Council Members Can't Handle Their Own Personal Finances

[Meddle]

Detroit City Council members are paid about $81,000 a year and have free use of a Ford Crown Victoria, but the money and perks don't go very far when you're saddled with liens for more than a quarter-million dollars in back taxes.

Paying off her tax bill had been a challenge for Martha Reeves even before she was elected to City Council in 2005. She is one of several council members who have faced financial difficulty.

A Free Press investigation of Detroit's City Council reveals that Reeves is one of five council members who have had trouble at times managing their own budgets.

With the city's $1.6-billion general fund budget facing a deficit as high as $300 million, the council members' own lack of financial savvy raises questions about their ability to help steer the city through these difficult times.

http://freep.com/article/20090719/NE...ouncil-members


Makes perfect sense to have these people in office, right?

[sumas]

For the most part, they are losers. Has anyone seen the mail in ballot? The design is so bad that we may get stuck with more of the same.

I am only voting for a few for council. Ken Cockrel [[I am sad he is not running for mayor) Kwame Kenyatta and Sheila Jackson.

I am embarassed to say that I did not vote in that last strange election. This new election is wierd too. Cockrel showed some guts and leadership in his short term, Bing is showing bad political sense and obvious political payoffs in his appointees.

I believe district representation is the way to go.

[lo_to_d]

Don't forget Kenyatta let his house go into foreclosure. That really helps solve one of the city's largest problems.

[blksoul_x]

Although until recently, I may be convinced into the fact that the current leaders of Detroit's Black African community proper, may not be our brightest superstars, at-least in terms of their political dexterity. However, to list the occasional misappropriations, [[to which most honest, law abiding people deal with), that is, their personal issues, is no more than the continued lynching of the Black community. In other-words, I could care less about their past financial issues, but rather, can they excel in the political arena?

To be sure, If an individual defaulted on student loans, been evicted from more than one property owner in the past 10 years, as well as some share of credit issues, does that mean the individual is not experienced or equipped to manage a team, or lead a board or guide an individual?

In the past, I've listened and learned from motivational speakers [[as well as my parents) and the like, and the one thing that they all had in common is the ability to rise from the ashes of social and economic despair. I'd rather be guided by an individual that has experience in such turmoil, than rely on charlatanic advice based strictly on ivy league libretto__go figure!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

[gazhekwe]

Well, let them start rising then. They have more in their paycheck than most Detroiters, plus a free car and other perks, so they have the resources many do not. Let them pull up their sox and get on with it, show by example how to straighten up financial difficulties. It's not easy and it's not going to happen over night, but it can be done.

[Russix]

...
To be sure, If an individual defaulted on student loans, been evicted from more than one property owner in the past 10 years, as well as some share of credit issues, does that mean the individual is not experienced or equipped to manage a team, or lead a board or guide an individual?
...

For a position that’s starting salary is $80,000, a company would most likely do a credit check on potential candidates. Whether this means they are capable to manage, lead or guide is irrelevant considering they would never get their foot in the door having such a shoddy personal finance history. The city's current financial state easily reflects why its very important to elect candidates who at least know how to take care of their own money, before you trust them with your tax dollars.

However, to list the occasional misappropriations, [[to which most honest, law abiding people deal with), that is, their personal issues, is no more than the continued lynching of the Black community.

I know you would vote for a black Hitler over a white Jesus but calling the investigation into a public official a lynching is ridiculous. How can you have accountability if you never count anything?

[Crumbled_pavement]

I may be convinced into the fact that the current leaders of Detroit's Black African community proper, may not be our brightest superstars

Then let's start electing our brightest superstars. If you are coaching a team and the game is on the line do you put your scrub players in to win?

[Bobl]

Bx: Your quote:
"...To be sure, If an individual defaulted on student loans, been evicted from more than one property owner in the past 10 years, as well as some share of credit issues, does that mean the individual is not experienced or equipped to manage a team, or lead a board or guide an individual?.."

Uhh, YES.
There certainly are more responsible and business savvy candidates for the job that pays $81,000 and a car. Why should the voters accept loan and rent defaulters when more responsible and professional candidates are available?

The City's problems are immense, and it needs competent leadership, now.

[blksoul_x]

I know you would vote for a black Hitler over a white Jesus but calling the investigation into a public official a lynching is ridiculous.

What's problematic about your above response__There is no such thing as a 'Black Hitler', nor can you readily name a Black person with such a racist history equivalent to aryan ideology. However, I can name you many historical examples of supremacist in the liking of your so-called 'white jesus'!__go figure!


blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

Back to the subject!

[Retroit]

...the continued lynching of the Black community...

I'm afraid the greatest lynchers of the Black community are the Black leaders that you have attempted to exonerate. If a person can not be trusted in small matters, why would you give them control over a whole city?

No such thing as a Black Hitler? Have you ever studied the post-colonial history of Africa?

Retroit...the basic white person you love to hate!

[blksoul_x]

Then let's start electing our brightest superstars. If you are coaching a team and the game is on the line do you put your scrub players in to win?

CP, can you honestly answer this question; In terms of the cities finances, or economics, what has been more detrimental to the City of Detroit , inadequate city leadership or economic flight from the city [[ie; white fear/, racism, etc).

