Michigan Votes Forum

Nice facts presented BUT WHO"S LISTENING????? I couldn't even get insurance for my sailboat because of this law, can't operate a ATV or snowmobile..this just sucks

Yea If they repeal it, will they be any refunds to those who paid???????

Well its June and still I can't drive a car now I can't get Insurance for my sailboat becuase I don't have a valid Michigan DL?????????

It is all the same. Do you really think that if there was conservative in office they would just say "oh this law is just so unjust hell with all that revenue it is generating lets throw it out." It is about Poor and Middle Class agianst the Rich. The rich like to dangle a carrot over the middle class to get them to jump through the hoops for them and as for the poor it might as well be a big fat tird that they just let eat because they are under educated and they dont know that its really a big fat piece of shit or maybe they have just been starving for so long they dont care.

Everyone assessed agrees this law is bullshit, and everyone who has been spared this inconvenience believes it is great. I stand "bullshit" side of the fence.

Direct and to the point

This driver responsibility fee takes people who have worked hard to get back on their feet by going through rehab and medical treatments and knocks them back off their feet. Some never recover enough to get their heads above water. Good job Mr Pierce et all. I hope you have a family member that suffers from alcholism and stuggles to get back on their feet after rehab. Or perhaps you have big buck to help them?

If you don't pay your fine they will freeze your bank account and garnish your wages. Even if there is only a few bucks in your account and you make less than $70 a week. I know from experience.

I'm right behind you. In 23 months I will have my degree and f--k Michigan.

Although i agree with the fact that DRF is un constitutional. it was perposed by a republican and Clinton can not cut amyones funding. The legislative brance writes the budget..... Learn before you accuse. If we don't want to have unfair laws , we need to know who has the power to starte the change in goverment. SIGN THE PETITION google it sign it and have alll your voter friends sign it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are living with blinders on. You do NOT have to have 7 points or more on your lic. to get these fines. My boyfriend got hit with it and he did not have 7 points on his lic. Besides, the point you're missing is this: these people have already paid their fines and tickets. They've already paid their dues. Then the state comes along with a new law and wants MORE money. And there is NO WAY TO FIGHT it. It's just extortion and another way our freedoms and rights are being stripped away. Are you so closed minded you can't see the other side????

I have dedicated many months of my time to prepare a report of sorts on the DRP. What I have discovered is that the entire fate of Texas is connected to the Surcharge Program. This is because the money from the Unconstitutional program is earmarked for the Tran-Texas Corridor, which is a strategic segment of what is to become a Super Corridor that spans the entire North American Continent. The state is suspending people's license over not paying an excessive surcharge fee that is in addition to what you agree to in court. What's more is the money is going to pay for the Corridor projects, without consent or knowledge or the People or Congress! I believe that spreading the word would enable individuals to better deal with the negative effects that the TX DRP has had on their lives, as well as have a say in their own future. TX DRP Surcharge Petition www.petitiononline.com/TXDRP07/petition.html Have you heard of this yet?? http://www.worldnetdaily.com/images2/nasco.jpg

If a 14 year flee's the police and has no license, what would would the fees for that be? Is that fair being that he cant even obtain a license or driving record yet?

Just like the previous veteran with PTSD I am prevented from driving to my volunteer job with the West Bloomfied school system because there is no public transportation, and the secretary of state demands $3000+. Who is really losing here. I got plenty of time and health and can now only watch Oprah in the afternoon instead of helping the community. Brilliant plan Michigan

I moved to Michigan five years ago. Not by choice per say, but to be closer to my son after a divorce. When I first arrived I got pulled over and did not have proof of insurance. I was guilty. I was going through a tough finacial period. Then after fines I get slammed with an additional $400 fine. That's left a very bad taste in my mouth about Michigan ever since. I will be getting full custody of my son soon, and I can move over the boarder to Indiana. Congrats Michigan, you got my $400 dollars, but you will lose THOUSANDS in lost tax revenue from me. Good luck Michigan, I'm out of here!

Encouraging safe driving by penalizing unsafe drivers is okay by me. Autos are exceedingly dangerous when operated unsafely. They're not exceedingly dangerous just because a driver hasn't paid his insurance or renewed his operator's permit. Under this act, the safe driver with zero points on his record who forgets to renew his license pays the same fee as an unsafe irresponsible driver with 8 points. Someone help me understand.

I agree with practically everything. Last year I had to pay the city of Walker $988 just to get all my tickets cleared, then had to pay state of michigan $800 just so I could get started on getting my license back, then had to pay for the license reenstatement. THEN had to agree to pay 100 a month until my fee was paid off, then got notice in the mail in february that I owed another 200 for my 2nd year fee's, then just now I called to get my balance and i'm told i'll owe another 200 next february. I'm still trying to pay off the $1400 left that I couldn't pay off the bat. Could this be any more blatant overtaxation of all Michiganders who made some mistakes?! I heard there's an attorney thats working on a case against the state but i can't find any info on it. Any one know who it is? I'd like to get my name in there so the state can pay back the $3000+ that they owe me of overtaxation.

