in progress as is mailing of information to notify all youth who have transitioned from foster care and are eligible for FCTMA.

After severing all legacy and connections to families, the state is throwing an extended bone to these youths before they have to fend for themselves at the social slaughter.

Another exclusionary policy on state operations:

By September 30, 2014, at least one former foster youth shall be a member of the State Foster Care Advisory Board.

Birth parents need not apply.

No place in this document is there reference to fraud, waste and abuse. There is no mention of reporting these transgressions or referrals to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

"Additionally, one-eighth of the Children's Protective Services worker participation eligible under title IV-E is assigned directly to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to account for the one week of training in investigative techniques provided only to these workers in the CWTI Pre-Service Institute."

Quarter ending 9-30-08
Title IV-E Training @ 75% FFP
$901,408.79
31.1668%
Title IV-E Administration @ 50% FFP
$141,550.89
4.8942%
Title IV-A TANF Administration @ 100%
$784,213.42
27.1147% <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<this is not one-eighth
SSBG Foster Care
$1,065,031.42
36.8242%

I was always under the impression that Title IV-A could supplement training costs but this is ridiculous. So as the state cuts families off of financial assistance, it is billing with questionable costs to train CPS workers.

Really Michigan, really? You spend that much for one week of training for state workers each quarter? That's fraud.

DHS must submit the plan by December 31, 2011, and will accept public comments for the next 45 days. Comments can be submitted by fax or email using these instructions:

Send an email to DHS-TANF@michigan.gov

Fax comments to Dale Shaw at 517-335-7771.

This is my public comment to the plan:

I have severe concerns with the level of Title IV-A funds being used for "CPS Training", the failure to establish grievance policy and the fact that anything addressing Medicaid fraud referral procedures for consumers and state employees to be reported is omitted.

For establishing an oversight system for improper and unnecessary use of psychotropic medication in foster care, the state must begin with the understanding that it was not limited to a few "cases", it was the subject of a GAO report of which Michigan was a cohort. This is where one can begin to address the improper and questionable costs reimbursements in Medicaid.

I am deeply saddened that the state must spin its budgetary shotfalls on the backs of the most vulnerable of society.

Community Applauds Changes to Keep Families Together

2012-01-09T15:11:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 9, 2012

Contact: Ryan Bates, 248.787.6767, ryan@michiganimmigrationreform.org

Community Applauds Changes to Keep Families Together

Ascencio Family Puts a True Face on Administration’s Proposed Changes

Detroit – Francisco Ascencio would like to join his family as a true citizen of the United States. His wife is a citizen. His three children are citizens. But in order for Ascencio to legally pursue citizenship, he risks being separated from his family for 10 years.

This is because Ascencio, who has been an undocumented resident of Michigan for over 13 years, would need to return to Mexico to begin the citizenship process. Yet, returning to Mexico would set in motion a series of events that could tear apart this family. He would be banned from returning to the U.S. for 10 years. Although waivers to this ban are available, he would still need to take the risk of going to Mexico to ask for this waiver.

This policy presents a dilemma to many undocumented immigrants in the U.S., and requires a calculation of risks for immigrant families.

But the Obama administration proposed a change to this policy. On Friday, the administration introduced changes that would allow immigrants to seek the waiver to the 3- or 10-year ban while staying on U.S. soil.

The Ascencio family gathered with advocates from the Arab-American, Latino, and legal communities today at the offices of ACCESS to put a human face on the proposed changes.

“Our immigration policies should prioritize keeping families together. We’re very encouraged to see the Obama Administration enact this common-sense change to make things easier for the spouses of US Citizenss,” said Nadia Tonova, director of the National Network for Arab American Communities, “While we wait for Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform, we need the Administration to do what they can to alleviate the suffering of families who are eligible for some relief.”

The new policy would allow immigrants with families in the U.S. to request a waiver on the ban if they can prove their absence would present an extreme hardship to their families, and this waiver request could now be initiated from the U.S. This change shows the administration’s commitment to aiding families in staying together, raising children in dual-parent households, and maintaining financial freedom without leaning on the state for support.

The proposed policy was published on January 6 in the Federal Register, but administration officials have stressed that this is only the beginning of the process. Quotes from officials have indicated a desire to have an official policy in place by the end of the year.

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To learn more about Alliance for Immigrant Rights & Reform Michigan, please visit www.michiganimmigrationreform.org, follow them on Facebook at ReformImmigrationFORAmericaMI or on Twitter at @RI4AMichigan.

