Watson disses boxing instructor

[DetroitPole]

If we are only talking about repopulating Detroit with Police and fire personal to increase the tax base, should we then require Detroit auto plant workers to live in Detroit? For that matter should any person who owns a busines in Detroit or works in a business in Detroit be required to live in Detroit? Why should police officers and fire fighters be the only ones required to live in Detroit? Lets be real no person should be denied a job if he is well qualified no matter where he lives. Many people choose to live in Detroit for many reasons, and many have left Detroit because of its crime problem. Lets forget about residency and hire people who are qualified.

Okay, I get what you are trying to say[[I think?), but understand that city workers draw a city paycheck - if you work for an auto company, in the example you cited, you don't work for the city. I'm pretty sure in our free enterprise society there is no way to force a private company to hire employees from the city their said operations are in.

It isn't rocket science - like I said, we did this for many years - you draw a city paycheck, you have to live in the city. This has nothing to do with private enterprise.

[princealbert]

It isn't rocket science - like I said, we did this for many years - you draw a city paycheck, you have to live in the city. This has nothing to do with private enterprise.

The residency bird has flown long ago. It's just backward thinking to suggest that policy should be reinstated, especially since non-residents pay income tax if they work in the city. This whole discussion is lacking in the common sense department. Hire the most qualified person for the job.

[daddeeo]

Amen brother.

[Motor City Sam]

First off, this has nothing to do with the merits of the city, police, and fire employees who currently serve the city every day, wherever they live. I don't think you have to live here to do just as honorable a job as anyone else.

Buy American, really tasteful of you to use the family of a fallen fire fighter to advance your argument. You're a class act. You can count on me ignoring your inane posts from now on. WHAT YOU POST, I WON'T BOTHER TO READ!!!!

I refuse to concede that all of Detroit is some ring of hell unfit for human existence. Of course, a lot of it is. However there are plenty of people who do raise family here who don't get raped and pillaged or turn to a life of crime. I live in one such neighborhood.

However as a life-long Detroiter I'm sure you noticed the near instantaneous decline of many neighborhoods when Engler forced Detroit to drop residency requirements. It isn't about having a round-the-clock cop nearby to bust the hoodlums, it is about neighborhoods with middle class people with stable lives and jobs.

This has been Detroit's unsolvable and greatest problem for the past 50-some odd years: the flight of the middle class. This was something politically the city was actually able to do about it.

Nobody is holding a gun to someone's head and forcing people to move here. If you don't find Detroit suitable for habitation, then you can look for a job elsewhere. Right now look at job postings at non-profit organizations that require buy-in from there employees to their missions - with many Jewish organizations that means support of Isreal. The same goes for pro-life or pro-choice orgs. Not to mention the ever-prevalent pee-in-the-cup or more invasive hair sample to flip burgers or make coffee. I consider those to be more invasive than residency.

It may limit the talent pool, but then again it may not. With so many people out of work in Metro Detroit, people are willing to do nearly anything for a job. They are willing to follow jobs anywhere, even if it means uprooting their lives and families. Take that with the changing attitudes about Detroit and I think a surprising number of people would be willing to move to the city to get a full-time job with benefits.

You mention the city income tax. Yes, it is miniscule. But take 10,000 people and have them start paying property taxes...well now we're talking some desperately needed funds.

Let's also not act so outraged about the residency requirement or like it is some insane, revolutionary idea. It was on the books for a long time and people dealt with it.

What I will say about the recent events with the rash of fires is, buried in the Free Press, many of the off-duty firefighters who were called to be asked to come in while the infernos raged lived as far as 25 miles away from the city. This made the situation all the more dangerous. What if there were a civil disturbance or something that required DPD to call off-duty cops to ask them to come in and they're off in Lake Orion?

Again, in the interest of fairness, I strongly oppose using it arbitrarily against people. Not to mention this is all theoretical, since the residency requirement is now illegal.

That's probably the best post I've read on this issue.

