The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 18, 2023 — Page 5Consequences to ignoring Social
Security crisis are coming
George Schneidermann
J-Ad News Services
Every month, with the timing, precision
and efficiency of a Swiss watch, the Social
Security Administration sends $112 billion of
benefit payments to 66 million Americans.
That works out to $1.34 trillion per year.
On the other side of the ledger, Social
Security taxes are deducted from paychecks
or deposit accounts of 180 million American
workers. The process showcases what the
federal government does best – take money
away from some and give it to others – in
staggering quantities. Payroll taxes, taxes on
benefits and interest provide funding for the
benefits paid.
But there is a problem. The funding sourc-
es provide $1.22 trillion, leaving an annual
shortfall of $120 billion, which is funded
from reserves. That shortfall is growing.
Last month, the trustees of the Social Secu-
rity system estimated the reserves will disap-
pear by 2034. After that, by law, benefits will
be reduced to the funds available. The trust-
ees think that will force across the board
reductions in benefits of 20 percent to 25
percent, which will be devastating for those
who rely almost entirely on Social Security
for their retirement income.
Politicians and bureaucrats should be
scrambling to stave off the pending disaster.
They are not. Most are doing nothing.
However, several Republicans, most nota-
bly, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) and Ron
Johnson (R-Wisconsin), have proposed
reforms, such as increasing the eligibility age
for full benefits, subjecting benefits to a
needs test, and periodically subjecting the
whole system to reauthorization. Their goal is
to keep Social Security current and solvent.
In his State of the Union speech, President
Joe Biden, ridiculed and rebuffed the sena-
tors, drawing loud cheers from Congress.
Republican leaders, including former Presi-
dent Donald Trump, quickly fell in line prom-
ising that Social Security benefits will not be
touched.
That may be good short-term politics, but
2034 is coming, and the consequences of
inaction are severe. Biden’s simple response
is to “protect” Social Security with higher
taxes on incomes above $400,000; targeting
the same taxpayer he wants to tax to pay for
everything else. That, too, may be good poli-
tics for re-election. But, has he forgotten that
it was the Democrats in Congress who refused
to raise taxes as he proposed in 2021?
I wonder if he understands who he is pro-
tecting. It’s not the so-called little guy. Every-one knows higher benefits are paid to work-
ers who paid higher taxes, but the correlation
between high incomes and longevity is less
well understood.
Numerous researchers have conducted
studies to document this correlation. An
extreme, and frequently cited study, pub-
lished in the Journal of the American Medical
Association in July 2016, reported that men
in the top 1 percent of personal incomes lived
14 years longer than men in the bottom 1
percent. Women in the same subsets lived 10
years longer.
Other studies suggest the advantage of
higher income more broadly may be one-
half of the extremes. Five to seven more
years in a typical retirement period of, say,
15 years at higher benefits add up to dramat-
ically higher cost to the system with the
most advantage going to men. Joe wants to
protect them.
Correlation may work the other way. It is
likely that healthy people tend to work harder
and longer than those with impaired health.
However, a Northwestern University study of
healthy twin pairs still found some correla-tion between wealth and longevity. That
makes me believe mom was spot on when she
had admonished us with the adage, “early to
bed, early to rise, will make you healthy,
wealthy and wise.“
Contrary to the image President Biden is
hoping to cultivate as caring about the poor
by working to “protect” them, his actions, or
rather, his inaction is auguring to the benefit
of the healthy and wealthy who earned higher
incomes during their working years and now
enjoy higher Social Security benefits for
many additional years.
I hope reform-minded senators continue
their quest to improve Social Security in the
face of political headwinds. Productive work
is an important component of good health.
In an age of less physically demanding
work, an increase in the eligibility age for
full benefits is in order. Increasing the eligi-
bility age tips the scales on both sides of the
equation: more taxes paid in; less benefits
drawn out.
This column originally appeared in the
N’West Iowa REVIEW and was printed with
their permissionCircuit court upholds
decision, sides with city on
signage ordinance dispute
Hunter McLaren
Staff Writer
A city ordinance limiting city residents to
four or less yard signs was upheld as legal
and constitutional earlier this week.
The ordinance came to Barry County Cir-
cuit Court before Judge Vicky Alspaugh for
review on Monday morning. Hastings resi-
dent Charles Hertzler challenged the city on
the ordinance after receiving a citation and
$50 fee last year after violating the ordinance.
Hertzler, who lives on the 200 block of
West Mill Street, had 10 wireframe political
signs in his yard when he was cited. Hertzler
took the issue to city council last June, where
he argued the ordinance was an infringement
upon his constitutional right to free speech.
Hertzler, who was running for a county com-
mission seat and currently sits as a Republi-
can precinct delegate, argued it was important
for him to be able to publicly endorse other
political candidates.
The City of Hastings V. Hertzler case
appeared in Barry County District Court ear-
lier this year before Judge Michael Schipper,
who also upheld the city’s ordinance. Hertz-
ler appealed the decision, bringing it to the
circuit court.