Texas is running this raket at a rmapnt pase, just name it somthing that sounds fair and rape the people of everything thye can't get. Comply or don't go to work. I lost my job, no licence no job, you can't just go pay it either, you have to mail in the payment and wait for them to return it. This is a total window into power out of control. They can impose anything they want at a time when the cost of living is out of control, they finacialy rape everyone. They will keep pushing, they know what's on the horizon, and they can run for their rat hole like the cowards they are.

I try, but when they are part of the extrotion program happening nation wide, they are part of the problem. When they can sign their name to you being fired from your job for having three tickets in three years, they they too should have people filming them and catching them at the same basic infractions they impose on everyone else. Today everyone is a criminal in their scheme they impose on everyone else. Respect works both way's and it seems to me, a majority of police no longer have any respect for their fellow America, we are all the terrorist to them and they can treat us like scum. The brotherhood is becoming nothing less then clan of extortion and out of control power. Taze old people, because "she had a hammer" 5 / 200 lb men can't deal with a woman with a hammer without sending 5000 volts into her. Total whimps!

So wait a minute. This is PER YEAR? So a struggling family has their insurance lapse, and the person is ticketed. So they pay the $200.00 and rent a car from a friend for $100.00 a month, and the offender doesn't even drive it, so they can save money - get back on their feet, and drive it with the taxes being paid, as well as saving up for money and the total insurance package to get back on the road legally. By the time they pay for the car, and are ready to pay for driving it insured, switch the title over (paying all the taxes) they are told they have to pay another $200.00 for the next year? Despite a very, very, very tight budget to get everything back in gear? What is this? Nothing more than a deliberate attempt at keeping people down and out. Is it any wonder that they have run the state into bankruptcy, and the only solution they could come up with (at the last second) was to raise taxes. What a scam.

screw the hardworking people in the city. Not only do we already pay higher rates....no erase that we already pay astronomical rates but now someone who fell on hard times will have to pay this and try to get their coverage back....????? Why don't we stop the red lining first thats the bigger problem and then instances of driving with no insurance will go down because everyone will be able to afford insurance not just the subburbs.

It causes a HUGE Downward SPIRAL.. do you realize how many people this causes grief? OBVIOUSLY if someone can NOT AFFORD INSURANCE proof in the first place.. they will not be able to afford these FEES AND FINES on top of the TICKETS THEY PAY.. This is DOUBLE JEOPARDY>> IT's a VIOLATION OF RIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This causes a huge problem what was granholm thinking? No wonder no one in MI has a job.. they have no LICENSE TO GET THEM THERE>!!!!!!!!!!!!

My son too was hit with these outrageous fees. Started with East Lansing and of course they know your vehicle so every chance they get, he would be stopped again. Issued more tickets for suspended license because he could not pay the original $500 that had increased to $1500. His responsibility fees are approximately $4500 now. He moved away from his home state of Michigan to Rockford, IL. Frustrated, angry and hating the place where he was born and raised. Michigan, the terrorize your citizens State. He cannot get a license in IL, but at least he can travel by train and feel good about going to work, instead of being terrified of being stopped.

You, and so many more have gone before you for the very same reasons. The taxes lost in this state due to people "getting out" is one of the reasons we are in such a horrible budget situation. The government wanted to balance the state budget on the backs of those that were less fortunate. So long and take care.

