Moroun spreads cash and misinformation

It’s old news that Republican billionaire benefactor and Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun is spreading misinformation and lies in order to keep his monopoly on the busiest commercial border crossing in all of North America, but as the public-private partnership for the planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge inches toward a reality, he has pulled out all the stops.

Most people have seen his TV commercial full of lies and the Michigan Truth Squad has called them out on their $400,000 worth of lies and scare campaign. The Moroun family now has bought the help of Faux “news” pundit Dick Morris and the Washington, D.C.-based rightwing think tank “Americans for Prosperity.”

Morris will work for anyone who pays him, and the so-called AFP organized and financed the teabaggers. The AFP has sent out glossy, full-color direct-mail pieces and radio ads against three Republican senators who have not taken a position on DRIC. The DRIC bridge has widespread bipartisan support, including the last three Michigan Governors and the current one; Snyder, Blanchard, Engler and Granholm.

The shrinking but vocal teabaggers have taken up the cause, blogging about it and calling lawmakers because Moron has sold it as a public bridge against a government bridge, ignoring the fact that public uses are just that, and if the DRIC bridge it not built, the 10,000 jobs and a new bridge will go to Buffalo.

Moroun claims a second bridge is not needed because traffic across the bridge has fallen, while he ignores the basic truths that we are just coming out of the worst recession since the Great Depression and the domestic auto industry going into bankruptcy. The fact is Ambassador Bridge “traffic jumped 11.4 percent between 2009 and 2010,” and Moroun has not explained why then he wants to build a second bridge if traffic is falling.

But the biggest lie is that DRIC will lose money and stick Michigan taxpayers with $100 million every year, and that is the scare tactic they are peddling. Canada has agreed to pay Michigan’s estimated cost of $550 million, and it will not cost Michigan taxpayers a penny. The Canadian government has called the proposed bridge its most important infrastructure priority and it will not give Moroun a permit to land this bridge to, again, empty into downtown Windsor.

DRIC bridge is the highlight of a SOS filled with vague generalities

We waited a year for this?

New Michigan Gov. Rick “Chief Executive Outsourcer” Snyder has been very vague on how he plans to reinvent Michigan since he launched his campaign last year with an expensive Superbowl ad, and people were hoping they would finally hear some actual details when he gave his first State of the State address Wednesday night. Instead, we got very few details and a very general plan that included more corporate buzz words like “dashboards,” “road maps” and “gardening.”

The speech was so general that lawmakers from his own party were wondering and wanting more specifics. Still, it was nice to hear he appears to be a moderate Republican instead of the nasty extremists who hijacked the party, and there may be some common ground to keep the recovery moving in Michigan. There were some great things in the speech, and the most hearting was his support for entering into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge. That move drew praise from both sides of the aisle.

“This is the right move for Michigan," said Republican Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson. “If we all don't stand together behind the DRIC project now, we will all be standing in Buffalo in a few years watching them cut a ribbon on their new bridge to Canada."

The bridge will bring more than 10,000 new jobs to the state. The only cloud on the horizon is that every single Republicans voted to kill it last session, and a camera shot of the crowd when Snyder spoke about DRIC showed the right aside of the House chamber sitting on their hands while Democrats stood and cheered. That could mean a major campaign funding source for state Republicans could be lost in the form of Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun.

More disturbing was in lack of detail on how he plans to close the estimated $1 billon General Fund budget deficit. Senate Republicans are floating a plan to close it on the backs of state workers, but we have heard nothing from Snyder. Even more disturbing was his plan to kill the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) and replace it with a flat 6 percent corporate tax. That will increase the deficit to $3 billon.

Also unsettling for consumers was the proposal to gut Michigan’s item pricing law. Retailers would no longer have to place the price of the item on each individual item. That will require consumers to place their trust in the scanner at the retail outlet and cost consumers millions of dollars.

It will be an interesting year in Lansing.

Moroun spends $1 million to kill DRIC

Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun spent more than a million dollars in the last election cycle to ensure he keeps his monopoly at the busiest border crossing in North America and killed the planned International Crossing (DRIC) bridge.

Last week on the last session day of the 95th Legislature session, the entire Michigan Senate Republican caucus voted no on discharging House Bill 4961 from committee; a bill that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the DRIC bridge. It occurred in the very week that the post-election campaign statements were due to be released to the public, and it showed a major reason something that has such widespread bipartisan and binational support was killed.

According to the Detroit Free Press, “the Moroun family -- Matty, his wife, Nora, son Matthew and daughter-in-law Lindsey” spent more than $1 million in campaign cash.” The fact is it is probably much more because he has so many companies with different names.

“He was especially generous to candidates in the state Senate, where the DRIC proposal has been bottled up all year and finally was shelved Thursday,” the Free Press reported. “Moroun gave thousands of dollars to 19 Senate candidates, and 15 of them won. He gave at least $150,000 to political action committees dedicated to electing Republican Senate candidates.”

“Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop successfully blocked bringing a vote on the DRIC proposal to the Senate floor,” but in May he promised an up or down vote. The Moroun family has contributed nearly $400,000 this year to political action committees (PAC) and candidates controlled by Bishop that helped Senate Republicans, to Bishop's unsuccessful attorney general campaign or directly to Senate Republican candidate committees to keep the family monopoly.

The Free Press reported that “In both the House and Senate, many of the contributions came after Oct. 17, the last campaign finance deadline before the Nov. 2 election. Those donations didn't become public until Thursday, when post-election campaign finance reports were due to the Secretary of State's Office.”

