Notables Address 2004 PAC Dinner

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="044005a0exvipq.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Bold" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastside Republican Club"><U><B>Home</B></U></A><B>  </B><B> </B></FONT><B>  | </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Bold" ><B>Eastside Republican Club</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="erc_meeting_dates.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U><B>Events</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="eastside_republican_review_summary.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ERC Review"><U><B>ERC Review</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="michigan_s_13th_district.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Congressional District News"><U><B>Congressional District News</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="civic___governmental_links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="erc_officers.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><B>About Us</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Notables Address 2004 PAC Dinner</B></div> <div> <A HREF="link_to_michigan_gop.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michigan Republicans"><U><B><IMG SRC="05358580.gif" border=0 width="88" height="88" ALT="Michigan GOP" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.RegisterRepublicans.com/vr_forms.asp" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.RegisterRepublicans.com/vr_fo"><U><I><B>Voter Registration Forms</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="pearl_harbor.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grosse Pointes Role in Attack Study"><U><I><B>Pte's Role in Attack Study</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="erc_testimonials.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What Theyre Saying About Us"><U><I><B>Read what they've said about us</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="erc_meeting_dates.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U><B><IMG SRC="81b871f0.gif" border=0 width="135" height="31" ALT=">>Events" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <A NAME="top_of_page"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <I><U>Fundraiser Supported Local Candidates</U></I></div> <div> <B>Broad Lineup of Notables Enlisted</B></div> <div> <B>To Address 2004 ERC-PAC Dinner</B></div> <div> Preferring a $50-per-plate banquet to a free outdoor rally, nearly 100 GOP faithful joined to support local candidates at Sindbad's in Detroit on May 3, 2004.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://courts.michigan.gov/supremecourt/AboutCourt/biography.htm#chief" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://courts.michigan.gov/supremecourt/"><U><IMG SRC="d27b00b0.jpg" border=0 width="176" height="267" ALT="Justice Corrigan" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="4"></U></A></FONT></div> <div> In nearby Macomb County, the Bush campaign staged a surprise <A HREF="http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/37773|top|05-03-2004::22:06|reuters.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/377"><U>outdoor rally</U></A> on the same evening attracting many local dignitaries, including Mike Rogers of Michigan's 8th Congressional District. The last-minute Presidential campaign stop prevented Rogers from speaking to the Eastside Republican Club-Political Action Committee's annual fundraiser for local candidates as he had previously planned.</div> <div> In his place, the PAC provided a forum featuring remarks from a Michigan Supreme Court Justice, a State Representative, a former Wayne County Sheriff, as well Republican candidates for the State Board of Education, Wayne County Commission, and other hopefuls.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.gophouse.com/gaffney.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gophouse.com/gaffney.htm"><U><IMG SRC="d31c8a40.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="420" ALT="Rep Ed Gaffney" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="2"></U></A></FONT></div> <div> According to Lita McKeehan, chairman of the ERC-PAC, proceeds from the event will be used entirely to support local candidates. McKeehan expressed gratitude to the faithful who demonstrated their support of the grassroots party efforts by attending, and to all of the speakers who rose to the occasion.</div> <div> <I><B>Justice Corrigan on the Culture</B></I></div> <div> Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Maura D. Corrigan struck a responsive cord commenting on the negative impact on society resulting from an increasing dissolution of marriage and numbers of children born outside of wedlock. She noted, “With marriage on the wane, children are suffering.” She said she expects that one out of three Michigan families will visit divorce court.</div> <div> <I><B>Rep. Gaffney Talks Safety and Taxes</B></I></div> <div> District 1 State Representative Ed Gaffney of Grosse Pointe Farms thanked the PAC for its support in his first campaign in 2002, and asked for continued support in 2004 as he seeks re-election.</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Gaffney explained his bill, </FONT><A HREF="http://www.michiganvotes.org/bill.asp?ID=17296" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.michiganvotes.org/bill.asp?ID"><U>HB 4600</U></A>,<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > which has been enacted. It is improving motorist safety by restricting teen-age drivers to no more than one other, non-related teen in the car during a new driver's first year, probationary license period.</FONT></div> <div> He also called for keeping the cap on property taxes, and has introduced <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.michiganvotes.org/bill.asp?ID=17967" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.michiganvotes.org/bill.asp?ID"><U>HB 4784</U></A></FONT>, offering property tax relief that would permit purchasers of a home to retain the capped value of their existing residence when relocating within the same community where they have lived for at least three years. This, he said, would help seniors who needed to “downsize.”<IMG SRC="d29aa1a0.jpg" border=0 width="170" height="282" ALT="Former Sheriff Bill Lucas" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="4"></div> <div> <I><B>Bill Lucas Stays in Touch</B></I></div> <div> Prospective candidate for Wayne County Sheriff, Bill Lucas, announced that he has already launched a very aggressive campaign to meet with people throughout Wayne County.</div> <div> His schedule has taken him to four Detroit churches on a typical Sunday, and two others on Saturday.</div> <div> Lucas is a former FBI agent, Wayne County sheriff, Wayne County executive, and circuit court judge. >><A HREF="http://www.freep.com/news/locway/luke22_20040422.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.freep.com/news/locway/luke22_"><U><I>Detroit Free Press background.</I></U></A></div> <div> <I><B>Bob Smart for Board of Ed<IMG SRC="d2bb43d0.jpg" border=0 width="180" height="317" ALT="Bob Smart" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="4"></B></I></div> <div> Also appearing was Michigan business owner Bob Smart, running for Republican nomination as a candidate for the State Board of Education.</div> <div> He said that for the health of our government schools, a recovering economy was essential. Although his father served ten years in the Michigan House, Smart has no prior experience in elective office. Other than his interest as a citizen and parent, he said that he would have no vested interest in the Board and would be open to new ideas and opportunities.</div> <div> Rather than the read'n, rit'n, and `rithmetic of education, Smart says his campaign is centered on three “A's.” He said, "Number one, I will promote achievement, so that graduates are able to enter the workforce without remediation."</div> <div> Second, he said, is the importance of holding schools accountable for educational results. Finally, alternatives should be developed so that every graduate, regardless of academic achievement, is able to participate in the State's economic advancement.</div> <div> <I><B>Richner & Costantino Among Notables</B></I></div> <div> Other notables recognized included Cheryl Costantino, candidate for Wayne County Commission, District 1, and Andrew C. Richner, serving an eight-year term on the University of Michigan Board of Regents.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#top_of_page" TITLE="Notables Address 2004 PAC Dinner"><U>back to top</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>