quickhits:

Florida homeowners foreclose on banks.

CNN:

Since the housing bubble burst in Florida five years ago, more than 400,000 borrowers have had their homes foreclosed on by their lenders. But for some, it’s payback time.

Hundreds of homeowners and condo associations are foreclosing on banks that have failed to pay dues and other expenses on the properties they’ve repossessed.

When banks foreclose on a home they become responsible for paying fees to the homeowners association — both any unpaid fees going back as far as 12 months and all expenses going forward.

In many cases, however, banks are failing to pay, leaving these associations short on cash, according to Miami-based attorney Ben Solomon.

But now, homeowners groups are putting liens on the properties until banks pay up and foreclosing on them if they don’t.

»READ MORE»

qqalm:

Diane DiMassa, 1994. by Catherine Opie

sarahlee310:

That’s the line of Michigan State Police cars lined up and ready for confrontation action.

Tomorrow’s rally at the Michigan Capitol Building is going to be HUGE. Seriously, check this out.

CATA, the city bus service is detouring some of their routes.

They’re also increasing the number of officers that will be on duty and they will use force if needed to remove protesters:

If demonstrators attempt to occupy the Capitol — as happened in Wisconsin two years ago amid protests over collective bargaining legislation — Adamcyzk said they will remove them “as professionally as possible” when the Capitol closes Tuesday evening.

The Capitol closes 30 minutes after the House and Senate have adjourned for the day, but no earlier than 5 p.m.

“If you’re a passive protester, we’ll just carry you out of here and you will be arrested. If you’re an aggressive protester, we will use force as necessary to remove you,” Adamcyzk said. “We do not want to arrest anyone. It doesn’t serve any purpose to allow yourself to be arrested. Voice your opinion, leave when you’re supposed to leave and come back to protest another day.”

Also, some schools are shutting down tomorrow because so many of their teachers — members of a public employees union — have notified them they will be absent:

At least two Michigan school districts have announced plans to cancel classes Tuesday – the same day some teachers and other union protesters are expected to converge at the state Capitol to protest right-to-work legislation.

Warren Consolidated Schools in southeast Michigan is canceling school “due to the number of staff who has notified us that they will be absent” Tuesday, according to a letter from Superintendent Robert Livernois posted on the district website.

Meanwhile, a group of Michigan Democratic Congressmen and U.S. Senator Carl Levin met with Governor Rick Snyder today to voice their outrage at the actions being taken by him and his Republican colleagues.

Calling the fast-moving ‘right-to-work’ legislation moving through the Michigan Legislature a “Michigan cliff,” the Democratic members of Congress said they urged Gov. Snyder to put a stop to it.

The Democratic Michigan delegation, including Sen. Carl Levin, and Reps. John Dingell, John Conyers, and Sander Levin, and other members of the delegation attended the meeting with Snyder.

They held an hour-long private meeting with him about the ‘right-to-work’ legislation this morning. {…}

Michigan Sen. Carl Levin said the delegation was blunt with the Governor in their urging to veto the bill.

“We’re not sure he understood how these unions worked,” said Levin during a press call with reporters after the meeting.

Gov. Snyder has said the ‘right-to-work’ issue is about workers freedom to choose.

“I believe most Michiganders and most Americans believe [that workers should] have the ability to choose whether they want to belong to an organization or not.” Snyder said during an interview with Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press last week.

“That is absolutely false,” said Rep. Sander Levin (D) on the call with reporters. “There is no requirement that people join a union.”

Union membership is not a requirement in a ‘union shop.’ But all workers do have to support the union financially.

Sen. Levin said he pointed out to Gov. Snyder that unions are required to provide equal benefits to everyone in the workplace, even though not all employees are required to join the union.

“The governor said it incorrectly. And today, I don’t think he understands what it is really about,” said Rep. Levin.

More.

charlesbivona:

The line for gas .. New Road, Parsippany, New Jersey #sandynj #sandy #njpoet cc: @njdotcom MT