The timing is suspect. Moroun made sure the contributions would not come out until after the election, and Bishop made sure the news of the generous contributions would not come out until after he had successfully blocked a vote on DRIC. Despite it only being Dec. 6, Bishop made sure the last session day was last Thursday; the shortest lame duck session in recent memory, an with plenty of unfinished business.

In fact, the last session day ran all day and all night on Thursday, and it adjourned at 3:50 a.m. on Friday morning. In other words, instead of conducting business in the light of day, he choose to keep the Senate in a marathon session until almost 4 a.m. so session would not run until after Thursday.

Moroun cash kills DRIC

LANSING -- The thousands of dollars Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun gave to the Senate Republicans paid off on Thursday when the entire GOP caucus voted no on discharging House Bill 4961 from committee; a bill that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge.

The 11-23 vote was just to discharge the bill from the Transportation Committee that has had it for more than 7 months and has been in the works for a decade, and a majority would just have allowed it too have an up or down vote. Thursday was the last day of the 2010 Legislative session, despite it’s only the second day of December, and the bill is now dead and must be re-introduced by the new Legislature in January.

To keep their monopoly of the busiest border crossing in North America, the Moroun family has contributed nearly $400,000 this year to political action committees (PAC) and candidates controlled by Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, that helped Senate Republicans, to Bishop's unsuccessful attorney general campaign or directly to Senate Republican candidate committees to keep their monopoly.

Governor Jennifer Granholm said the move to kill 10,000 to 35,000 jobs and a project that is supported by more then 80 business and labor organizations from Grand Rapids to Detroit and Ohio to Texas representing thousands of business of all sizes and hundreds of thousands of workers who count on free flowing trade with Canada is a prime example of why Michigan needs campaign finance reform.

“Senate Republicans have bowed to special interests,” she said “They are irresponsible, discarding 10,000 jobs for Michigan workers and ignoring the needs of job providers.”

Rarely does a project have the support of both labor and the chamber of commerce, but the DRIC project does.

“It's simply incredible that they turned down a no-risk project which had support from business, labor, former Governors Engler and Blanchard and the U.S. and Canadian governments,” Granholm said.

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, who introduced the discharge motion, said he will continue to advocate for the DRIC project.

“While I am disappointed, this certainly isn’t the end of DRIC,” Basham said. “There are incoming legislators from both sides of the aisle and in both legislative chambers already preparing to pick up where we left off. I urge Governor-elect Rick Snyder to make this a top priority because this new border crossing is critical for Michigan’s future, creating more than 10,000 much-needed jobs now while providing the necessary infrastructure to support the continued growth of our international commerce and trade.”

The Canadian government, that has offered Michigan up to $550 million to help pay for the new border crossing, is becoming very impatient, and they may ask Washington to step in; either that or a new bridge will be built in Buffalo.

Last day of Lame Duck is the last chance for thousands of Michigan jobs and the DRIC Bridge

LANSING -- it’s do or die day for the 10,000 to 35,000 Michigan jobs and a new, modern bridge between Detroit and Windsor and the busies border crossing in North America after a discharge vote on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge failed to materialize on Wednesday.

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, has been trying engineer a vote to discharge the bill from committee to the Senate floor an up or down vote, but the one real attempt was postponed on Tuesday after it appeared the necessary 19 votes were not there. If the bill does not get a vote today, all the six years of work die and the process starts all over again after Jan 1 when the new Legislature comes in. This is the last day of the Lame Duck session, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, - who reneged on a promise to being the bill to a vote back in May – plans to take the rest of the month of December off.

The DRIC Bridge project is supported by more then 80 business and labor organizations from Grand Rapids to Detroit and Ohio to Texas representing thousands of business of all sizes and hundreds of thousands of workers who count on free flowing trade with Canada. It also has bipartisan support, including the support of the last three Michigan governors.

The good news is that the media is starting to realize the only opposition is the Senate Republican Caucus after Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun pumped large amounts of campaign cash to the caucus.
The last ditch effort will begin today. A vote will eliminate all the BS talk about needing more time after years of committee hearings and debate. At least one Detroit News blogger hit the nail on the head.

“Politicians and wonks on both sides of the Detroit River have considered the border crossing issue for most of the decade. Senators who haven’t yet formed an opinion, one way or another, on this issue have no business holding elected office. Infrastructure at North America’s busiest commercial border crossing is kind of a big issue for Michigan. Or it should be, anyway.”

“The binational study that produced the DRIC plan began in 2004. The House handed off DRIC to the Senate almost six months ago. Any Senator suggesting postponement on the DRIC vote because they don't want anything “jammed down their throats” is either a liar or woefully incompetent. Possibly both.”

Jobs lose round one in fight to bring DRIC bridge to a vote

It appears Ambassador Bridge owner and GOP sugar daddy Manuel "Matty" Moroun won round one on Tuesday when House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge failed to be discharged from committee to the Senate floor fro an up or down vote.

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, has been championing the effort to build the new DRIC bridge to replace and expand the aging Ambassador Bridge, but the discharge motion was withdrawn when it appears he did not have the necessary 19 votes to bring it to the floor for an up or down vote.