[Motor City Sam]

And speaking as someone who is familiar with the boxing scene in the City of Detroit, I can assure you that there are many Detroiters who are qualified for that job and would be more than happy to do it, even at that low pay rate.

[mam2009]

If you work at Ford, you buy a Ford. If you work at Best Buy and need a tv or computer, you buy it from Best Buy. If you work at Kroger, you buy your groceries at Kroger. Your money gets invested right back into making sure you keep a job. And because you are also the customer, you care more about the quality of what you make and/or the service you provide.

[DetLiving]

Council needs to be called on the carpet for hiring non-Detroiters on their personal staff. Look first at your own house.

[jcole]

And speaking as someone who is familiar with the boxing scene in the City of Detroit, I can assure you that there are many Detroiters who are qualified for that job and would be more than happy to do it, even at that low pay rate.

Have you applied?

[Motor City Sam]

Have you applied?

No, I have not. I'm dedicated to the kids at the gym where I train and I'm certainly not the most qualified Detroiter I know who can do this job. But I do plan on brining this to the attention of some of those qualified individuals I know this week. I was unaware that the City had this opportunity until I read that article.

[iheartthed]

I find it interesting that the same people who have spoken loud and proud on other threads about how important it is to save American jobs and buy American-made products and have chastised the auto companies and other manufacturers for sending jobs overseas make it seem so ridiculous that a Detroit City Council Member would have the audacity to express the same sentiment regarding Detroit. I disagree with Councilmember Watson quite a bit, but she has a point on this one. Getting rid of the residency requirement was a major blow to the our local economy that we just didn't need.

Yeah, I bet he has no problem with the automakers dictating which cars you can and cannot park in their employee parking lots.

[Buy American]

Yeah, I bet he has no problem with the automakers dictating which cars you can and cannot park in their employee parking lots.

The automakers only ask that a person driving a Ford product [[example) that works for a GM company [[example) park in a different area of the parking lot. The people are still allowed to work there.

[ragnarok1981]

Watson is a prime example of what is wrong with the city of Detroit and why it will not get any better anytime soon. She along with many in the city want to go it alone and refuse any help unless it is from the city. Thankfully she has toned down her racist beliefs in the past few years but in the past she was blatantly anti-white. Now I know that Detroit is a majority black city but that still should not be the attitude of anyone here. Frankly if anyone offers any kind of help to get the city going again then our city leaders should be welcoming them with open arms. Instead they use reasons such as residency for excluding people. Before the council claims that residency should be a factor maybe they should look at why so many people don't want to live here in the city. Honestly who would want to move to the city and subject their children to the public school system and be victims of the criminals who are running around almost unchecked. I know that in order to better our schools and increase our police force we need more money and in order to do that we need more residents, so it is sort of a chicken and the egg scenario here. I have to say that in the end I think if Watson was on a sinking ship and someone from Oakland county offered her help she would rather drown than take their hand, and that is pretty much the decision she is making for the city.

[JJD]

The issue I have with this thread is that the people who seems to be against the residency requirement or more specifically against Watson, keep insisting that she refuses "Help" from people outside the city. I don't see how that applies here. Now to be clear I do not like Councilwoman Watson, have not voted for her and will not vote for her. However I do not belive that applying for a job which has a salary paid from my taxes is offering to help. It is just applying for a job. If Watson had told a suburbanite that he or she could not volunteer in the city because they don't live here, then the argument would be valid. I believe the residency requirement was a good thing simply because people inherintly care more about the way their decisions / actions affect the community if they are a part of that community. The tax base doesn't hurt either.

[Buy American]

When it comes time for "clean up Detroit" day, Watson or any of the other politicians don't turn suburbanites away. Look to see how many are volunteering their time to Detroit....and get no thanks. The Thanksgiving Day Parade down Woodward Avenue is another prime example. In my opinion, 50% of the people who volunteer to help are not Detroiters but probably former Detroiters who hate to see Detroit [[their hometown) where it is today.

