You are invited to join MI Taxpayers Alliance Director Leon Drolet, Wayne County Taxpayers Association Chair Rose Bogaert, and activists, media and taxpayers from throughout Michigan for an important event.

On Thursday, December 10th please join fellow taxpayers at a banquet honoring Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb for his heroic work on behalf of taxpayers and Detroit’s school children.

Also recognized at the MTA Awards Banquet will be WJR 760 radio personality Frank Beckmann. Mr. Beckmann will be presented with the ‘Voice of the Taxpayer Award’ for his superb coverage of issues important to Michigan’s taxpayers.

Meet Frank Beckmann and Robert Bobb personally, enjoy a great dinner with fellow supporters of limited, responsible government and have a great time by attending this banquet.

What: MI Taxpayers Alliance Awards Banquet

When: Thursday, December 10 at 6:30PM

Where: American-Polish Cultural Center (click for map)
2975 E. Maple Rd
Troy, MI 48083

Tickets are $40 per person or $75 per couple and include full dinner, dessert, beer and wine.

Also, an exclusive, private reception for Mr. Bobb and Mr. Beckmann will take place prior to the dinner. This limited reception will begin at 6:00PM. Tickets to the private reception are $125.

The honorees:

Mr. Robert Bobb, Taxpayer Hero of the Year Award

Mr. Bobb was appointed to serve as Emergency Financial Manager for the beleaguered Detroit Public School District. To many, the DPS was too big a disaster to be saved. Undaunted, Mr. Bobb has aggressively rooted out tens of millions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse.

Mr. Bobb has fired over 70% of the Districts bloated administration, fired dozens of security personnel who refused to show up for work, uncovered hundreds “ghost employees’ who were receiving paychecks and expensive health care benefits but did not actually work for the District. Bobb has also renegotiated contracts with venders to save taxpayers millions of dollars, consolidated schools, eliminated duplicate principals, and privatized services.

For his efforts, Mr. Bobb has been opposed by those who benefit the status quo at the Detroit Public Schools. He has been (unsuccessfully) sued by the Detroit School Board and picketed by unions.

For his principled, fearless, and honorable work combating corruption, waste fraud and theft on behalf of both taxpayers and the neglected but deserving schoolchildren in the City of Detroit, the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance is proud to recognize and honor Mr. Robert Bobb as our ‘Taxpayer Hero of the Year 2009’.

Mr. Frank Beckmann, Voice of the Taxpayer Award

Frank Beckmann brings his 35 years of broadcasting experience and his easy, laid-back humor to WJR AM 760 listeners every morning. Mr. Beckmann, through his daily radio broadcasts and his opinion columns in The Detroit News, has covered issues important to Michigan taxpayers better than any other member of the media. His willingness to interview newsmakers from all political viewpoints has earned him the respect of his growing listening audience.

Mr. Beckmann is a fair, but tough, journalist – willing to hold political leaders accountable for their words and decisions. This unwillingness to pander has earned Mr. Beckmann the trust of his listeners and the ire of some politicians who are not used to being held accountable.

Not only are the listeners fans, but so is the Michigan Association of Broadcasters whom have recently awarded the Frank Beckmann Show -Best Midday Personality 2007 & 2008, Broadcast Personality/Team of the Year 2006 and Best 2006 News Special: 9/11 Anniversary broadcast From New York City. Frank was also cited by the Detroit Press Club Foundation as a 2007 Michigan Excellence in Journalism winner. Additionally, Frank was also a 2007 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame inductee for his brilliant play-by-play and sportscasting work.