“The reason this issue should be discharged is this is probably one of the most single most issues we can deal with in this state to No. 1, create jobs; No. 2, protect this state and this country with homeland security; No. 3, to be able to have some redundancy when it comes to infrastructure crossing our international borders,” Basham said. “There our 26 international border crossings in this country and 24 of them are publicly-owned; the busiest border crossing in this country happens to be in Michigan, and it is privately-owned.”

Basham knows it is a long shot, but he aid he still plans to try again on Wednesday or on the last day of the lame duck on Thursday. There are 10,000 to 35,000 jobs at stake.

The discharge vote has crated massive media interest in Canada, and if the DRIC bridge is not built, no bridge will be built because the Canadians will never give Moroun a permit to land it in Canada because they do not want a multi-lane bridge with heavy trucks empting into downtown Windsor.

“This is a jobs issue, a commerce issue, an issue of trade between Michigan and its largest trading partner, Canada,” Basham said. “This is an issue that has to be dealt with it. It has to be dealt with sooner than later.”

The DRIC study began a decade ago in 2000, but the Moroun financed GOP Senate caucus still wants to delay and kill it so Moroun can keep his monopoly. There were some rumors that Governor-elect Rick Snyder may have had something to do with the decision to ask for a postponement of the vote on Tuesday, but Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, - who reneged on a promise to being the bill to a vote back in May – denied that.

"Rick Snyder has been very clear to me that he does not wish to intrude upon this Legislature," Bishop said in subscription only Gongwer.

That’s simply not true, and he was in the Capitol yesterday, and he weighed in on funding the Pure Michigan campaign and the autism bills.

Moroun family sponsoring politicians

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous and activist decision last January in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case that opened the flood gates to the flow of secret corporate money pouring into elections, many people joked that politicians should wear stickers like NASCAR drivers to tell us who is sponsoring them.

We saw that play out on Monday when Michigan Governor-elect Rick “Chief Executive Outsourcer” Snyder met with the so-called bipartisan Freshman Caucus. The event was held at the lobbying firm Karoub Associates and sponsored by the Detroit International Bridge Company, which owns the Ambassador Bridge and Nora Moroun, wife of bridge owner Manuel "Matty" Moroun.

You will recall that last week outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, broke an earlier promise and said there would not be an up or down vote on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge and take advantage of Canada agreeing to fund Michigan’s share of the bridge and the addition of 10,000 much needed jobs. This occurred after some large contributions to the Senate Republican caucus and to PACs controlled by Bishop.

The Moroun family has been very active in Lansing in the past year, and in fact they are holding a legislative breakfast this morning at Karoub Associates.

Despite the DRIC bridge having bipartisan and international support, including three of the past Governors, the Big 3 automakers and the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Moroun money has managed to fight off every attempt to supplement the aging 84-yar-old bridge and economic lifeline, allowing him to keep his monopoly supplement the aging 84-year-old.

If the DRIC bridge is not built, no bridge will be built; despite the cosmetic and sham attempts by Moroun to claim he is in the process of building a new span next to the old one. First, the Canadians will never give him a permit to land it in Canada, and Moroun has no intention of ever building a second bridge.

Campaign cash trumps 10,000 Michigan jobs

The word from Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, on Thursday that it is unlikely that the Senate would vote on legislation authorizing the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge this year just proves that billionaire benefactor and Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun spent his money wisely.

Instead of 10,000 Michigan jobs and a much needed bridge, Michigan appears to get nothing. Subscription only Gongwer reported on Thursday that Moroun, who has fought tooth and nail to keep his private monopoly on a private border crossing, “recently gave $30,000 to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee,” and they “put $35,000 into the Capitol Affairs political action committee from May through July. That PAC later gave $20,000 to Mr. Bishop's attorney general campaign fund.”

The news came just about a week after the Chair of the Transportation Committee, Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac, said he had just come out with a new draft of House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the bridge and take advantage of Canada agreeing to fund Michigan’s share of the bridge. Gilbert said back in June that he was going to slow-walk the bill, not kill it. This announcement came as a surprise to the many DRIC supporters, as well as to Gilbert.

One of the main reasons offered for trying to kill it was ridiculous. According to Gongwer, “Gilbert said in recent days there had been increasing discussion among Senate Republicans about the awkwardness of an incoming governor inheriting responsibility for implementing a massive project he did not support.”

The DRIC study began in 2000 under former Republican Gov. John Engler when it was clear we needed to replace the aging Ambassador Bridger and increase border capacity and security. The DRIC bridge has widespread support from a diverse coalition. In fact, the only people that seem to really oppose it are Senate Republicans and the Moroun family.

The fact is the bridge had the support of the last three Michigan Governors, including Democratic Govs. Jim Blanchard and Jennifer Granholm and Republican Engler, as well as Republican Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.

Even some groups that normally support Republicans support the DRIC bridge. According to Gongwer, “Sarah Hubbard of the Detroit Regional Chamber, a major proponent of the DRIC, said stakeholders in the issue have been working "around the clock" to address concerns and help Mr. Gilbert put together the new version of the bill.”

She said the DRIC is far from dead this session, and they will continue to work to get at least an up or down vote, at least in the lame duck session in December. If nothing else, there will be a vote on a motion to discharge the bill from the Transportation Committee.

This is far too important to Michigan and Canada’s economy to let it be killed by Moroun’s money.

Matty Moroun spreads cash to GOP allies

Republican billionaire benefactor and Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun was busy distributing campaign cash to those willing to stand up for the billionaires and against 10,000 Michigan job and oppose the much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor.

