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Watch the Rocca Pension Shuffle!

Tory Rocca is more concerned about helping himself than helping Macomb County voters. He’s running for the state Senate to pad his pocketbook and continue to cash in on taxpayer-funded retirement.

Check it out here »

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NEWS: SENATE CANDIDATES DIFFER ON PLANS FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY

State Senate candidate Paul Gieleghem has dipped equally into conservative and liberal policies in laying out his newest economic growth agenda.

The county board chairman, Gieleghem said he supports the creation of a state-run investment bank and opposes the state’s policy of wooing overseas or out of state companies to Michigan by granting lucrative tax breaks.

Read the whole story from the Macomb Daily »

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Paul was endorsed by the Detroit News!

From today’s Detroit News
Our choice is Paul Gieleghem , who was instrumental in pushing for a revamping of Macomb County government, with fewer commissioners and a county executive.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20101026/OPINION01/10260331/1008/opinion01/Editorial–Endorsements-for-state-Senate-seats-from-Macomb-County#ixzz13V2WdLFa

Reform

VIDEO: Paul Gieleghem explains his plan to reform Michigan government

The Environment

Gieleghem Proposal Will Ban Drilling in Great Lakes, Crack Down on Corporate Polluters

CLINTON TWP. – State Senate candidate Paul Gieleghem today announced his proposal to protect Michigan’s land and water by holding corporate polluters accountable and requiring them to pay for cleanup and damages – instead of Michigan taxpayers – when their mistakes harm Michigan’s vital natural resources. Gieleghem also called for a permanent ban on oil drilling in the Great Lakes. Gieleghem is running for State Senate in the 10th District, which covers part of Macomb County.

“Oil companies have been careless and reckless with their operations in our communities, and we need to take strong, decisive action now to hold them accountable when their spills damage our natural resources and put the people who live and work in these communities at serious risk,” said Gieleghem. “Big oil needs to make our communities whole again when they cause problems and they, not the taxpayers, need to pay for the cleanup of their pollution.”

Gieleghem’s plan to protect our land and water would:

  • Guarantee polluters – not taxpayers – are required to pay for cleanup and damages when their negligence is responsible for oil spills and other pollution
  • Permanently ban oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes
  • Allow Michigan citizens to hold corporate polluters accountable when their actions result in damage
  • Require oil companies to immediately notify the state and area residents, businesses and all other affected property owners of an oil spill

“The communities and the people of Michigan should not be at the bottom of the list of things to take care of when corporations cause problems and then move slowly to clean up after themselves,” said Sierra Club PAC Board member Hal Newnan. “What happened along the banks of the Kalamazoo River was devastating and those communities will be feeling its impacts for years to come. Paul Gieleghem’s plan will make sure that these corporations will have to act more quickly and there will be no question that the polluters, and not the taxpayers, will pay for the clean up.”

In July 2010, an estimated 1 million gallons of oil gushed into the Kalamazoo River, resulting in the Midwest’s largest oil spill ever. The federal government has repeatedly warned Enbridge, the company that owns the pipeline, about the quality of its pipelines. Enbridge pipelines have sprung at least a dozen leaks since 2003, and the company has been cited for other safety and environmental violations in Michigan. However, Enbridge is taking two-and-a-half years to “consider” making necessary repairs or replacing the pipe that spewed oil into the Kalamazoo River and threatened to reach Lake Michigan.

“As a small business owner I have to pay to make things right if something at my business goes wrong, and these big corporations should have to do the same,” said Marco Lavinio, co-owner of the family business, Mario’s Body Shop, Inc. in Clinton Township. “Our lakes, rivers and the people who live here and enjoy our natural resources have to come first and need to be taken care of by these corporations when they cause problems. Paul Gieleghem’s plan will make sure that the polluters take care of and pay for the problems they cause.”

