Thoughts on the proposed Ypsilanti city income tax

I'd be more inclined to support this idea if (and only if): The tax revenue it generated was applied 100 percent toward paying off the Water Street redevelopment scheme that subsequently blew up in the city's face and is a big cause of the city's current money troubles. Additionally, the city's authority to collect this income tax needs to expire once the debt is paid off.

And secondly, there needs be an amendment to the city charter that prohibits city-financed real estate schemes of this sort in the future. Without these two commitments established by law I'd have to say "no way" regardless of whatever other promises the advocates for the income tax make. Period.

The goofs on council who set this whole thing up a decade ago are mostly long gone now but the debt is still with them and so promises from the current mayor and council don't and shouldn't be much of a reassurance to the taxpayers given their track record, eh?

Saturday morning pot-shots

I got my eye on you!

Corporatism is not a free-market situation Sheldon Richmond reminds us. "Too many people are willing to accept government-set goals (such as energy independence)," says Richmond, "so long as the 'private sector' is induced to achieve them. Regardless of how the goals are achieved, if government sets them, that’s statism."

More collateral damage from the Iraq invasion. How Iraq's university system, considered the best in the middle east by the way, was looted, vandalized, trashed, and burned due to the fecklessness and neglect of the "occupying army". Very sad indeed.

Stupid and venal. That's about all you say about Indiana's just convicted ex-Secretary of State. Republican Charlie White was convicted of six felonies related to fraudulent voting on his part just so he could retain a $1,000/mo. city council pay check. I guess he really needed the money or something. Hope it was worth it Mr. White. He probably paid that much out just for a retainer for his defense lawyer. Love of money is root of all evil they say.

A hilarious look at life, love, sex, and hormones amongst the young adult set presented in cartoon form here.

Next big thing? Speaking here of polymer framed 1911style pistols. This was bound to happen I suppose. Should cut down on both weight and cost, but who knows?

Bars to ban Michigan lawmakers who voted to ban smoking in bars

Nice sentiments but ah...I doubt this action is gonna make a dime's worth of difference in the end, unfortunately.