Board appoints emergency financial manager for Allen Park

**maverick1** · October-25-12, 08:59 PM

This makes me wonder how many other cities in Michigan are on the verge of joining this group.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012102...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

**Gistok** · October-25-12, 09:57 PM

If it wasn't for that one boondoggle [[the Allen Park Movie Studio property that the city IIRC spent $24 million on) they wouldn't be in this mess. Did it go belly up before or after Gov. Snyder cut the generous Motion Pictures tax breaks?

**DetroitPlanner** · October-25-12, 10:11 PM

Allen Park has had messes prior to this one. These include a city hall that is ready to fall in on itself and issues with theirs sewers backing up into resident's basements. Combine this with the loss of offices and labs from Visteon and Ford and they were hurting for tax revenue when they made this deal.

What is odd about this is that it is still the most stable community among most of its neighbors.

**Wesley Mouch** · October-26-12, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

...snip...
What is odd about this is that it is still the most stable community among most of its neighbors.

Stability brings complacency.

**poobert** · October-26-12, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

What is odd about this is that it is still the most stable community among most of its neighbors.

That doesn't say much. The folks I've met from Allen Park seem to find the N-word to be appropriate for casual conversation upon first meeting someone. No love loss there.

**townonenorth** · October-26-12, 09:04 AM

I have to laugh. Really, where's the indignation of the hoi polloi here? Where's the charges of racism? So Allen Park has it coming, but Detroit is suffering? Please.

**Hermod** · October-26-12, 09:07 AM

Hitting Allen Park first with an EFM could innoculate the state from charges of "racism" when an EFM takes over Detroit.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-26-12, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

That doesn't say much. The folks I've met from Allen Park seem to find the N-word to be appropriate for casual conversation upon first meeting someone. No love loss there.

What on earth does this have to to with my post? So you met a trashy person from Allen Park. There are trashy people living everywhere. If you drive down the streets you will see mostly well kept homes and few empty storefronts.

**Wesley Mouch** · October-26-12, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

That doesn't say much. The folks I've met from Allen Park seem to find the N-word to be appropriate for casual conversation upon first meeting someone. No love loss there.

I've spent a lot of time in AP, and didn't encounter one single instance of expressed racism. Don't doubt your experience, but generalizing like that is offensive.

**Danny** · October-26-12, 02:43 PM

Now I'm seeing the race cards playing in this forum. Allen Park has a EFM who is a black female. So what!

**Wesley Mouch** · October-27-12, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

Now I'm seeing the race cards playing in this forum. Allen Park has a EFM who is a black female. So what!

Yes, but is she good?

**313WX** · October-27-12, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Yes, but is she good?

Why wouldn't she be?

**Wesley Mouch** · October-27-12, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Why wouldn't she be?

Because the majority of people in positions of power aren't good. So I'm wondering if people on the forum think she's a gem, or lump of coal.

**313WX** · October-27-12, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Because the majority of people in positions of power aren't good.

And yet you support a law that would allow one person to appoint these people into these positions and only be accountable to that one person...

**Wesley Mouch** · October-27-12, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

And yet you support a law that would allow one person to appoint these people into these positions and only be accountable to that one person...

Yes. You have to choose somehow. So long as the citizens control their public officials, they get to choose. Once the officials go feral and become fiscally insolvent, you have to put an adult in charge.

No method for avoiding idiots is perfect. I like this method -- but from your point of view, I think you should like it too. Citizens will get their best governance if they are engaged and select competent leaders. They will be best able to do this if the alternative is living hell on earth.

Suppose for a moment that Newt Gingrich was to appoint all Michigan EFM/FMs. Wouldn't the citizens work really hard to avoid this hell? There's no sense in an EFM law if you appoint someone sympathetic, is there? Rick Snyder's nowhere near tough enough. We should let Scott Walker appoint Michigan's EFMs. That'll get the electorate engaged enough to clean up their acts. [[And that's just what's happening in Wisconsin.)

**Danny** · October-29-12, 10:41 AM

Here's how it goes with an E.F.M. not a emergency manager.

1. Oversee debt costs between the failed movie studio and Allen Park city government.

2. Looking at cuts to several public services like fire, city workers and police force.

3. Looking forward to merge with services with Lincoln Park, Melvindale, or Taylor.

4. More pension cuts to city workers and mayor and city council.

5. Possible small tax hikes to Allen Park residents.

It's going to be a rough road to recovery.

**jackie5275** · October-31-12, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Here's how it goes with an E.F.M. not a emergency manager.

1. Oversee debt costs between the failed movie studio and Allen Park city government.

2. Looking at cuts to several public services like fire, city workers and police force.

3. Looking forward to merge with services with Lincoln Park, Melvindale, or Taylor.

4. More pension cuts to city workers and mayor and city council.

5. Possible small tax hikes to Allen Park residents.

It's going to be a rough road to recovery.

6. More cops on "revenue patrol" on the Southfield Fwy.

**Honky Tonk** · October-31-12, 12:10 PM

"6. More cops on "revenue patrol" on the Southfield Fwy."

Nice!

**erikd** · November-03-12, 04:01 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

And yet you support a law that would allow one person to appoint these people into these positions and only be accountable to that one person...

So what do you propose as an alternative?

If we don't allow our elected governor or state officials to appoint EFMs, then we have to let our cities go into federal bankruptcy court, where an appointed federal judge has absolute authority to do anything they see fit, with absolutely no say from the people. At least with an EFM, we can vote for a new governor if we don't like the job that the EFM is doing, just like we can vote for a new mayor if we don't like how his appointed police chief is doing.

An EFM is never going to be the most pleasant situation, but it is way better than the alternative.

**313WX** · November-03-12, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by erikd

So what do you propose as an alternative?

If we don't allow our elected governor or state officials to appoint EFMs, then we have to let our cities go into federal bankruptcy court, where an appointed federal judge has absolute authority to do anything they see fit, with absolutely no say from the people. At least with an EFM, we can vote for a new governor if we don't like the job that the EFM is doing, just like we can vote for a new mayor if we don't like how his appointed police chief is doing.

An EFM is never going to be the most pleasant situation, but it is way better than the alternative.

A bankruptcy judge can not sell off Municipal Assets without permission from the city's government, unlike an EM. A bankruptcy judge can not toss out elected officials because they simply just don't like them unlike an EM. A bankruptcy judge can not IMPOSE union contracts just because the city officials and the unions can't agree on one, unlike an EM.

Now if you're arguing what will be the impact of a bankruptcy on the state of Michigan's bond rating or the legal costs, fine. But bankruptcy would be the very best thing for the taxpayers of Detroit. But instead of forcing a moratorium on the debts the city must pay to the bank and forcing them to only receive 5%-20% of what they're owed, which the bankruptcy judge CAN authorize in writing once the city government officials and the banks negotiate immediately, the taxpayers of Detroit are forced to endure even more cuts to their already bare bones services to ATTEMPT to pay back a debt that will be impossible to pay back on the banks' terms.