Another case of mismanagement by the GOP Board of Commissioners

The all Republican Livingston County Board of Commissioners has mishandled the home foreclosure crisis in Livingston County, which has the highest rate of property tax foreclosures in the region, Democratic candidates for county commission stressed on Thursday.

By choosing to rely on the state government in Lansing to handle foreclosure sales, the county has received lower sale prices for the properties relative to the prices received from other counties which handle their own foreclosure sales. At the same time, the county has failed to do anything to stop the foreclosures by not setting up foreclosure-prevention programs.

A recent state auction for tax foreclosed properties yielded only $307,311 in sale prices on properties with minimum required bids totaling $5.2 million. Livingston County Treasurer Dianne Hardy reported those figures to the Commission’s Debt Management subcommittee at its meeting on Tuesday.

With one of every 39 properties in foreclosure in the county, Livingston County should be handling its own tax foreclosure auctions, said Keith Tianen of Putnam Township , Democratic candidate for County Commissioner in District 6. Data from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) said Livingston County ’s foreclosure rate was second only to Wayne County ’s in southeast Michigan. Tianen said Livingston is one of only 12 counties in the state that does not handle its own tax-foreclosed property auctions.

“When a county handles its own tax foreclosures, it takes extra care to market and prepare the properties,” Tianen said. “A county can get, and does get, a better price than the state does. Further, a strong foreclosure preventive program will greatly reduce the number of foreclosures.

“These programs have been shown to be cost-effective for both homeowners and county government,” he said “When the county handles its own tax foreclosures, if the tax auction generates revenue above taxes owed, the county keeps the money to use for local needs, instead of it going to the state.

Unfortunately, Tianen said, Livingston County missed the boat. Up until a few years ago, Michigan law allowed counties to choose to handle their own foreclosures, but that window is now closed. As a commissioner, Tianen said he would push Livingston County ’s legislative delegation for a measure that would reopen the opportunity for counties to handle their own tax-foreclosed property auctions.

Democratic State Representative candidate Garry Post running in the 47th District, said that he would introduce such a measure in Lansing when elected, so that Livingston County could handle its own tax foreclosures if requested to do so by the board. Democrat James Delcamp, candidate for the 66th State House seat, said he would join in co-sponsoring such a measure.

In the meantime, Tianen said, the county should at least set up foreclosure prevention and assistance programs. Currently, Tianen said, Livingston County residents facing foreclosure are referred to the Oakland-Livingston Human Service Agency’s (OLSHA) program forcing residents to travel to Pontiac.

“A high foreclosure rate, coupled with no local initiatives, results in excessive revenue losses for the county,” Tianen said.

The Livingston County Daily Press and Argus reported in September that Livingston County had 195 properties up for tax foreclosure auction in Lansing , far more than Clinton , Branch, Eaton, and Shiawassee counties combined. Patricia Simon of the Treasury Department’s Property Services Division, was quoted by the Press and Argus as saying Livingston County had the greatest rate of property foreclosures in the Michigan Dept. of Treasury’s southern region.

Michigan Radio reported today, that Michigan has 25 percent more foreclosures today than this time last year, while the national average went down. Because Livingston County has the second highest foreclosure rate in southeast Michigan and the highest tax foreclosures in the south central region, and because this worsening crisis has been mishandled and ignored by Republican County Commissioners for years, the time is overdue for effective new leadership at the County Board of Commissioners.

Fundraisers on tap this week

Campaign season is in full swing with lots of fundraisers, and I just wanted to give a shout out to some of my friends.

Livingston County Democrats had the most candidates file for the nine-member Livingston County Board of Commissioners since at least 1998, and Kelly Raskauskas is one of the most qualified. She is running in the 7th District, which includes the city of Brighton and part of Genoa Township. She has been a leader in the community, serving as president of the Friends of the Library in Brighton. She has a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

She has a fundraiser set for 6 p.m. Thursday, July 15. To RSVP and for directions, call (734) 878-6792.

My friends at the Monroe County Democratic Party are holding a campaign kickoff at 5 p.m. this Saturday, July 17 at UAW Local 723, 281 Detroit Ave. in Monroe. For $15 you get a steak dinner and soft drinks. Tickets can be ordered online.

Come out and enjoy some great fellowship and good food, and many of the candidates will be there. Monroe’s two House seats are under attack, and Republicans are targeting the seats in the blue collar, union town.

House Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer, D-Dundee, is term-limited, and Bedford resident Mike Smith is running for the seat against a large field of Republicans. Rep. Kate Ebli, D-Monroe, is running against a well know Republican, and she can use your help.

We need your help, and I will see you there.

Don’t forget the fundraiser for Jim Delcamp, the Democratic candidate for the 66th h Michigan House District, that will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Brighton House Restaurant, 10810 Grand River Road, Brighton.

Fundraiser on tap for House candidate

Supporters of Jim Delcamp are hosting a campaign kickoff and fund-raiser at 5 p.m. Monday, July 12, for his run for the 66th District seat in the state House.

The event will be at the Brighton House Restaurant, 10810 Grand River Ave. in Brighton from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Appetizers and a cash bar are included with a suggested donation of $25.

Delcamp, the author of a book called “Zero Cost Living—Exploring Extreme Frugality,” is running as the “thrift candidate,” promising to give back half his salary as a state legislator to the state and to help look for significant savings in the state budget. He also supports creation of new jobs based in biotechnology and renewable energy, as well as securing funding for public safety and schools. A Democrat, Delcamp is making his first run for office in the district which includes the City of Brighton, the Village of Milford, and the township of Milford in Oakland County and the townships of Brighton, Genoa, Green Oak, Marion, and Oceola in Livingston County.

Delcamp is a graduate of Ann Arbor Pioneer High School and from Michigan State University with a major in Urban Planning. The City of Lakeland, Florida, hired Delcamp as a city planner, where he worked until 1976. In 1980 he received a Master's Degree in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.

In 1979 - 1980 he was the co-owner, editor, writer of the Ann Arbor magazine "The Alchemist." Delcamp wrote the article "Energy Independence for Ann Arbor" that was widely read and helped inspire a series of standing room only public meetings that the mayor characterized as “like the filming of ‘The Robe.'" Ultimately, the return of cheap energy in the mid-1980s stymied efforts to develop alternative energy.

Delcamp has worked as a community organizer in Detroit and an energy auditor for Detroit Edison and Consumers Power helping residents save money and energy throughout the Eastern half of the Lower Peninsula. Beginning in 1989 Delcamp received a contract from General Motors for his services as a Computer Aided Designer. For 12 years, he worked with G.M. engineers on diverse vehicle components such as underbody frame, interior trim, instrument panels, electrical, exterior trim.

The campaign kickoff is open to all those interested in supporting Delcamp. Anyone wishing more information may contact Delcamp at 810-844-6840 or jrdel@att.net.