Manufacturing Michigan nomore! thank Granhomeless. In 2000 I thought i had picked the perfect career, i had 10 years as a tool and die maker, life was great. by 2004 my career was all but destroyed by nafta and granholms FREEWAY to mexico plan. i recieved a 300 fine for having a two day expired liscence right after the MDR SCAM went into effect. Combining this with a now failed manufacturing career i decided to head SOUTH to find a job. A friend told me of cheap real estate prices in western kentucky so i met up with him there. BAD MOVE!! I didnt find a job right off the bat, met a woman instead. Took her out for dinner threee times over three weeks. on the fourth week she invited me to a pool hall on the main steet of a small kentucky town of 30,000 She drank several drinks while we played pool with a bunch of undercover police officers. Shortly before midnite she turned to me and said why dont you have a drink so you can loosen up and i we can have some fun. being new to the area i went and ordered a morgan and coke, within two minutes of finishing it we were told the place is closing and pushed onto the streets. we sat in her texas tagged vehicle for five minutes and then i returned to my michigan vehicle parked behind. Immediately after pulling from the curb two police cars shot onto my bumper from opposite sides of the streets. i thought i was on americas most wanted, eventhough i have no criminal record of anykind. after pulling over i rolled down my window. As the PEACE? officer walked up the side of my brand new shiny truck he said "what are you doing down here YANKEE? I responded with " looking for work". he told me to exit vehicle, i passed all his road side trick tests and then he gave me a breathalizer. he told me to keeep blowing harder and harder because he couldnt get a reading, finally he says i blew just enough to go to jail. I knew what the truth was. After four days in jail i plead not guilty. after six days in jail i was given a paper that said i had blown a .085. After ten days in jail i plead not guilty again and they threew me in solitary confinement. seven days later they told me i better get in court and plead guilty beacause they knew no one was coming to bail me out. I was tired of being beat up for no reason so i did. I was released from jail with no shoes in the middle of february weather. a job offer was left on my phone while in jail so i took it. I was told to sell my new truck because the police would find my address and try getting me back in there, so i did. I payed 2000 in fines to the state of kentucky for the one drink. SOMEHOW i managed to get to 53 dui classes at $20.00 a piece bringing my total to 3000 for one drink. when i tried to get my liscence back i was told i would have to reinstate the liscense taken from me, a michigan drivers liscence. i called the SOS in michigan and they told me to make it back to michigan somehow,whatever way i can. I thought i was going back to pay a 150.00 reinstatement fee and i would be able to start my life over again. At that point in time i had done enough walking to go from one end of kentucky to the other. I had no choice but to drive illegally 500 miles back to michigan to live with a nightmare alcoholic relative, OOOH the irony! I contacted the stat of michigan and they told me that i was now going to have to pay 2,600.00 in responsibility fees for that same drink, which would make that drink cost me 500.00 per half ounce drank. how ridiculous. i told them that i will never be paying the scam. and i wont!!!!! THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THE HISTORY OF MAN FOR GRANHOLM TO REAP WHAT SHE HAS SEWN! TAXATION WITHOUT ANY REPRESENTATION IS NOT A DEMOCRACY!!!! Ill walk out of this shit hole state that used to be the definition of great. to think that the people who payed into this scam will get a thin dime back? DONT HOLD YOUR BREATH?

this is illegal and unconstitutional granholm you are breaking the law yourself wheres the real police when you need them!

We too were hit with this unconstitutional fine . . . taxation without representation. We not only left the state of Michigan, we left the United States. I'll take my chances in a third world country any day over a country ruled by idiots. Unfortunately, this is not an option for most people but if I would of stayed in the USA for one more minute, I would have probably "gone postal" at the DMV.

Man, I'd like to know what the heck does grades have to do with how much the state "charges" to drive?

but as long as you THINK they do, the state get's away with charging you more.

i am another citizen of michigan who also has piled up fines and fees. The first fee was for no proof of insurance, in december of 06(i was driving my moms car and was totally unaware that the car didnt have insurance) $200 something dollar ticket and a $200 driver responsibility fee, i had paid the $200 to the secretary of state thinking that my ticket was all paid for. In february of 07 my grandma (who i lived with and was pretty much supported by) passed away. Apparently i recieved a letter telling me that my license was suspended.. but i had never recieved a letter because i had to move. In July of 07 i had gotten pulled over for speeding where i was slammed with another $300 for court and the ticket fine and another $500 for the driver responsibily fee. I am 19 years old and now live with my brother, i go to school and work 2 jobs... i pay $250 a month to keep a car that i cant even drive... another $365 for insurance.. because i have such a bad driving record and about $35 a week in gas money to have people drive me back and forth all over the place. Do they understand that i am only 19, most full grown adults i know wouldnt be able to just pull this kind of money out of no where. I asked about a work permit like to drive to and from work only but they cant do that because i just have to pay a fee... i didnt commit a crime... WOW. thats awesome that they will give a criminal the privalege to drive or even someone who has had like 3 drunk driving offenses the chance to drive again but they wont let someone who barely broke the law have a temporary or restricted license. Man how i wish i could jsut get out of the stupid state but how can i save to do that when every ounce of money i have goes right to the enemy. i am soooo TRAPPED!!

well put friend... this country is becoming a laughing stock of the world. The world policing and war we force others to believe in by creating false evidence... what do you expect when we leave our internal economy, people, and comcentrate on external war games so we can test our new soldier toys, this is the result.. econony collapses, dollar is reduced to practically Pesos, and then they try to fine the average joe to compensate for their shortcomings. Our leader is an idiot and credit to you, ther is much better standard of living in other countries, europe, south america, even middle east to a certain extent. Just whatever you think about this government, is one thing, but dont think "freedom" and "for the people byt the people" crap... illusional perception..

i applause you for your comment.. this shit state has taken the liberty of sending itself to the bottom of the list in every category... jobs are down, companies are leaving this state, and if they stay in 12 months their doors are closed anyway. WE are importing other states and countries (canada) garbages, raising taxes, finding every oportunity to thumb dwon our own citizens by these driver resposibility fees which is the lowest of the low. At this point i expect more out of a monkey than i do from trader Granholm.

