Democrats Favor Paying Living Wage on County Construction Projects

Oakland County Commissioner, Tim Greimel, introduced a resolution that would require all contractors working on county construction project over $10,000, pay a living wage. Of course, Republicans are opposed to this move, as we've come to expect from the current crop of anti-middle class Republicans. You wouldn't think anyone could be against paying workers enough money to buy the necessities of life, would you?

Oakland County Commissioner Tim Greimel, D-Auburn Hills, hopes his county will follow Wayne and Macomb and adopt a policy that pays a prevailing wage on all county construction projects costing more than $10,000.
"The principal is simple: When tax dollars are used for a construction project, the construction project should pay people a decent average wage in the industry," said Greimel, whose proposal faces a key test this morning, when the county's finance committee is to take it up. The panel has five Democrats and seven Republicans -- none of the GOP members have backed the idea.
Critics insist it will increase costs, but Greimel said that would be true only if the county currently is paying substandard wages. Greimel's proposal essentially would require workers to be paid union scale.
"If it increases costs to pay people a decent wage, so be it," Greimel said.
Deputy County Executive Gerald Poisson said many projects already are done by union contractors, but the administration doesn't want it required because it would keep nonunion firms from bidding.
"We'll oppose it," Poisson said. "The right to compete has served Oakland well for years." Click here to read the rest of the story.

Greimel and Rogers: Counties benefit from bigger Cobo Center

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW COBO IMPASSE

Commissioners: Counties benefit from bigger Cobo Center

BY TIM GREIMEL and MIKE ROGERS
• February 22, 2008

The economic imperative for expanding Cobo Center is clear. According to a study by economist David Sowerby, more than 16,600 jobs are directly tied to Cobo activities. Almost 5,000 of those jobs are in Oakland County. Moreover, 80% of the jobs are directly tied to the annual North American International Auto Show, and organizers of the auto show have long warned that, without an expansion of Cobo, the show would be forced to move to another state or would be significantly diminished in importance.

Based on reasonable concerns raised by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano has revised his Cobo expansion plan to make it more affordable. By reducing the proposed expansion from 270,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet, the new plan costs $100 million less than the previous one.

This and other commonsense changes mean that the hotel and liquor taxes that are currently levied to pay for the last Cobo expansion would only need to be extended for seven years, from their scheduled expiration in 2015 until 2022, in order to pay for the needed expansion and renovation of Cobo.

Activities at Cobo contribute approximately $180 million to Oakland County's economy every year. That constitutes an 18-to-1 annual return on the hotel and liquor taxes that Oakland County hotels, restaurants and bars would pay if the taxes are extended for seven years.

There is room to question a handful of details about Ficano's proposed plan, but Lansing's leaders should not allow squabbling over details, which can easily be resolved, to stand in the way of facilitating the expansion of Cobo and the economic growth and jobs that it provides.

Some will undoubtedly question why our state and region should invest in the City of Detroit in the wake of the scandal that has engulfed Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his administration. But the expansion and renovation of Cobo Center have never been about Kilpatrick. They have always been about fostering economic growth in southeast Michigan.

Now more than ever, it is critically important that we invest in our region's economy and create jobs by expanding Cobo.

TIM GREIMEL, D-Rochester Hills, and MIKE ROGERS, R-Farmington Hills, are Oakland County commissioners. Write to them in care of the Free Press Editorial Page, 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226 or at oped@freepress.com.

Eccentric: County commissioners plan re-election bids

County commissioners plan re-election bids
By Annette Kingsbury STAFF WRITER

Though the filing deadline is still a couple of months away, the four incumbent Oakland County commissioners who represent greater Rochester have all announced they are running for re-election. One of them is facing a challenge from within his own party.
Sue Ann Douglas, R-Rochester, who represents District 12, Michael Gingell, R-Orion Township, District 3, Tim Greimel, D-Rochester Hills, District 11, and Bob Gosselin, R-Troy, District 13, are all seeking re-election. Republican Frank Johnston of Rochester Hills has filed paperwork indicating he will run for Gosselin's seat. He could not be reached for comment.

Gingell, Greimel and Gosselin are all in their first term on the board of commissioners. Douglas is the current commission's longest-serving member.
All four incumbents said the county is facing tough financial challenges due to Michigan's difficult economy. But they all want to stick around to help solve the problem.
"I've been part of the team that has changed Oakland County government and I plan to be there to finish the job," Douglas said. "We have made Oakland the premier county in the nation by reforming the way we operate. ... I'd like to be there to help guide Oakland County through this difficult time and continue to reform Oakland County operations."
Gingell, whose district includes Oakland Township, said he will continue to work on government efficiency. Click here for the rest of the story.