Shanelle Jackson Part Of Wayne County Medicaid Fraud Scheme

2012-01-09T09:24:00.000-05:00

Told you so. There is so much Medicaid fraud in Wayne County it is ridiculous. State Representative Shanelle Jackson who had the audacity of going around advocating for more Medicaid money to be pumped into Wayne County Mental Health was getting some of that money pumped into her little campaigns.,

Shanelle Jackson then thinks she is going to run for congress??? Everyone, make sure to tell her Beverly Tran said [sic] "Sit your hair-weave ass down" then tell her to subscribe to my feed, beverlytran.com.

Her weave was paid for by the tears of children who were tortured in foster care in bogus Medicaid funded programs and services justified in fake court reports approved by rubber stamping a judge's signature.

And yes, this is personal and I dare her to challenge my statement.,

Investigation of Wayne Co. widens

Jury probes alleged misuse of mental health funds by Ficano staff

Zoom

The events are the latest in a wide investigation into Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano’s administration. (Detroit News file)

Detroit— A federal grand jury is investigating whether Wayne County illegally spent money intended to help those with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses on spokespeople for Executive Robert Ficano, The Detroit News has learned.
The revelation is the latest in a wide investigation into Ficano's administration — and follows allegations in lawsuits from two former Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency directors that Medicaid money was misspent on salaries for administrators and to pay lobbyists.
That could constitute fraud and, if nothing else, is an affront to decency, said Richard Visingardi, a former executive director who received a $200,000 lawsuit settlement in 2007 after he was fired.
"You have a moral responsibility to follow the law and spend the money on people with disabilities and don't piss it away," Visingardi said. "It's morally reprehensible, a violation of federal standards and practices, and it's just wrong."
Two sources told The Detroit News that Visingardi has received a subpoena to talk to federal agents about the allegations. He declined comment except to say "if I was subpoenaed, it would be as a witness, not a target."
Brooke Blackwell, a spokeswoman for Ficano, said numerous studies have found no abuse.
"Anyone can make an allegation, but the truth of the matter is that there have been no irregularities in any of the many audits conducted," Blackwell wrote in an email.
"Mental health is only partially funded by federal dollars, and those funds earmarked for expenses and salaries are carefully accounted for."
Visingardi's accusations, though, aren't new.
His predecessor at the agency, Patricia Kukula, was fired in 2003 and sued Ficano that year, alleging his staff was "misusing mental health funds … (and) employed members of his personal staff using mental health dollars, when in fact they were not performing mental health work."

Previous payout

She dropped the suit months later, but the settlement was kept secret until Friday — just before a judge today was to weigh a request from Robert Davis, a union activist and Highland Park school board member, to open it.
The deal paid Kukula about $60,000 and gave her credit for nearly five years' work that she didn't perform.
That allowed her to retire in 2009 with a pension that pays $90,420, enrichments that could be worth at least $600,000 over a 30-year pension.
Davis, who filed the suit to open the settlement, said the deal is worth closer to $850,000.
Kukula said she hasn't received a subpoena.
"I'm a law-abiding citizen, and my only involvement is responding to (Davis') suit," said Kukula, who is now vice president of corporate development for the Detroit Medical Center, a system run by Mike Duggan, the deputy executive for Kukula's old boss, former Wayne County Executive Edward McNamara.

Investigation branches

The new investigative thread follows several since federal agents began serving subpoenas on the county in October.
What started as a probe into a $200,000 severance to former economic development director Turkia Mullin and her ties to county contractors has since branched into several areas, sources have told The News.
Now, the grand jury is investigating kickback allegations involving a county-affiliated insurance program; a suicide-prevention contract to the ex-husband of a Ficano fundraiser; Mullin's leadership of the county's land bank; a project to build a $300 million jail; and millions of dollars in information technology contracts.
Mohamed Okdie, who served on the mental health board from 1994 to 2008, said he hasn't been contacted by the grand jury.
But he said prosecutors would have plenty to investigate. Okdie said Ficano routinely dipped into Medicaid money on unrelated projects and even to offset budget gaps in the general fund.
Okdie said he objected, but Ficano controls half of the 12 board members.
Detroit appoints the other six board members to the agency that has a $600 million budget and provides services to 75,000 people.
"It's a tragedy," said Okdie, who served on Ficano's transition team when he was elected county executive in late 2002.
"The mentally ill are on the streets, living in the cold, prostituting themselves and Bob Ficano is using money intended to help them to plug a budget hole."
Kukula came aboard about the time Ficano became county executive in 2003, and troubles soon followed, Okdie said.
Ficano, who had been sheriff for two decades, didn't want Kukula because she was a longtime administrator to his predecessor and frequent foe, Edward McNamara.
After the board gave her a two-year contract in early 2003, "I was told there would be blood on the streets and the (Ficano administration) would discredit me and the entire board," Okdie said.