Paul Gieleghem is a lifelong resident of Clinton Township. He has served as a State Representative for the 31st House District, and currently serves as the chair of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. As a county commissioner, Paul has balanced the budget so that the county lives within its means and makes wise use of taxpayers’ dollars. Paul will fight to make state government more efficient, make Michigan and Macomb County more attractive to new businesses and jobs, and protect the middle class so that hardworking families can enjoy a good quality of life. He and his wife, Sara, are the parents of two daughters.

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Paul Gieleghem Calls on Rocca to Condemn Outsourcing Michigan Jobs

Gieleghem unveils H.I.R.E. Plan to give workers first chance at jobs, invest in renewable energy, and offer incentives and lending to encourage investment and growth

ROSEVILLE, MI– State Senate candidate Paul Gieleghem today called on Tory Rocca
to condemn companies that send good Michigan jobs out of state, and demanded
that the state Senate stand up for Michigan workers and pass Hire Michigan
First. Gieleghem also unveiled his H.I.R.E. Plan to create jobs in Michigan.

Gieleghem made his announcement at I.F. Metalworks in Roseville, a metal
fabrication company whose products range from automotive, ornamental and
architectural to military and renewable energy. Gieleghem met Karen Arondoski,
owner and president of, I.F. Metalworks, as part of a Macomb County Business
Outreach Initiative developed by the Board of Commissioners.  Gieleghem worked
closely with the Planning and Economic Development Department to provide
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Arondoski, with technical assistance to expand her business.

“As Chairman of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, Paul Gieleghem took an active interest in the success of Michigan manufacturing and met with us several times to discuss the needs of our industry,” said Karen Arondoski, Owner and President of I.F. Metalworks.
“We’ve worked hard to diversify our business beyond automotive to defense and
architectural concentrations. Paul understands the challenges that face small
businesses like ours and has solid ideas on how to help expand Michigan’s
economy.”

“Working on the County Commission, I have seen firsthand the effects of
outsourcing on our families and our local economy,” said Gieleghem.  “If Tory
Rocca understood the needs of our manufacturing business he would join me in
standing up against outsourcing and for Michigan workers . “State government has
to do more and work with investors and entrepreneurs so their businesses can
have a chance to succeed and create good jobs. It’s time for the state Senate to
put families and workers ahead of politics and pass the Hire Michigan First
legislation.”

The H.I.R.E. Plan stands for:

·         Hire Michigan First:Make sure state tax incentives go to companies
that are creating Michigan jobs, and eliminate state contracts and end tax
breaks for businesses that outsource jobs or hire illegal workers.
·         Incentives:Provide incentives to help companies expand in Michigan and
attract new businesses and help projects like the Macomb/Oakland University
Defense Incubator, and make sure that proper background checks are done on these
companies and that they are meeting benchmarks and creating the jobs they
promised.
·         Renewable Energy:Invest in and promote renewable energy such as wind,
solar and advanced battery production that builds on our manufacturing
experience to create jobs now for Michigan workers.
·         Employment:Establish a state-operated Michigan Development Bank to
increase lending for small businesses to help them create jobs. The Michigan
Development Bank could offer small business loans to generate economic activity
and help companies get started, grow, and create jobs.

“If the voters elect me to the State Senate, job creation and making sure that
our workers are trained and ready for these new jobs will be top on my agenda,”
said Gieleghem. “Elected officials need to do the people’s work and that means
keeping businesses here, bringing new companies into our communities, and
creating good jobs for all of our workers.”

Paul Gieleghem is a lifelong resident of Clinton Township. He has served as a
State Representative for the 31st House District, and currently serves as the
chair of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. As a county commissioner,
Paul has balanced the budget so that the county lives within its means and makes
wise use of taxpayers’ dollars. Paul will fight to make state government more
efficient, make Michigan and Macomb County more attractive to new businesses and
jobs, and protect the middle class so that hardworking families can enjoy a good
quality of life. He and his wife, Sara, are the parents of two daughters.

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Paul Gieleghem in the Macomb Daily

Check out Paul’s profile in the Macomb Daily!

http://macombdaily.com/articles/2010/10/11/profiles/doc4cb31104d838d437168541.txt