In an effort to keep his monopoly on the 81-year old Ambassador Bridge, Moroun has spent lots of money on mostly Republican politicians that has earned him the loyalty like that of State Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt. In a Detroit Free Press article called “Matty Moroun spends big on politicians: Dishes donations amid bridge fight,” it reports “Moroun and his family have doled out more than $110,000 in political contributions to Michigan candidates and committees since the beginning of the year.”

The article shows Morouns spent his money on most -- but not all -- of the gubernatorial candidates from both parties, as well as a lobbyist-run committee in Lansing that in turn contributes to Republican campaigns and causes. That’s one reason why not a single Michigan House Republicans voted yes on legislation clearing the way to build the DRIC bridge and authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the DRIC bridge, and why Senate Republicans are trying to kill it in committee.

According the Free Press, “the Morouns gave to all of the Republican gubernatorial candidates except former Gateway computers head Rick Snyder, who supports DRIC as long as Michigan taxpayers aren't on the hook. U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra -- who has since said he favors a public-private partnership to build a new span -- received four $3,400 contributions worth a total of $13,600 on May 5. Attorney General Mike Cox, who has more concerns about DRIC, received the same on June 25.”

But Mike Bouchard appears to be the new Cropsey, and he got the lion’s share of the Moroun cash.

“On top of the $10,200 he received on the last day of 2009, the Bouchard Victory Fund received $13,000 in May. And Capitol Affairs PAC, which is run by former Bouchard staffer and lobbyist Robert Kennedy, has received $35,000 from the Morouns since the middle of May. The PAC has contributed to several funds committed to electing Republicans, as well as giving about $34,000 to Bouchard's gubernatorial run and another $34,000 to a committee called Friends of Mike Bouchard -- which according to the filing is a fund for his re-election in 2012 as Oakland County sheriff.”

Most troubling, at least to me, was that the Morouns also gave “two $3,400 contributions to Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor. His rival, House Speaker Andy Dillon, didn't receive a donation. Dillon supports DRIC; Bernero opposes it.”

“Also of note, two of Lansing's most vocal opponents to DRIC received contributions:” Republican State Reps. David Agema of Grandville received $1,000, and Paul Opsommer of DeWitt got $1,500.

DRIC bridge and 10,000 Michigan jobs dead until at least the Lame Duck session

The Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee said he was going to slow walk any attempt to build the much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor, and he confirmed that Tuesday with a speech on the Senate floor.

The Transportation Committee has been holding hearings on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the bridge, but Senate Republicans – the only Republicans in the state – are against the bridge, and they have fought any attempt to build the bridge in order to help Republican benefactor Matty Moroun, the owner of the Ambassador Bridge, keep his monopoly.

Chair of the Transportation Committee, Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac, said the committee held six hearing on the DRIC totaling 10 hours of testimony, as well as testimony in 2006. He said despite four years of lead time, he was not going to be rushed. He complained that the committee did not get HB 4961 until last May, despite the fact that it had been introduced in May 2009 in the House.

“For years, the House worked on the proposal, and we were not privy to how or why certain changes were made to the bill,” he said. “But now after a year’s work by the House, the Senate is expected to ram this measure through in a matter of weeks.”

It makes you wonder if he was living in a cave since 2006, or why he is against working with his counterparts in the House.

He also questioned Canada’s offer to pick up Michigan’s $550 million share of the project.

“In addition, there are questions on how Canada’s financial contribution to a bridge project would work,” Gilbert said. “Would it be a gift; A loan; What are the ramifications; If it is a loan, would that trigger the constitutional requirements of a two-thirds vote by the Legislature?”

Gilbert said the committee will continue to sort through the details to make an informed decision, but he will not be rushed. However, he has pledged to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and all interested parties.

That means it will not get done this summer, and it will have to be taken up in the Lame Duck session in November.

“My top priority throughout all of this is to protect the Michigan taxpayer,” he said. “I will not support any legislation on DRIC from this body that will leave the taxpayer on the hook for one single dime.”

Sen. Ray Basham, the Minority Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee, said he appreciated Gilbert’s fair handling of the hearings and attempt to get the facts, but he set the record straight on the Canadian offer.

“I especially appreciated the testimony of transport minister John Baird who came before our committee a week ago,” he said. “But I do remember John Baird saying that this was not a loan. This was Canada putting up the money that Michigan would have put up had it been able to and then Canada getting its money back through tolls.”

Basham also said this was not a new concept, and the U.S. did the same thing for Canada in 1938 with the Blue Water Bridge.

“Also Canada has been our partner, even in the war in Afghanistan, and suffered losses also,” Basham said. “They have also been our partner in transportation and commerce. They are our partner in many things and will continue to be.”

Cropsey has a meltdown over DRIC

LANSING – Ambassador Bridge owner and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun’s chief lobbyist, State Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, had a meltdown on the Senate floor on Thursday while fighting off the effort to build the much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor.

Cropsey has gone the extra mile for Grosse Pointe billionaire in the past; at one time he appeared to be ready to declare war on Canada because they are not willing to give Moroun a permit to land a second Ambassador Bridge on Canadian soil.

The Senate was debating the budget bill for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) when Cropsey when off on a verbal tirade MDOT director Kirk Steudle following the defeat of an amendment effecting DRIC.

