City council votes no public safety millage on ballot

[Zacha341]

From news story:

"I am not convinced that our problem is a lack of manpower issue. I'm convinced that our problem is a lack of an effective management plan issue," said City Council Member Ken Cockrel, Junior.

"Quite frankly, I take great offense to any assertion that we're not managing our resources well, efficiently, nor deploying them," Godbee retorted. "At some point you can't put lipstick on a pig, and the citizens' reality on the street is they know what they see, and what they don't see are uniformed marked patrol scout cars in visible spaces."

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19...lage-on-ballot

[daddeeo]

Citizens have been taking offense to slow police response since the 70's.

[jpbollma]

Citizens have been taking offense to slow police response since the 70's.

This is outrageous. What would be the reasoning behind not allowing citizens to vote for this?

[SWMAP]

As I understand it, there is a utility tax in Detroit that creates funds for public safety [[police and fire). However, the Mayor moved those funds OUT of public safety budgets to Public Lighting - with a plan to go to voters and say how short the public safety budgets are. The thought is that Detroiters would not support additional millage for lighting - but we could be seduced into supporting a millage for public safety because danger is a big seducer.

I would not vote for a millage if it made it to the ballot because I believe that police leadership is sorely lacking in commitment, smarts and ethics. That's a hugely politicized leadership and mostly they ignore the concerns of citizens while they fawn over whoever can get them promotions. They will say anything, spin anything to get a leg up.

[Wesley Mouch]

As I understand it, there is a utility tax in Detroit that creates funds for public safety [[police and fire). However, the Mayor moved those funds OUT of public safety budgets to Public Lighting - with a plan to go to voters and say how short the public safety budgets are. The thought is that Detroiters would not support additional millage for lighting - but we could be seduced into supporting a millage for public safety because danger is a big seducer.

I would not vote for a millage if it made it to the ballot because I believe that police leadership is sorely lacking in commitment, smarts and ethics. That's a hugely politicized leadership and mostly they ignore the concerns of citizens while they fawn over whoever can get them promotions. They will say anything, spin anything to get a leg up.

You have to give them credit for creative ways to extract tax money.

Do you wonder why a business might choose to locate in suburbia?

[Wesley Mouch]

from the City's website at

7. What is the Utility Users Tax?

The tax is imposed on users of telephone, gas and electricity services in the city of Detroit and is used exclusively to fund the Police Department. The rate is 5%. The tax is billed by the public utility or resale customer and remitted monthly to the City.

[nativegirl]

from the City's website at

7. What is the Utility Users Tax?

The tax is imposed on users of telephone, gas and electricity services in the city of Detroit and is used exclusively to fund the Police Department. The rate is 5%. The tax is billed by the public utility or resale customer and remitted monthly to the City.

So basically, the taxpayers are getting gouged to the hilt: we pay property taxes as homeowners, income taxes as city residents and are imposed utility users tax for using utilities such as gas and light that are necessary to operate a home and or business within the city of Detroit. And now the DPD and city council wants to impose more taxes on the residents? Puh-leeze! I have had enough of this city and its "leaders."

[kenp]

I like what Cockrel said, the problem is everything in Detroit is based on a money grab.
There is a lot of money going to the police budget, use it

[firstandten]

Charlie LeDuff take on this I think is spot on

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19...nys-killing-us

The city council was lambasted as a group of buffoons when earlier this week they voted down a ballot proposal to increase property taxes to pay for more police. But it was the responsible thing to do. For one, the measure was probably illegal under state law. What's more, less than half of Detroiters own a home and people like voting for things they don't have to pay for. In the end, the measure would probably have forced marginal homeowners out of the city as they are already the most burdened taxpayers in Michigan.

[Wesley Mouch]

I like what Cockrel said, the problem is everything in Detroit is based on a money grab.
There is a lot of money going to the police budget, use it

Nice to hear such a reasonable, intelligent comment from Cockrel. We could use more of that.

[Danny]

The Detroit City Council voted no on this proposed public safety millage because of their higher tax rate of .100 mills from any property big or small. If the millage had went to the ballot. Detroiters would vote no! 69% to 27%. Detroiters don't want new kinds of higher taxation. They want their governments to pour their tax monies and regional dollars to help the city.

Most folks in Detroit don't want to see change from big governments and corporations. However if governments forced Detroiters to change by eminent domain and gentrification and corporate ventured projects [[just like Trump in New York City and Turner from Atlanta, GA.). They will have go with it or be put out of their homes.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Change is going to come, oh yes it is!

For Neda, Trayvon Martin, George Stinney, Rodney King and Guy Fawkes and the 99 pecenters.