Council Concern, lol

**astongraham** · April-13-13, 09:47 AM

City council is concerned that a cut to their budget will prevent them from acting on constituent concerns. Yet they are not concerned that cuts to the fire and police department will handicap much more pressing issues.
When has the council ever used their blotted staff as an effective tool to 'respond' to constituents? Why are they only concerned with their own well-being?

I find this truly sad and I wish the council would be abolishes until we are able to re-elect them, oops I mean elect others at large.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...n-cuts-to-city

**313WX** · April-13-13, 09:53 AM

It doesn't matter how the council feels. Orr will impose whatever budget he feels is best.

Quite frankly, I don't know why the hell any of these people [[financial advisory board, the old senile bat of a mayor, city council, CFO, etc.) are still receiving my taxpayer dollars in the form of a check every week. If he wants to keep them around just to keep them around, fine. But I should not be paying for redundancy.

Orr is the Mayor/City Council/CFO/Corporation Counsel/Financial Advisory Board of the city now.

**astongraham** · April-13-13, 10:12 AM

I'm aware of that 313WX, I just find it funny they are blowing this bs and acting like they actually do stuff. Having faux misplaced concern is a hallmark of this council. Seeing them chased out of office in the very near future [[and possibly having their salaries abolished) is a beautiful thing to me. They do not in any way represent this city, they only represent the old and dying church ladies that have their racist heads up uneducated asses

**Honky Tonk** · April-13-13, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

It doesn't matter how the council feels. Orr will impose whatever budget he feels is best.

Quite frankly, I don't know why the hell any of these people [[financial advisory board, the old senile bat of a mayor, city council, CFO, etc.) are still receiving my taxpayer dollars in the form of a check every week. If he wants to keep them around just to keep them around, fine. But I should not be paying for redundancy.

Orr is the Mayor/City Council/CFO/Corporation Counsel/Financial Advisory Board of the city now.

I bet that original consent agreement is looking better and better.

**313WX** · April-13-13, 10:22 AM

Then of course, they're trying to pass a budget that does nothing to address Detroit's structural deficit.

You can't have and budget without cutting services AND without cutting retirement benefits, it's not possible.

**313WX** · April-13-13, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I bet that original consent agreement is looking better and better.

No, but bankruptcy is.

**Wesley Mouch** · April-13-13, 10:27 AM

I don't doubt that council staff delivers some value to constituents.

As with all civic operations, the question isn't whether they're useless or valuable. The question is whether the value they deliver is worth the cost, and whether its the best use of limited monies.

I agree that its important for a city to have some counterbalance to mayoral overreach. It looks like most other cities have found more efficient ways.

Detroit should handle citizens complaints. Valid need. Council might be the wrong way to do this.

**313WX** · April-13-13, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

I don't doubt that council staff delivers some value to constituents.

As with all civic operations, the question isn't whether they're useless or valuable. The question is whether the value they deliver is worth the cost, and whether its the best use of limited monies.

I agree that its important for a city to have some counterbalance to mayoral overreach. It looks like most other cities have found more efficient ways.

Detroit should handle citizens complaints. Valid need. Council might be the wrong way to do this.

Does the complaints of Detroiters matter if one person can override whatever feelings they have [[especially if that one person doesn't share the same feelings they do)?

**erikd** · April-13-13, 09:11 PM

The report also noted that some redundant functions may be required to ensure separation and oversight of legislative and executive branches of city government.
Two council members spoke out against the plan, saying it would leave council powerless to provide checks and balances.

Where were these checks and balances when the Kilpatrick Enterprise was rigging contracts and screwing the city out of tens of millions of dollars? They failed to do anything to stop the crooked contracts let by Kilpatrick, but they block the Belle Isle lease because they feel like the state parks department is dangerous and untrustworthy? Checks and balances, my ass.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013040...-cutting-staff

**Chinman** · April-13-13, 09:33 PM

sorry about not knowing who said it...was a female council person..."if i have to deal with 100,000 people in my district with only 1 [[one) assistant...how can I serve them all"
my question at that is "if you are at LARGE....HOW can you serve ALL the PEOPLE with the city at 800 thousand"

**Chinman** · April-13-13, 09:35 PM

what a stupid analagy !

**erikd** · April-13-13, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Chinman

sorry about not knowing who said it...was a female council person..."if i have to deal with 100,000 people in my district with only 1 [[one) assistant...how can I serve them all"
my question at that is "if you are at LARGE....HOW can you serve ALL the PEOPLE with the city at 800 thousand"

My question is: what has council been doing for us all these years? Well, besides allowing corruption to run rampant and acting as an obstacle to investment, reform, and progress?

**neavling** · April-13-13, 11:34 PM

Bing's proposed budget ignores the recommendations from his tax-funded consultants who said the council should be part-time without the benefits. Bing decided to keep just enough in the budget to keep the council full-time. Expect Bing and the council to agree on a lot in order to preserve their survival.

Bing's budget increases the deficit to $380 million at a time when the city should be rapidly shedding its expenses. But I expect the emergency manager, Kevyne Orr, to cut the council to part-time. He has the ultimate say over the budget.

**Wesley Mouch** · April-14-13, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Does the complaints of Detroiters matter if one person can override whatever feelings they have [[especially if that one person doesn't share the same feelings they do)?

Yes, the complaints of Detroiter matter. Its unlikely the 'one person who can override feelings' will care less than council has.

**SWMAP** · April-14-13, 06:07 AM

The council member bringing up "constituant concerns" was Jenkins. If you saw the original news video where she mentions this concern you can see her visibly casting around for a good answer to the reporter's question about Council budget cuts affecting staffing.
Jenkin's answer is truly "disingenuis" [[ a nice big word that City employees use mostly incorrectly): Council only deals with constituant concerns like weeds or lights or dumping, etc. only by default. People think of calling a Council person and the Council person staff passes on the request to the correct office.
Council has NO authority to get anything like constituant concerns done. They have noauthority over Departments or city employees.
Jenkins knows that Council is not about snswering constituant concerns at all. Council approves permits, opens and closes streets, confirms the city budget, passes ordinances, sends reps to smile at community and block club meetings, etc.
That work doesn't need a full-time council or extended staff. They need to be more efficient and stop creating positions for each others friends and family.

**Wesley Mouch** · April-15-13, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

The council member bringing up "constituant concerns" was Jenkins. If you saw the original news video where she mentions this concern you can see her visibly casting around for a good answer to the reporter's question about Council budget cuts affecting staffing.
Jenkin's answer is truly "disingenuis" [[ a nice big word that City employees use mostly incorrectly): Council only deals with constituant concerns like weeds or lights or dumping, etc. only by default. People think of calling a Council person and the Council person staff passes on the request to the correct office.
Council has NO authority to get anything like constituant concerns done. They have noauthority over Departments or city employees...snip...

Its an important point that constituent concerns are not necessarily a primary purpose of council. It may be nice that council can serve as a constituent services office -- but in hard times that may not be what citizens need most. I'd rather have a few more policeman than a council staffer -- given the tough choice. Of course both would be best.