I would bet to say you would side with the latter. So then, you could hire, elect, the most brilliant intellectual minds, but the reality is, a deep rooted anchor of hatred, fear, and white racism will always overshadow Detroit's quest to be accountable, and competitive.

The reality is, and many will not admit to this, but the areas white middle class and white apologist [[Black middle class), past and present, are to blame for the destruction of Detroit proper, not the current citizenry or leadership.

Mindset is our problem, not leadership!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

[Crumbled_pavement]

Mindset is our problem, not leadership!

I agree. But your question is like asking if Michael Jackson's dependence on drugs killed him or his enablers. Sure racism has been extremely destructive to the black community, but what have we countered it with? The right black leadership most definitely could have made Detroit a much better place and institutionalized racism would be that much easier to spot. With a bunch of theives and crooks and incompetent morons around it is hard to make a case that racism has anything to do with our problems.

Btw, racism is not our biggest problem in this country. It's a problem, sure - but not our biggest problem. Our biggest problems we are still unwilling to confront!

[Meddle]

There is no such thing as a 'Black Hitler',

Idi Amin comes to mind as well as a few who's names I don't know responsible for widespread genocide in recent day Africa.

[Meddle]

Our biggest problems we are still unwilling to confront!

Our biggest problems have never been white, black, red, yellow, brown or otherwise. It's always been about class & entitlement; the 'haves' vs. the 'have nots', and the 'haves 'ain't about to let the 'have nots' get ahead if they can prevent it.

[Crumbled_pavement]

Our biggest problems have never been white, black, red, yellow, brown or otherwise. It's always been about class & entitlement; the 'haves' vs. the 'have nots', and the 'haves 'ain't about to let the 'have nots' get ahead if they can prevent it.

Depends on who comprises the group "our."

[blksoul_x]

Idi Amin comes to mind as well as a few who's names I don't know responsible for widespread genocide in recent day Africa.

Idi Amin's rise to power was orchestrated and provoked by white kkkolonial rule. Also fundamentally, Amin's assaults on other Black ethnic territories, including reporters, civilians, etc, were influenced by money and gold, not ethnic hatred, and supremacist ideology. Similar to amerikkkas', black on black hatred is provoked and predicated upon the standards/and rule of white hegemony!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate.

[2blocksaway]

blksoul_x did a nice job trying to distract from the topic but back to the problem.

How can leaders who don't pay their taxes ask citizens to pay theirs? How can leaders who can't balance their own personal check books balance a city budget?

I can understand maybe one person on the council having problems but this is wayyyyyy too many.

Ya, ya, ya a lot of people have left the city. Too bad I haven't seen any mayor in my lifetime do anything but try to get re-elected.

Blaming it on other people had gotten Detroit to where it is today. It is time for those in charge to make the tough call and get down to closing off vast areas of the city and focusing on the areas still viable.

Young didn't have a problem kicking out an entire fully functioning neighborhood for the Poletown plant why should it be so hard to get people to relocate from the praries.

Their choices should be made simple. Give them two options.

1. Stay here until you die but you will not get any city services. no police, no fire, no ambulance, no trash pickup.

or,

2. The city will move you to X neighborhood of you choosing and in to a renovated city owned or HUD home of your choosing in that neighborhood FOR FREE, and in that new home your taxes will be adjusted for the current market value of that home.

[jt1]

I think it is deplorable that some of the people on City Council choose not to pay taxes or bring up the fact that they are taxed $68 per year on a property. There is no defending most of them.

I do however believe that Kwame Kenyatta's situation was a little different. He made a good faith attempt to work with his lender to reduce his interest rates [[although ARMs are stupid) and was told ntohing short of 'tough shit'. He made attempts to stay in his house but was not able to do so. That is different then just deciding that your house is worth less than you owe and walking away

[jt1]

Their choices should be made simple. Give them two options.

1. Stay here until you die but you will not get any city services. no police, no fire, no ambulance, no trash pickup.

or,

2. The city will move you to X neighborhood of you choosing and in to a renovated city owned or HUD home of your choosing in that neighborhood FOR FREE, and in that new home your taxes will be adjusted for the current market value of that home.

1. How should the city defend themselves in the lawsuits?
2. How will the city force people to move if they do not want to. Eminent domain may no longer be used in the city.

I agree with this approach but I also understand that the city would have every ambulance chaser in the world lining up to sue the city on behalf of the displaced residents.

Reality isn't always fun.

[EastSider]

Eminent domain may no longer be used in the city.

Hathcock v Wayne County did not completely eliminate eminent domain. It can not be used to transfer property to a private concern, a la the Poletown fiasco, but there's nothing in the decision that would bar the city from condemning land to clear it for parkland or a "nature preserve" for example.

"Public use" is the determining factor. The Poletown decision had widened it to "public benefit."

[gazhekwe]

I can see a possibility in dividing the city into sections and assessing revenue from each section, then assigning services accordingly. It would then be up to the residents of the section to up the revenues to match their needs/wishes, or obtain the services privately, or move to a serviced area.

That would reattach the value of taxation to the value of services which we lost when government was declared the enemy which has no right to our money.

[aoakley]

How about this idea: Drop the pay from $81,000 to around $40,000. For the life of me I cannot figure out how ANY of them merit that kind of a paycheck, and the endless perks that go along with it.