[SWMAP]

I remember when Matt Cullen went in front of Council in 2002 to gain approvals for GM's Riverfront plans. Someone there asked him if he was a Detroit resident - implying that he was some outsider trying to do good in Detroit [[can't be allowed like Robert Thompson's offer to fund new schools ). Anyway, Cullen said he lived in Grosse Point [[sneers from council).
But GM not be underestimated. Within a month a huge profile of Matt Cullen on front page of Sunday Free Press. Noted that Matt grew up in northwest Detroit, went to school in Detroit, [[think) graduated from UDM, and was SHOT IN THE CHEST in Northwest Detroit while trying to save a girlfriend from a mugging. Just begged the question about who are the real Detroiters! A trouncing of that ridiculous Council. But they never really learn.

[jcole]

The automakers only ask that a person driving a Ford product [[example) that works for a GM company [[example) park in a different area of the parking lot. The people are still allowed to work there.

Yes, and when my niece was in college and was interning at Chrysler in Highland Park, they enforced that policy and she had to park way out in BFE because, like most college kids, she couldn't afford to go out and buy a company-made car. She was mugged and assaulted on her way to her car after work one night. They said it was her fault for driving a GM product.
Nice.

[Buy American]

Yes, and when my niece was in college and was interning at Chrysler in Highland Park, they enforced that policy and she had to park way out in BFE because, like most college kids, she couldn't afford to go out and buy a company-made car. She was mugged and assaulted on her way to her car after work one night. They said it was her fault for driving a GM product.
Nice.

Sorry to hear about your niece being assaulted, I hope she is okay.

I find it hard to believe though, that Chrysler actually told her it was her fault for driving a GM product. If it was on Chrysler grounds, I'm sure Chrysler was concerned and took care of her. I don't see any reason for her to have parked her car outside of the Chrysler gates.

[Buy American]

I remember when Matt Cullen went in front of Council in 2002 to gain approvals for GM's Riverfront plans. Someone there asked him if he was a Detroit resident - implying that he was some outsider trying to do good in Detroit [[can't be allowed like Robert Thompson's offer to fund new schools ). Anyway, Cullen said he lived in Grosse Point [[sneers from council).
But GM not be underestimated. Within a month a huge profile of Matt Cullen on front page of Sunday Free Press. Noted that Matt grew up in northwest Detroit, went to school in Detroit, [[think) graduated from UDM, and was SHOT IN THE CHEST in Northwest Detroit while trying to save a girlfriend from a mugging. Just begged the question about who are the real Detroiters! A trouncing of that ridiculous Council. But they never really learn.

Clowncil will never learn, you are right....no matter who they are.

It's any wonder that corporations ever consider coming to Detroit after the attitude of clowncil and some Detroiters. Clowncil emits that feeling of total exclusivitity to those they consider "outsiders".

[fryar]

BuyAmerican, I agree with the basic thrust of your posts. This stuff is pure pandering to a certain base, it's obstructive not constructive, and they probably should have put that on the form. As a legal technicality, it appears that contractors are permitted to be required to be city residents, but it doesn't seem like that's what your concern is; you're concerned with the idea that this requirement is an obstruction to progress.

I can see the point of a residency requirement. In a room by itself, I don't think I favor it, but it's also not a deal-breaker for me. However, I do think it's counterproductive as things stand currently. The comment made in regards to outfitting rigs with GPS systems, which also gave BuyAmerican fits , that they wouldn't need GPS's if they only lived in the city, I think is a better example of why than this matter.

This particular issue is not so important that I really care that much whether it is restricted to residents or not. A boxing coach? Hats off to the former DPD officer for not just saying screw it and moving to Florida, sure, but from a big picture perspective, who cares whether we get the best candidate or the second, third, or 78th-best candidate to fill this contract position? Or is the plan to revitalize Detroit contingent on fielding the US boxing squad at the 2016 Olympics?

