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Why do we need a new bridge?

4K views 31 replies 21 participants last post by  Kodiak450r 
#1 ·
#8 ·
No way in hell I am voting yes to 6. It makes no sense to have the private bridge. The way the deal is right now, Michigan will not have to pay for the building of the new bridge, Canada is going to spot the money and collect tolls until the $$ is made up and then we will split the tolls even. It is a win / win situation for Michigan.

The government of Canada will pay 1/4
The government of the USA will pay 1/4
Ontario will pay 1/2 (they took over the 1/4 that Michigan was supposed to pay)
 
#17 ·
correct me if I am wrong, but if you all vote no on 6 will that not allow the government to build the bridge without voters consent.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Full_Text_-_The_People_Should_Decide_399444_7.pdf

A proposal to amend the State Constitution regarding construction of international bridges and tunnels. (Proposal provided under an initiative petition filed with the Secretary of State on July 9, 2012.)
This proposal would add a new Section 6a to Article 3 of the State Constitution to read as follows:
Section 6a. (1) The people should decide whether state government may construct or finance new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles. Consistent with this policy, and to shield the people from unnecessary burdens, the state shall not undertake ownership and development of or use state funds or resources for new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles unless first determined to be necessary and appropriate by majority vote of the people.
(2) The provisions in this subsection (2) shall apply in the interpretation of this section. a) “Ownership and development” shall include all activities involving and
relating to all or part of commencing, constructing, or financing new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles, or related facilities, including but not limited to any one or more of the following: optioning or acquiring interests in property; promoting, designing, bidding, contracting for, or constructing; or in any manner directly or indirectly financing or assisting in financing property acquisition, design, or construction of such improvements.
b) “State” shall include the state of Michigan, and any one or more, or a combination of state agencies, authorities, commissions, districts, or other subdivisions or instrumentalities of state government.
c) The procedure for seeking a determination by majority vote of the people under this section shall be that procedure provided by law for the submission and approval of petitions to propose, enact, and reject laws by initiative under article 2, §9 of this constitution, with the exceptions that: 1) a proposal under this section may not be approved by the legislature in lieu of a vote of the people; and 2) an approval by the people shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of electors in both (A) the state and (B) each municipality in which improvements are situated, considering the impact on local services and facilities and that public ownership and operation would impact local property taxation.
d) “New international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles” shall mean any bridge or tunnel which is not open to the public and serving traffic as of January 1, 2012. No vested rights are attributed to any state international bridge or tunnel initiative that is not serving traffic as of that date.
e) Any ambiguity in the interpretation of this section shall be resolved in favor of shielding the people from practical or financial burdens associated with state
Full Text of Proposed Constitutional Amendment Petition Sponsor: The People Should Decide Proposal 12-6 Page 2
government ownership and development of international bridges and tunnels for motor vehicles.
 
#19 ·
when I moved to Windsor I assumed that the bridge was gov owned. Since part of the governments role is to provide bridges and roads. This is fundimentally wrong. I beleive they (the Morouns)are too rich and quite corrupt they throw millions around detroit and area to what suits them by lining corrupt pockets.
 
#29 ·
i can only hope. only bitch is that bastard pays my paycheck every week. My company has been so fucked lately with management issues it isn't funny. We are doing a great job at giving Holland, Conway, and R&L all our freight while the big shots sit around with their head up their own ass. Something needs to happen and fast.

As for the bridge. We most certainly need to have another one built and then hope some terrorist group bombs mattys bridge and everything nearby that he owns.
 
#32 ·
I would not say those kinds of things about my boss and his business on a public forum no matter what my feeling were about him.
Why what's gonna happen? I, like most of his employees are a speck on the map. I am allowed to form my own opinions whether someone else agrees with them or not.
 
#24 ·
Maroon must be reading some polling data that isn't in his favor, now he wants to sit down and discuss the new bridge.

From Gongwer:

It's unlikely that another bridge to Canada would put the Ambassador Bridge out of business, but Dan Stamper, president of the Ambassador Bridge Company, said the company does take issue with the way Governor Rick Snyder and the Canadian government have been working to overcome or change existing law, use subsidies and give little attention to the cost of the New International Trade Crossing.

"To use all the luxuries of government to try to kill a business that's been in business since 1927 ... is just wrong," Mr. Stamper told reporters, adding that the company was prepared to sit down and talk about how to do a project without using all of the "luxuries."

In responding to Mr. Stamper's suggestion to sit down with Mr. Snyder, his spokesperson Sara Wurfel said as she recalls, that's how it began, "and it was clear there was not a lot of room," she said. "It's also been very clear where (the Morouns are) at with it."

The press conference came about an hour before Mr. Snyder kicked off a "Yes on 1 No on the Rest" ballot proposal bus tour, which began in Grand Rapids on Monday. Ms. Wurfel said the tour would be headed up to Traverse City on Monday and to Marquette and Lansing on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the tour will hit Howell, Saginaw and Flint and then wrap up in Southeast Michigan (Livonia, Sterling Heights, Pontiac and Detroit) on Thursday.

During that first event (see related story), Mr. Snyder said he wanted the Ambassador Bridge to be viable.
 
#28 ·
I love hearing the people who say that a second bridge is not needed because the amount of traffic crossing the existing bridge is down. Just last week Channel 7 did a story of how the Moroun's were being fined for charging customers the price of 93 octane fuel at their stations while they were actually getting 89 octane fuel. The reporter was on the riverfront with just about the whole bridge in view behind her while she did the report. From one end of the bridge to the other was pretty much all tractor trailers, bumper to bumper, not moving at all.
 
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