a:1:{s:15:"field_page_body";a:1:{i:0;a:2:{s:5:"value";s:7102:"<span style="font-size: larger;">Is It Office Envy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">Term limited Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville is pushing for the sale of the Billie S. Farnum Senate Office Building and the procurement of a new facility for Michigan&rsquo;s 38 State Senators.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">According to WXYZ ABC News Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville is surprised the Farnum Building hasn&rsquo;t been condemned.</span><br />
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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><span style="font-size: larger;">&quot;I think 'crap' is a pretty good word for it,&quot; he said.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><span style="font-size: larger;">Richardville says the Farnum just doesn&rsquo;t cut it anymore, with problems ranging from outdated technology to lingering asbestos issues. On a tour his office provided us, it appeared more than adequate, with spacious offices, nice amenities and state-of-the-art committee rooms.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">I worked for the legislature in a non-partisan capacity for 32 years with several of those years in the Farnum Building. I never realized I was working in such a horrible place. And just last year I had the occasion to be there for a public hearing and was impressed by the changes they had been made over the last ten years since the time I had an office there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">I wonder if Senator Richardville isn&rsquo;t just envious that the members of the upper chamber of the have been out done by the palatial digs of the House Office Building.&nbsp; It would be interesting to know what level opulence he feels the Senators deserve as &ldquo;public servants&rdquo;? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">The Senate has already passed the bill (SB509) by a vote of 22 to 14 with 6 of Richardville&rsquo;s fellow Republicans voting against it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">The Senators who voted for the bill are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">Booher &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Caswell</span> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Colbeck &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Emmons &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Green &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Gregory &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Hansen</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Hildenbrand</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Jansen</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Johnson</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Kahn</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Kowall</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Marleau</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Meekhof</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Moolenaar</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Nofs</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Pappageorge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Pavlov</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Richardville</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Robertson</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Smith</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Walker</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">The Senators who voted against the bill are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">Ananich &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Anderson &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Bieda &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Casperson &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Hopgood</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Hune</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Hunter</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Jones</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Proos</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Rocca</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Schuitmaker</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Warren</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Whitmer</span><br />
<span style="font-size: larger;">Young</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">With legislative approval and the Governor&rsquo;s signature the law would give the Senate permission to sell the Farnum Building freeing up cash to move into newer and &quot;more deserving&quot; digs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">Richardville is currently working behind the scenes on soliciting bids from developers interested in providing a new senate headquarters. He has estimated the remodeling cost of the Farnum building would be more than $25,000,000. However, according to Governor Snyder&rsquo;s&nbsp; administration officials the real cost to fix-up the Farnum is much cheaper and as low as $11,464,500.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">Richardville says bids for the project are due back no later than August 15 when they will be opened and considered. While Richardville says he could have sole authority to pick the winning bid, he&rsquo;ll likely seek out the opinions of others, like his Democratic counterpart, Senator Gretchen Whitmer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">However, currently Whitmer feels the Farnum Building is just fine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">Hopefully the bill will die in committee in the House. <br />
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If it doesn't &nbsp;call you state representative and let them know how you feel about a new Senate Office Building.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: larger;">It&rsquo;s time for a part time legislature!<br />
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To read more about the moves to get a new senate office building go on line at:<br />
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<a href="http://www.wxyz.com/news/local-news/investigations/lame-duck-senator-pushing-for-new-offices-that-plenty-of-lawmakers-dont-want">http://www.wxyz.com/news/local-news/investigations/lame-duck-senator-pushing-for-new-offices-that-plenty-of-lawmakers-dont-want</a></span><br />
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