According to subscription only Gongwer that covers the Capitol:

“The lead critic of DRIC in the Senate, Majority Floor Leader Alan Cropsey (R-DeWitt), uncorked a denunciation of DRIC on the Senate floor so furious that he his voice cracked into a squeak at one point.”Kirk Steudle!" Mr. Cropsey bellowed like a parent to a child, pausing almost as if he hoped Transportation Director Kirk Steudle was in the gallery and would respond. "Why don't you give us what the Legislature requested?!"
"This is absolutely abysmal," he yelled, his voice cracking into a squeak and prompting some snickering on the floor. "Are we supposed to vote on this in the dark too, just like the House did?"

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, introduced an amendment to the budget bill – House Bill 5889 - that would remove the provision that prohibits MDOT from expending any funds on DRIC unless the Legislature passes legislation allowing the construction of DRIC.

“As you all know, we are currently deliberating on this legislation, and under current MDOT boilerplate language, that vote has to have occurred by June 1 of this year,” Basham said. “While I understand that this body is elected to delay the vote in order to fully study and evaluate the legislation, there is no certainty as to when or even if that vote will occur. I believe it is inappropriate to the MDOT expenditures to vote on the bill when we have already failed to meet our own imposed deadline.”

For the past three weeks the Senate Transportation Committee has held hearings on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada, the U.S. and a private sector developer/financier to build the DRIC bridge.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, promised an up or down vote on the bill some time ago, but he reneged two weeks ago, saying there would be no vote because MDOT declined to release revenue data on how much money the tolls from a new DRIC bridge would generate. Steudle said he supplied the traffic study as required, and that releasing the revenue data would worsen the state's negotiating position when hiring a concessionaire to participate in the public-private partnership that would oversee the new bridge.

However, to speed the process, Steudle released the study on Wednesday, but Senate Republicans – the only people against building the DRIC – are now saying it’s not enough and they also need at lest 30 days to study it. It also led to Cropsey’s temper tantrum.

“The report we received in our offices yesterday was a preliminary traffic and revenue study,” he said. “They dragged their feet for six weeks before they gave us the final parts of that.’

The Basham amendment failed, and the bill was then passed along party lines with one Republican joining the Democrats in opposition. However, the bill failed to gain the necessary two-thirds vote for immediate effect. That is often used as a form of protest, but it will not matter much because the House and Senate passed different versions and a conference committee will have to work out the differences.

The toll study, however, showed the area will support two bridges, but it will eat into the profits of the 81-year-old private border crossing.

According to the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday:

“A proposed second bridge across the Detroit River would generate about $70 million in its first year of operation and as much as $240 million by 2035, according to a study the Michigan Department of Transportation released today
DRIC revenue during that time would rise from $70.4 million in 2016, the bridge’s first year of operation, to $238.2 million by 2035. It would be more than enough to pay off bonds that would finance the bridge, Steudle said.
Steudle acknowledged that the Ambassador Bridge would lose traffic and revenue once the new bridge is opened, but he said there will be enough of both to support DRIC, the Ambassador and the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron.”

Bridge company rolls out some new excuses to kill the popular and bipartisan DRIC bridge

Employees of the Ambassador Bridge Company didn’t miss a trick on why they should keep their monopoly on the 81-year old bridge and the only private international border crossing for motor vehicles in North America.

On Tuesday the Senate Transportation Committee continued hearings on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada, the U.S. and a private sector developer/financier to build the much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor. Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) President Dan Stamper testified before the committee, continuing his company’s misinformation campaign. Stamper threw in the kitchen sink against the DRIC bridge, including his favorite whipping boy, Canada, for daring to pick up Michigan’s cost for the bridge and wanting a different location for a new bridge to land on the Canadian side.

According to subscription only Gongwer, Stamper said “the DRIC represented a continuation of Michigan rolling over to Canadian interests, citing the practice of Toronto sending its waste to Michigan landfills.” According to subscription only MIRS, Stamper said “Canada is lusting over Michigan's sovereignty by agreeing to cover Michigan's $550 million cost for the bridge.”
"Canada will have powers in Michigan," Stamper said. "This is the biggest power grab in history." Robert Noble, the Consul General for the Canadian government, laughed off the comment as ridiculous in his press availability after the hearing.

One of the more bizarre reasons for the bridge company has put out to kill the DRIC bridge is that the traffic study proves there is no need for a second span, but Stamper offered no explanation on why the bridge company is already building a second span without a single permit. The company has been ordered by Wayne County Circuit Court to tear it down and return the property they illegally took to build on.
Stamper them made the claim that the Legislature would need a two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, along with a public vote, to authorize the financing. When that was debunked, he then went on to claim that it would be a violation of the U.S. Constitution in that Michigan would be entering into a financial agreement with a foreign power without Congressional sign-off, something that is barred by Article 1, Section 10. The only problem with that is that the DRIC project has the support of the federal government.

There was also disagreement between the bridge company and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) about how the $170 million Gateway Project that addressed long term congestion mitigation issues and provided direct access improvements between the Ambassador Bridge, I-75 and I-96 was configured. MDOT said the Ambassador Bridge folks didn't live up to their agreement in building the project. The bridge company used delaying tactics in the hope it would hamper the DRIC bridge, and it almost required the state to pay back the federal money for the project. Stamper blamed MDOT for not allowing the completed project to open, but the courts ordered the bridge company to tear down the start of the second span.