Tom Siver, the attorney representing Hert-
zler, cited the United States Bill of Rights as
grounds to declare the city ordinance uncon-
stitutional; namely the First Amendment pro-
tecting the right to free speech.
“The city is trying to violate your freedom
of speech, my freedom of speech, (Hertz-
ler’s) freedom of speech, their own freedom
of speech,” Siver said. “Whether they like it
or not, we still have to protect (Hertzler’s)
right to have speech. Injustice anywhere,
threatens justice everywhere. We implore
upon the court to recognize that their ordi-
nance is invalid, and that it threatens the
First Amendment.”
Attorney John Weiss, representing the city,
argued there was substantial legal precedent
supporting the city’s ordinance as a reason-
able time, place and manner restriction on
speech.
“Search high and low, there’s not going to
be a case that says you’re allowed an unlim-
ited number of signs in your yard,” Weiss
said. “This is a reasonable time, place and
manner restriction.”
Government restrictions on the time, place
and manner of speech are allowed as long as
it can be proved the regulation is content neu-
tral (meaning the regulation is not restricting
what is being said), is narrowly tailored to
serve a significant governmental interest, and
as long as the regulation leaves other avenues
of speech available.
On hearing both arguments, Alspaugh
found the city’s ordinance met all of the
requirements to be upheld as a reasonable
time, place and manner restriction. Alspaugh
said the restriction was content neutral as it
was based on the number of signs and not
their contents or messages. She said the ordi-
nance served the governmental interest of
aesthetics, similar to reducing clutter via
blight laws and restrictions, and safety, as
passing drivers could create a hazard by try-
ing to read the signs.
Alspaugh said there were many other
avenues of speech available, as there was
nothing stopping Hertzler from hanging
signs in his windows, using both sides of a
sign for different messages, or rotating
which four yard signs he had on display on
a regular basis.
“The court does find that the ordinance
section 90-971 is appropriately fashioned to
meet the requirements,” Alspaugh said. “The
appeal of the district court finding is denied
and the court will adopt and affirm the find-
ing of the lower courts.”
Siver said he and his client would be
appealing the decision again in a comment
made to The Banner, bringing the case to the
state level.Kiwanis honors young citizens
Hastings elementary school and middle
school teachers have selected students to be
honored as citizens of the month by the
Kiwanis Club of Hastings.
Students are selected by their teachers for
reasons such as excellent citizenship, atti-
tude, conduct, academics, character, service,
leadership and sportsmanship.
The citizens of the month for the past two
months (with parents’ names in parentheses)
included:
Central – Lydia Cole (Joel and Cheryl
Cole), Millie Detmer (Joseph and Amanda
Detmer), Tiegan Flietstra (Adam and Ruth-
ann Flietstra) and Kyle Whalen (Christo-
pher Whalen and Emily Fate).
Northeastern – Bennett Ferguson (Chad
Ferguson and Melissa VanderPol), Sophie
Pohja (Kyle and Amy Pohja), Emily Rhoades
(Dustin and Jennifer Rhoades) and Abella
Smith (Donald and Nicole Smith).
Southeastern – Jace Keeny (Shannon
Keeny), Jordan Muhqueed (Allison Underly),
Destiny Newton (Kevin Newton) and Brai-
von Stahlhood (Bobby Stahlhood and Hildie
Adrianson).
Star – Kinley Beadle (Nicholas and
Amanda Beadle), Elli Erb (Jeff and Kristi
Erb), Owen Smith (Jonathon and Sirena
Smith) and Audi Stonehouse (Caleb Stone-house and Tiffany Speer).
