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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW POLL OVERVIEW:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Michigan Strategic Fund recently unanimously approved the capture of tax authorizations of $719,528 in local and school taxes for renovations for &nbsp;George Matick Chevrolet on Telegraph Road.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">The 50 year old building was converted from a flea market into a dealership 35 years ago. According to the MEDC,&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-style: normal;">'</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">'</span></span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">The building</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">s age, excessive size, high operational costs, increasing costs of regulatory compliance and maintenance, and current automotive customer expectations have rendered it unsuitable for long-term continued use,</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">The dealership plans to renovate the dealership and install a car wash and fueling center on an adjacent parcel it has purchased.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">The tax capture will pay for brownfield-eligible activities like road and curb work, sewer modifications, asbestos removal and landscaping.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Questions have been asked as to why this dealership should be given special treatment when other auto dealerships are competing for the same business as they are and it &nbsp;give the appearance that the MEDC&rsquo;s Strategic Fund is picking winners and losers.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">MEDC Community Assistance Team Specialist Stacy Esbrook said other dealerships are nearby and George Matick Chevrolet is trying to&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">stay afloat.</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">&nbsp;The community does not want to have a large vacant parcel if the dealership closes, she said.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Board member Bill Martin said this was a tough decision and that,&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">It&rsquo;s a close call but I want to make sure people know I don&rsquo;t think we should be in the business of financing dealerships or the construction thereof,</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">MEDC President and CEO Mike Finney said he doesn</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">t recall the MEDC ever having approved incentives for auto dealerships in the past, and it does raise a concern. But in this case, there was a public infrastructure need.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">We evaluate every project on a project by project basis. In this case because of some of the public infrastructure needs that were there, it made sense for the MEDC staff to recommend it and the board appropriately approved it,</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">&nbsp;Finney said.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Michael LaFaive, a director with The Mackinac Center, said this type of&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">special treatment</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">&nbsp;is unfair, doesn</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">t create jobs and is too costly.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">It is unfair because this dealer no doubt competes with other dealers not lucky enough to get a government handout; robbing many taxpayer Peters to subsidize the corporate Paul only shifts precious resources around. Evidence shows it is unlikely to create net new jobs. Worse, this is money that could have accrued to local schools. Depriving them of such revenues represents a very high opportunity cost, unless of course some future graduates intend to wash cars on the new site,</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">&nbsp;LaFaive said.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW POLL QUESTION:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Should the MEDC</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">s Strategic Fund have approved the capture of tax authorizations to George Matick Chevrolet?</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">No</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Undecided</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">TO VOTE IN THIS POLL CLICK ON THIS LINK</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.clinton-countygop.org/content/should-medc%E2%80%99s-strategic-fund-have-approved-capture-tax-authorizations-george-matick-chevrole">http://www.clinton-countygop.org/content/should-medc%E2%80%99s-strategic-fund-have-approved-capture-tax-authorizations-george-matick-chevrole</a></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">(To enter your comments click on&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">Add new comment</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">'</span><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">&nbsp;after you vote.)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">PREVIOUS POLL QUESTION:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Do you think Mitt Romney should be the republican candidate for President again in 2016?</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes - 59%</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">No - 34%</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Undecided - 7%</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">THREE COMMENTS WERE MADE ON THIS POLL:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">COMMENT #1</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Romney</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">We need a proven conservative that has a conservative record, like Scott Walker. We conservatives can win and do win, if we nominate a true conservative. Wake up Republicans!!!</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ida S.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">&nbsp;---------------------------</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">COMMENT #2</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Romney for President</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Gov. Romney is a nice fellow but has no backbone to stand up against the opposition in a debate and I believe he is too liberal for my tastes.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">COMMENT #3</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.5;">Think Dole, McCain, Romney.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Think Dole, McCain, Romney. Moderates are more electable? No, REAGAN WON 49 STATES with clear Conservative Principles. When the GOP acts like Democrats and puts up fuzzy candidates voters get turned off. They do not want tweedle dee/tweedle dum. They do not want two parties doing the same thing. The want a choice!</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">COMMENT #4</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Romney 2016</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes, yes and yes. I'm ready for Hillary!</span></div>";s:6:"format";s:1:"1";}}}