No vote was taken on HB 4961. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, promised an up or down vote on the bill some time ago, but he reneged last week, saying there would be no vote because MDOT declined to release revenue data on how much money the tolls from a new DRIC bridge would generate. MDOT Director Kirk Steudle said he supplied what was called for and releasing the revenue data would worsen the state's negotiating position when hiring a concessionaire to participate in the public-private partnership that would oversee the new bridge.

However, in an attempt to jump over another blockade thrown up by Republicans going to bat for Ambassador Bridge owner and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun, he released that data to committee members today.

Hopefully, the committee will vote the bill out of committee next Tuesday.

Senate Republicans find new excuse to hold up DRIC bridge and 10,000 Michigan jobs

LANSING – The Senate Transportation Committee hearings on the much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor is proving two things: Senate Republicans are the only people holding it up, and they will do just about anything to help GOP benefactor Matty Moroun keep his monopoly at the Ambassador Bridge.

Republicans all over the country and here in Michigan support building the DRIC bridge, and it seems that the only Republicans who don’t are in the Michigan Senate. The committee hearings on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the DRIC bridge continued on Wednesday, and Republicans on the Committee raked Wilbur Smith Associates, the company that did the traffic study, over the coals for 90 minutes in an unsuccessful attempt to shake his numbers that we need a second crossing.

But they, apparently, did find something to latch on to, and it appears that is what Senate Majority Leader Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, is going to use to not allow a vote in the bill.

Apparently, unless the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) turns over revenue data on how much money the tolls from a new DRIC bridge would generate, the Senate will not vote on the legislation, according to subscription only Gongwer.

Bishop claims that when MDOT provided the traffic study last May, they should have included revenue data on tolls, but MDOT Director Kirk Steudle said he supplied what was called for and releasing the revenue data would worsen the state's negotiating position when hiring a concessionaire to participate in the public-private partnership that would oversee the new bridge.

“I did release the study on May 1,” he said in replying to a question from Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw.” As I have testified before, the State of Michigan will be at a disadvantage if I release that data.”

This is such a sham. I can tell you what will happen if the DRIC bridge does not get built. The federal money and 10,000 jobs will go to Buffalo “in a New York minute.”

“I don’t believe for a minute that New York would not hesitate to snap up this up,” Steudle said in Tuesday’s hearing.

Moroun is already in the process of building a second span next to the current one, even though he claims they don’t need a second span and he has also been ordered by the courts to tear it down because he has no permits. His second bridge will never get built for two reasons.

First, Canada does not want the second bridge to land next to the current bridge, and Moroun never get a permit from Canada, no matter how long Senate Republicans hold their breath and jump up and down. Second, when he sees a second span will not be built, he will abandon his current quest to build a second span, and just reap the profits from his 81-year old bridge with little maintenance and government oversight.

The fact is no Michigan taxpayer dollars will be expended on the DRIC bridge. The toll revenue from vehicles that cross the bridge will pay for its construction. In addition, the Canadian government has offered to fund the construction of the bridge plaza and the freeway connection on the U.S. side of the border.

It’s funny; I’m reading a book called “Michigan’s Economic Future” by Michigan State University Economics Professor Charles Ballard published in 2006 by Michigan State University Press. Although I’m only on the first chapter, it’s clear how important it is to Michigan to keep the bridge to Canada open.

He wrote “Michigan is one of the leading gateways to Ontario, the economic heartland of Canada. Trade with Canada is one of the central pillars of Michigan’s’ economy. Michigan has the eight largest economy of the 50 states, but we are the fourth largest exporting state.”

“In the after math of the events of September 11, 2001, heightened security led to considerable congestion at border crossings. Some of the congestion was relived by the opening of new U.S. Customs booths on the Detroit side of the Ambassador Bridge in 2004. Nevertheless, eventually, it will almost certainly be necessary to build a new bridge or tunnel in the Detroit area.”

That was written more than four years ago. That crossing could go to New York if Senate Republicans continue to stall.

The Senate Transportation Committee will again take up HB 4961 Tuesday June 15 at 1 p.m. in the Senate Hearing Room in the Boji Tower in downtown Lansing. The committee meetings are open to the public.

Compromise may be in the offering as hearing on DRIC bridge continues

The much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor has lots of bipartisan support, including support among labor unions and business people, and it got a boost at the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual policy conference last week on Mackinac Island

At an after-dinner speech at the Grand Hotel at the conference, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne received "strong applause for his resounding endorsement of plans to build a second bridge over the Detroit River," according to the Detroit Free Press.

"I want to make it clear that Chrysler strongly supports the proposed DRIC," he said. "Each day, Chrysler moves more than 1,300 shipments, some 2,000 cars and trucks, and makes 1,600 entries per day at the Detroit-Windsor border. Hundreds of our employees cross the border to work in the U.S. or Canada."

House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the DRIC bridge is being held up by Senate Republicans, and it is the first step in building the bridge.

The bill received a hearing last week in the Senate Transportation Committee. Republicans have gone to bat for Ambassador Bridge owner and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun, who is already building a second span next to the Ambassador Bridge to keep his monopoly despite not having a single permit. Republicans in the committee falsely claimed the state does not need a second bridge and that it takes away legislative oversight.

Apparently, the widespread support the DRIC bridge has is changing some minds, and subscription only Gongwer that covers the Capitol reports a compromise may have been reached on the bill in Mackinac.

"Compromise is possible on legislation that would allow for the development of the Detroit River International Crossing, legislative leaders said, especially after legislative Republican worries about some aspects of the project were outlined at the final session of the Detroit Regional Chamber meeting here," according to Gongwer. "Meanwhile, the CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber announced the group would step up its lobbying efforts to win approval of the new bridge project."