Hastings Middle School – Meredith
Ansorge (Janette and Eric Ansorge), Dakota
Cole (Bob and Pam Cole), Sage DeCamp
(Kimberly and Joshua DeCamp), Leeland
Dinger (Chantel Gerber and Steven Dinger),
Parker Erb (Kristi and Jeff Erb), Mallory
Harris (Laura Harris), Sophia Haywood (Jen-
nifer and Matt Haywood), Sullivan Hill (Ker-
ith Redburn and Simon Hill), Remington
Jerzyk (Mickayla and Douglas Jerzyk),
Audree Rettinger (Angela and Byron Ret-
tinger), Gabrielle Robertson (Summer and
Dewine Robertson) and Marlayna Young
(Lydia Teopas and Cody Young).Deputies investigate, debunk church
shooting threat
Police responded around 6 p.m. on May 9 to a reported shooting threat at a church in
Hastings. The caller, a 53-year-old Hastings man, reported that his 15-year-old daughter
heard two 16-year-old boys at school talk about “shooting up” her church, Victory Hill
Church. Police made contact with the two boys in question. Both boys said they never
threatened to shoot up a church and were simply involved in a brief discussion about
what church everyone in that conversation attended. Police confirmed with the boys’
parents that they do not have access to firearms and that the alleged threat seemed out of
character for them. Police spoke to another student who overheard the conversation and
denied hearing any shooting threat. Police determined there was no credible threat but
maintained a presence at the church until everyone had left for the night around 9 p.m.Police investigate suspicious hole on island
A 46-year-old Caledonia man called the police to report a suspicious hole on an island
located in Mud Lake near Delton. The man told police he saw the hole while kayaking
and that it appeared to be man-made but not freshly dug. The man estimated the hole was
five to ten years old and about six feet long by three feet wide. The man also told police
there was a mound of dirt 50 to 75 feet away, where he suspected someone may have
buried something. Two Barry County Sheriff’s Office deputies embarked on a boat
around 1:30 p.m. on May 8 and investigated the scene. They located the hole and the
mound of dirt, where they started digging. Police found only more dirt and some roots.Concerned citizen reports roads are in
poor shape
Police fielded a call around 8 a.m. on May 9 from a 63-year-old Hastings man con-
cerned about the state of Barry County’s state roads. The man called the police to inform
them there were potholes and other unsafe road conditions on the M-43 Highway
between Hastings and Delton. The man reported that the conditions between Yeckley
Road and Goodwill Road were especially bad. While the man said there was no damage
to his current vehicle, he told police he had to replace the front end of his last vehicle
four times. The man told police he had made a complaint to the Michigan Department
of Transportation about six months ago regarding the state of the road. However, he
hadn’t heard anything back or seen any improvements. Police made arrangements to
contact their MDOT contact and let them know about the complaint.Stranger arrives at door with laundry
detergent, refuses to elaborate, leaves
Police responded around 9:30 p.m. on May 2 to a Middleville residence on the 1300th
block of Springview Court to investigate a suspicious situation. A 29-year-old Marshall
woman told police she was house-sitting for the owners of the residence when a man
came to the door. The woman said the man handed her an open bottle of laundry deter-
gent and said he was walking through the area and mentioned something about an app.
The woman said she was having difficulty hearing him over the dogs barking from inside
the house. When she mentioned she wasn’t the homeowner, he asked for the bottle of
laundry detergent back. The woman said he was wearing a name tag, but it was flipped
over. The man appeared to be driving a silver minivan. The woman contacted local
neighbors, who all said the man did not come to their houses.Hope Township
Notice of Adoption of Amendment to the Hope
Township Zoning OrdinanceTO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE HOPE TOWNSHIP, BARRY
COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS:PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at its meeting on Monday, May 8th, 2023 at 6:30PM at the
Hope Township Hall, 5463 S M-43 Hwy, the Hope Township Board of Trustees adopted
Ordinance #94, an amendment to the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance.The adopted amendment pertains to Section 8.4 and eliminates the requirement that a
structure located on a nonconforming lot of record in any zoning district be no closer to
any roadway than a straight line connecting the nearest building on each side of the lot.
Further, the amendment clarifies that all buildings on nonconforming lots of record meet
at least fifty percent (50%) of the setback requirements for the district in which they are
located.These amendments to the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance were adopted after the
Hope Township Planning Commission held a public hearing and recommended approval
of the amendment to the Hope Township Board on April 20th, 2023. A copy of the Hope
Township Zoning Ordinance and the adopted amendment is available for review at the
Hope Township Office during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. through noon and 1:
p.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.The amendment will become effective eight days after the date of this published notice
pursuant to the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, as amended.Deborah Jackson, Clerk
Hope Township
5463 S M-43 Hwy
Hastings, Michigan 49058
(269) 948-199642Hastings resident Charles Hertzler lis-
tens as attorney Tom Siver makes his
argument before Judge Vicky Alspaugh.Citizens of the month at Northeastern Elementary in Hastings
include (from left) Bennett Ferguson, Abella Smith, Emily
Rhoades and Sophie Pohja. They are joined by Mr. Heide.
(Photos provided)Citizens of the month at Star Elementary School were recent-
ly honored. Pictured are (from left) Kinley Beadle, Audi
Stonehouse, Mrs. Smelker, Elli Erb and Owen Smith.
Citizens of the month at Southeastern
Elementary School have been named.
Pictured are (from left) Jace Keeny,
Braivon Stahlhood, Jordan Muhqueed
and Ms. Stein. Missing from the photo is
Destiny Newton.
Central Elementary’s recent citizens of
the month include (from left) Lydia Cole,
Millie Detmer, Kyle Whalen and Tiegan
Flietstra. They are joined here by Mrs.
Mitchell.Citizens of the month for March and
April were honored recently. Pictured are
(front row, from left) Gabrielle Robertson,
Sage DeCamp, Sullivan Hill, Audree
Rettinger, (middle row) Parker Erb,
Dakota Cole, Mallory Harris, Leeland
Dinger, (back row) Mr. Pratt, Marlayna
Young, Sophia Haywood and Meredith
Ansorge. Missing from the photo is
Remington Jerzyk.