When it comes to things that are important, like EMT's or teachers or tax auditors or construction workers or anything more relevant than who mows the lawn in the Woodward median, we don't want to add to the problems Detroit faces by artificially limiting the talent pool to those who reside or are willing to reside in Detroit. In my opinion, this results in a downward spiral - if we can set aside the fact that this is pouring salt on the wound, there are many factors that may discourage a perfectly reasonable and honorable person from living within the city limits.

I continue to think that forcing council members to ride the bus to work is far more effective than forcing all the EMT's to live in Detroit. Garbage men, fine, but that's politically unpalatable [[understandably so, it'd be a real slap in the face).

Just to throw fuel on the fire, they have funds for this of all things? I should think you can find volunteers for this, and fix up an ambulance.

[fryar]

I remember when Matt Cullen went in front of Council in 2002 to gain approvals for GM's Riverfront plans. Someone there asked him if he was a Detroit resident - implying that he was some outsider trying to do good in Detroit [[can't be allowed like Robert Thompson's offer to fund new schools ). Anyway, Cullen said he lived in Grosse Point [[sneers from council).
But GM not be underestimated. Within a month a huge profile of Matt Cullen on front page of Sunday Free Press. Noted that Matt grew up in northwest Detroit, went to school in Detroit, [[think) graduated from UDM, and was SHOT IN THE CHEST in Northwest Detroit while trying to save a girlfriend from a mugging. Just begged the question about who are the real Detroiters! A trouncing of that ridiculous Council. But they never really learn.

Yes, see, that's actually really upsetting to me. I couldn't care less who's in there teaching kids to box, or play chess, or clean up a park, or whatever, other than that I hope to gosh they're reasonably enlightened and whatnot, of course. But if GM actually had to fight to beautify that area, I mean, what's the point of even showing up and giving a darn to begin with?!

[DC48080]

And some folks in Detroit complain and cry that those "awful suburbanites" don't do anything to help the city.

Is it any wonder why some folks outside of Detroit don't feel too inclined to pitch in when you have attitudes like this from the City Clowncil, and, indeed, from some residents?

[DetroitPole]

Some people here seem obsessed with the idea of not being accepted by Detroiters. It is a little creepy.

Detroiters are excluded from Livonia by the residents of Livonia because of SMART. I don't see anyone railing against that here[[paging Trainman). Jack Brandenburg vehemently opposed state revenue sharing with Detroit, supported reducing funding to DPS, and supported receivership. Nobody seems to care about his opposition to Detroit here. What about L Brooks Patterson and Jim Fouts? No clever names for them? They've certainly clowned around and opposed Detroit recently. Maybe Detroiters should have nothing to do with the suburbs because of their attitudes. Oh wait, the suburbs are the poor victims.

There will always been the rabble-rousers and politicians pandering to a base about non-Detroiters, but as far as I know, volunteers receive as much thanks for their efforts wherever they come from. By the way, this in question was not applying to be a volunteer. He was applying for a job.

Detroiters recently elected a suburban mayor and many of his appointees are suburbanites. Oh but suburbanites should feel so unwelcome in Detroit. No wonder they want to stop showering Detroit with their infinite charity and mercy.

Oh yeah, don't like what Watson has to say? Then don't vote for her. Can't vote here? Tough shit, move here and you'll have a say in how things go on. Until then concern yourself with your own communities. I know I will be voting against her, again. Of course there is no mention of the dissenting voice, James Tate, who was recently elected to Detroit City Council [[or Clowncil, the desperately tired and unfunny term for that legislative body). What about Saunteel Jenkins, Andre Spivey, Kwame Kenyatta, and Gary Brown? Clowns, all of them. Of course we all know that suburban city councils are just the picture of good government and prudence.

And AS IF "some" suburbanites don't rail against Detroiters in the most unspeakable ways imaginable. Maybe Detroiters should stop spending billions of dollars in the suburbs every year because of that?