The Senate Transportation Committee will again take up HB 4961 tomorrow, Tuesday June 8 at 1 p.m. in the Senate Hearing Room in the Boji Tower in downtown Lansing, and it will also take up the bill the next day at the same time on Wednesday. The committee meetings are open to the public.

Call your state Senator and tell him to support HB 4961, the DRIC bridge and 10,000 Michigan jobs before the jobs and the federal money goes to Buffalo.

The only people aginst building the bipartisan DRIC bridge are Republicans in the Michigan Legislature

It’s not often that Republicans and Democrats can agree on something, but one of those things they do agree on is the need for the planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit river between Canada and Windsor.

The majority of Democrats in the Michigan Legislature support DRIC, former Governors support it - like Democratic Gov. Jim Blanchard and Republican Gov. John Engler - and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson supports it.

Even our neighbors recognize the importance of building a second span to the Midwest. The Republican-controlled Ohio Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to approve a resolution sponsored by Majority Whip Steve Buehrer, R-Delta, which urges support for the construction of a new Detroit River bridge between the United States and Canada

“Right now our primary focus must be on jobs,“ said Buehrer in a press release. “Improved transportation links with Canada have the potential to create billions of dollars in trade and thousands of jobs for Ohio and the U.S. Likewise, any thing that impedes trade with Canada has the potential to cost jobs and slow the economy.”

Senate Resolution 223 urges the Michigan Legislature to act swiftly to authorize the DRIC and ensure that people and goods can continue to move safely and efficiently across the border. The resolution, which passed the Senate 32-0, states that “a modern border crossing that can support the ever-increasing amount of trade and travel between the United States and Canada is essential to the economies of Ohio and the Midwest.”

It appears the only people aginst building the DRIC bridge are Republicans in the Michigan Legislature and Grosse Pointe billionaire and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun, who owns the 81-year-old Ambassador Bridge and the only private border crossing in the U.S.

On Wednesday the House approved House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the DRIC bridge by a slim vote of 56-51, just one vote above the minimum, and not a single Republican voted with the Democrats to save and create 10,000 Michigan jobs. Passage of the bill is the first step in building the DRIC.

The bill is expected to have a hard time in the Republican-controlled Michigan Senate, thanks to Moroun advocate, Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt.

HB 4961 was not officially referred to the Transportation Committee from the House as of Friday, but the committee posted a meeting for Tuesday with the bills on the agenda pending referral. The Transportation Committee meets at 1 p.m. Tuesday June 1 in Room 110, Farnum Building in Lansing. The committee meetings are open to the public.

Call your State Senator and tell him to vote to create and save 10,000 Michigan jobs.

Moroun loses again in court

The courts are the great equalizer where all people are equal under the law, and Ambassador Bridge owner and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun found that out today when the Michigan Supreme Court denied his appeal in a case stemming from how Moroun built his portion of the $170 million Gateway Project that addressed long term congestion mitigation issues and provides direct access improvements between the Ambassador Bridge, I-75 and I-96.

Last February Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Prentice Edwards ordered him to tear down the illegally constructed gas pumps and duty-free store built on property owned by the city of Detroit.

Moroun, a Grosse Pointe billionaire, wants to maintain his monopoly of an international border crossing, and he has begun building a second span right next to the current one. Michigan officials were concerned that the bridge company was dragging their feet on the Gateway Project to endanger the project to kill the planned public-private bridge Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) about a mile from the current Ambassador Bridge. The project will also reconstruct I-96 and I-75, accommodate traffic for a potential future second span of the Ambassador Bridge, and access to the Mexicantown International Welcome Center.

Edwards ruled last spring that the bridge company had to appoint an overseer to proceed with the removal of the structures, which include a duty free shop, refueling stations and toll booths, according to the Detroit News. “Edwards later slapped a show cause hearing against the Bridge Company when it failed to meet his deadline, but the hearing was postponed when the Bridge Company took its appeal to the Supreme Court. “ It appears that the show cause hearing will now go forward.

Not a single House Republican votes for DRIC and 10,000 Michigan jobs

Michigan House Republicans are taking a page out of the federal Republicans in Congress, and not a single Republican voted yes on legislation clearing the way to build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit river between Canada and Windsor on Wednesday.

After a couple of delays, the House finally took up and approved House Bill 4961 Wednesday that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the DRIC bridge by a slim vote of 56-51, just one vote above the minimum, and not a single Republican voted with the Democrats to save and create 10,000 Michigan jobs. Nine Democrats crossed over to side with Republicans.

The project will have a tougher go in the Republicans-controlled Senate, but Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, has said he will allow an up or down vote. But the biggest and most ferocious critic of the DRIC project in the Legislature - Majority Floor Leader Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt – controls the Senate floor. Grosse Pointe billionaire and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun spreads his billions wisely, and he spreads it around in a few key places to gum up the works.

It remains to be seen how this will play out because some very influential Republicans are strong backers of the DRIC project, such as Republicans like Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson and former Republican Governor John Engler.

Employees and lobbyists of the Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) and Moroun have been all over Lansing the last couple of weeks spreading misinformation and lies. One of the biggest and most passionate supporters of the DRIC project - Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit – found all four tires on her vehicle had been slashed last week. Although she has been out front on some contentious issues that ignite passion, like the Arizona illegal alien bill debate, she told subscription only “that she had trouble not seeing the tire slashing in context with her position on the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC).”