Thats why people are leaving the state. No Jobs. Teachers and administrators and judges making $100,000 dollars a year plus though

Everybody will one day not be able to pay everthing! We will be homeless, sitting in and out of jails for not paying fines etc. This kind of legislation is going in the wrong direction.

It is time to put the citizens back in the loop. I an a certified Mechanic/Automotive Technician. I have repeatedly been turned down for work because of my Driving history. My license is currently suspended for DRF's. When they first suspended my License. I refused to pay the fee. So I moved to Ohio. Ohio will not issue a license if you are suspended in another state. And was pulled over and fined in both Ohio and Michigan! This is complete nonsense. These lazy ass politicians have been trying to replace the revenue that the DRF has generated and cannot figure out where they will get the money to "BALANCE THE BUDGET" without it. Meanwhile, the citizens that are stuck with this Unconstitutional fines and fees. The Supreme court has ruled numorous times that: Removings a persons right and replacing it with a privaledge is against the constitution. We are expieriencing the vary things that our forefathers escaped other countries for. Taxation without representation, and unwanted police powers. Forcing us into contracts that are unlawfull. And rightously imprisoning the citizens for thier own hidden agendas. Along with a miriad of others. We need to put the so called legislators in thier place. We are the masters and THEY are the servants. And the only way WE can restore power to the people, is to fight them on their own battlfield. A class action lawsuit is going to be filed with the Federal Supreme court. Against the State of Michigan, and the legislators that proposed, endorsed, and vote for this illegal "MOTOR VEHICHLE CODE". To challenge the constituionality of these crimes against the citizens. The Law suit will be asking for approximately 65 million dollars to be paid to the citizens EVERY TWO YEARS. The State has violated our rights by ignorance. And they need to be held accountable for their actions. I have heard that there is already a lawyer that has tried to take this action against the state. HE IS FAILING TO FOLLOW UP! Or he has been PAID OFF, or possibly even eliminated. Time is of the essence. We have been fleaced for far to long. Judging from the reaction to this piece of junk legislature. The people are in need of satisfaction. And are DEMANDING results now! The battlefield needs to be moved to the court rooms, and RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE NEED TO BE REINSTATED! A recall of the legislators, and the governer, along with the Secretary of State herself. Mrs Terry Lynn Land (Who was just a clerk for the Friend of the Court in Kent County just ten short years ago.) MUST be implimented Now. We are tired, suppressed, poor and hungry. And sick of the half asses trying to find new ways to screw us. Our demands Must be met. Remove the Code, repeal the law NOW!

I hope you win the lawsuit! That why people leave this state! Property tax pop ups, estate taxes. All this state does is screw the working person into destitution! And people are like wilderbeasts! They just don't give a rip. Its amazing how a wilderbeast can watch a lion tear to shreads is fellow wilderbeast and keep eating the grass like nothing is happening. As long as it aint them. Thats how the taxpayers in Michgian are. NARCISSITIC! They are like machines! they just don't care.

Recall the bitch.

I never knew it was so many people with the same problem. Well all I know is that you can't serve two master's(GOD & Money). I feel sorry for the goverment because they are all about money and makeing sure the poor stay poor and the rich stay rich. And the best thing in life right now is knowing that soon they will all BURN IN HELL!!!!!! So don't worry because God is coming back soon and they will get what is coming to them. But please just don't pay it and they will come around or move like I will be soon. Remeber that evryone doesn't believe in God and that is why we have stuiped people in office. May God Bless You All that read this.

WOW [by Anonymous Citizen on January 30, 2008] I never knew it was so many people with the same problem. Well all I know is that you can't serve two master's(GOD & Money). I feel sorry for the goverment because they are all about money and makeing sure the poor stay poor and the rich stay rich. And the best thing in life right now is knowing that soon they will all BURN IN HELL!!!!!! So don't worry because God is coming back soon and they will get what is coming to them. But please just don't pay it and they will come around or move like I will be soon. Remeber that evryone doesn't believe in God and that is why we have stuiped people in office. May God Bless You All that read this.

Is there a group as yet that has filed with the Federal Govt a law suit on behalf of the citizens that believe that their rights have been violated? If not, should we the concerned not do so and possibly begin a web site to organize the entire issue? Sitting still and bitching will do nothing but raise blood pressures and send individuals to jail who should not be there. I have not and have not researched what occured this past year with the repeal process.