FBI raids office

Ficano fired Kukula on Nov. 12, 2003, over claims the agency had a $17 million deficit. Ten days later, the FBI raided the mental health agency's offices and removed financial records.
Kukula sued but dropped the case months later in 2004. The commission approved the settlement, but unlike most, wasn't allowed to see its details, said Phil Cavanagh, who served on the commission at the time and is now in the state House.
"Patti told me, 'Phil, they made me an offer I can't refuse. It's unbelievable,'" said Cavanagh, D-Redford Township, who also served on the mental health agency's board.
Cavanagh said he plans to introduce legislation this week to turn the agency into an independent authority. It's now staffed and funded by Wayne County, but the agency board hires its director. There has been a dispute between Ficano and the board over whether the county executive can fire the agency's executive director.
Cavanagh's legislation is identical to bills passed by the House and Senate in 2004. They were vetoed by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who at the time said she wanted to give Ficano a chance to fix the problems.
"If anything, it's in far worse condition now," Cavanagh said.

Problems ignored

Visingardi said he was brought aboard as a change agent in 2005.
He said he was stymied at every turn, highlighting problems to officials in Lansing and in Wayne County that were ignored.
Visingardi alleged in reports the agency spent Medicaid money to pay its Lansing lobbyist, Karoub and Associates, to block legislation to make the agency an authority.
He also said the county used $17 million in Medicaid funds to plug a budget hole, failed to provide local matches to Medicaid grants and used federal funds to pay salaries of spokespeople for Ficano.
Blackwell countered that two independent audits found "no discrepancies" and the $17 million was put back into mental health after cost overruns.
By May 2006, Visingardi was effectively out as director. Okdie said the board recognized Visingardi as director, but he was blocked from working by sheriff's officials and wasn't paid.
A career mental health administrator, Visingardi said every agency has some level of misspending.
It's often unintentional but, he said, Wayne County failed to implement simple safeguards to prevent abuse.
"You can't argue stupidity. There were no structures to prevent misspending," said Visingardi, who also has served as the state's Community Mental Health Services director and director of Community Mental Health in Oakland and Ionia counties.
"It was fraud."

My CPS Agent Got Off On The Power Trip - Baby LK Report For January 8th 2012

2012-01-09T08:14:00.001-05:00

Baby LK recaps the week in news for the child protective industry.

Frontier Airlines Fails To Deliver Unaccompanied Minor, Threatens To Turn Him Over To Child Protective Services

2012-01-08T01:45:00.000-05:00

Oh, that poor abused and neglected child...

I hope the parents sue the airline from here to the next Frontier. Causes of action:

skewing child abuse statistics;
wastingtaxpayer money;amd,
for hiring stupid policy administrators, managers and the idiot who called CPS.

Frontier Airlines Fails To Deliver Unaccompanied Minor, Threatens To Turn Him Over To Child Protective Services

January 3, 2012

By Infrequent Flier

Paying a fee to check your bag doesn’t guarantee that your bag arrives on time. So why should paying an unaccompanied minor fee guarantee that your child is treated properly? 10 year old Adrian Opsahl was returning from visiting his father in Denver to San Diego on Frontier Airlines when his plane made an unscheduled stop in Las Vegas due to a medical emergency. The plane was then stranded on the ground due to fog in San Diego for an extended period.

At no point did the airline contact any emergency numbers provided by the family to apprise them of the situation. Finally, Adrian turned on his cell phone and alerted his family. When his family finally reached the gate agent, they were given two choices: Adrian could return to Denver, or, if he wasn’t picked up by family in Las Vegas within 30 minutes, he would be turned over to Child Protective Services. When Adrian’s aunt stated that the child should not be turned over to CPS, the gate agent hung up and had him flown back to Denver without the family’s consent or knowledge. The family says had they been told earlier the child was in Las Vegas, they would have been able to have someone meet him there. Adrian was flown to San Diego the following morning, but the incident raises some disturbing questions. Frontier Airlines has , as of yet, not responded to reporters’ inquiries.
If airlines are going to be taking fees for accompanying unaccompanied minors, they must have systems in place to deal with adverse events.