It’s a perfect way to get back at her. The bridge company knows she is so passionate that she will blame them for it, and they can act offended that she would accuse them of such a thing. If she keeps silent, they have the knowledge that they intimidated her.

Moroun and the bridge company launched a stealth but failed recall attempt against her last September, but they denied they were behind it. One tactic employees of the bridge company have used in their lobbying effort in the past couple of weeks was to threaten any House member supporting the DRIC that had a primary election that they would finance their opponent.

It remains to be seen when the Senate will take up the bill, but it will most likely go to the Transportation Committee first.

After another delay vote on DRIC bridge and 10,000 Michigan jobs expected today

LANSING -- Well, here we go again.

The Michigan House, again, failed to take up House Bill 4961 on Tuesday that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the much needed Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor and create and save thousands of Michigan jobs, but the word is it will be taken up today.

The vote was also supposed to be taken up last Thursday, and again on Tuesday. Employees and lobbyists of the Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) and Grosse Pointe billionaire and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun have been thick as flies in Lansing, and this morning House Republicans – who are blocking the bridge on behalf of Moroun - are expected to hold a press conference.

Evidence and pressure have been mounting to build the DRIC bridge that will save and create 10,000 Michigan jobs, and the bridge already has all the required permits and approvals.

Even the conservative editorial page of the Detroit News is, reluctantly, supporting building the DRIC bridge with an editorial on Tuesday called “Time to build the Detroit-Canada bridge.”
“Very important to Michigan's awakening economy are the 10,000 construction jobs the project would create during the four years it will take to build the bridge, and the tens of thousands of jobs the international traffic flow will continue to support. These are benefits we should reap now, while trusting there'll be room for an entrepreneur like Moroun to continue to prosper as well.”

Lawmakers gave themselves a self-imposed deadline June 1 to vote DRIC up or down, and that deadline is next week.

Call or email your State Representative and tell him to vote for the bill and 10,000 Michigan jobs.

Morouns tell different tales in different states on new bridge crossings

The Michigan is House is expected to take up House Bill 4961 today that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the much needed Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor and create and save thousands of Michigan jobs.

Apparently, there were not enough votes last Thursday after serious lobbying by representatives and employees of the Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) and Grosse Pointe billionaire and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun, and they used every bit of misinformation and outright lies as they could muster to delay the bill and keep their monopoly.

All of that misinformation put out by the bridge company has been debunked, but that has not stopped the lobbying effort. In fact, Moroun and company has even debunked and contradicted themselves. Chris Vander Doelen had a story in The Windsor Star last week where Moroun is saying one thing in Michigan and another thing in New York.

The publicized owned and operated the Peace Bridge over the Niagara River - the Ambassador is the only privately owned auto/truck border crossing in the United States - is in bad shape and needs a new crossing. The Moroun family is involved in that debate, too, and Vander Doelen says “The debate is almost identical in the two cities except for this fascinating fact: the Morouns and their companies play opposite roles in the two cities.”

“In Windsor, the Morouns argue we don't need a second bridge because traffic is down sharply. They warn against believing foolish government projections that NAFTA will lead to future traffic growth. It won't ever come back, they claim.

“Down in Fort Erie, they say the opposite. The Peace Bridge carries half the traffic Windsor-Detroit does. But the Morouns claim there is plenty of traffic down there to support another crossing -- even though the region already boasts four international crossings with a total of 14 lanes to Windsor's total of six.”

The DRIC Bridge has all the necessary permits and in ready to go, and it will mean 10,000 Michigan jobs. Call your State Representative and tell him to stop carrying water for the Morouns. But, Vander Doelen said it best with the conclusion of his article:

“Let's hope the Michigan Republicans who continue to block the DRIC bridge know this. They might not be so eager to block our new crossing if they knew the Morouns were telling different tales in different states.”

Ambassador Bridge company lobbyists busy spreading lies and misinformation as vote approaches

LANSING - Word in the Capitol is that House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the much needed Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge between Detroit and Windsor and create and save thousands of Michigan jobs will be taken up by the House soon, and representatives of the Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) and Grosse Pointe billionaire and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun have been lobbying hard and spreading misinformation.

One such lie is that the Bridge Company “were only days away from obtaining Canadian approval of the DIBC environmental permits for the second span of the Ambassador Bridge.” In fact, in an April 28 interview with subscription only MIRS News, DIBC President Dan Stamper claimed the Ambassador Bridge company “is close to final Canadian approval of plans to build a second span to replace the now 81-year-old original span. They expect a determination by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in the coming days that the existing plaza will serve the needs of the bridge for the next 25 years and that once that happens, the Canadian government will release its environmental permit.”

Not true.

Canadian Transport Minister John Baird was the guest speaker at a luncheon at the Detroit Economic Club on May 17, and he debunked that claim.

“The Morouns have not submitted any applications to build their bridge,“ Baird said. “They have not begun to meet environmental approvals. The Morouns have not even started to prepare to begin to do anything at all about building their new bridge.

“On a scale of 1 to 100, they are at a zero,” he said. “They have no approvals in place. They were talking about the twin span 20 years ago. It takes years to get all the environmental approvals you need in Canada.”

That’s in sharp contrast to DRIC, which has obtained all permits and approvals on both sides of the border, except the Presidential Permit, which cannot be applied for until the Michigan legislature approves the DRIC.