State House's Detroit Bailout Bill Would Block DIA from Seeking Millage Funding

[jt1]

Rep. Ken Goike, R-Ray Township, sponsored the bill to prevent the DIA from seeking voter approval from voters in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties to extend its 0.2-mill property tax after it expires in 2022.
Goike said his northern Macomb County voters largely rejected the DIA millage and should get a property tax break for aiding city pensioners in Detroit’s bankruptcy.

“The taxpayers in my district deserve some relief,” Goike said on the House floor.

Well what sits smack dab in the middle of his district? A Huron Clinton Metropark. A tri-county subsidized park. I guess people in areas not near a HCMA park should pay for a park in his community but they can't pay for the DIA.

From The Detroit News:
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...al-DIA-millage

[Honky Tonk]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...al-DIA-millage

Rep. Ken Goike, R-Ray Township, sponsored the bill to prevent the DIA from seeking voter approval from voters in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties to extend its 0.2-mill property tax after it expires in 2022.
Goike said his northern Macomb County voters largely rejected the DIA millage and should get a property tax break for aiding city pensioners in Detroit’s bankruptcy.
“The taxpayers in my district deserve some relief,” Goike said on the House floor.


From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz32TB2yme5

Well what sits smack dab in the middle of his district? A Huron Clinton Metropark. A tri-county subsidized park. I guess people in areas not near a HCMA park should pay for a park in his community but they can't pay for the DIA.

That's ironic. I think if the DIA were the LIA, or maybe the BCIA, legislatures would be scratching each other's eyes out to be able to sponsor a bill for it's support. I think the issue is the "D".

[jt1]

That's ironic. I think if the DIA were the LIA, or maybe the BCIA, legislatures would be scratching each other's eyes out to be able to sponsor a bill for it's support. I think the issue is the "D".

Yep - Everyone is fine with a regional tax for the Zoo with does not reside in the city. Perhaps the backwoods people around here prefer watching monkeys fling shit as opposed to world class art.

[bailey]

Yep - Everyone is fine with a regional tax for the Zoo with does not reside in the city. Perhaps the backwoods people around here prefer watching monkeys fling shit as opposed to world class art.

Perhaps? I think that is pretty much a proven fact.

[DetroitPlanner]

Well what sits smack dab in the middle of his district? A Huron Clinton Metropark. A tri-county subsidized park. I guess people in areas not near a HCMA park should pay for a park in his community but they can't pay for the DIA.

Small edit: The HCMA is 4 counties: Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne.

[poobert]

What a wretched bunch of snake-handling, meth-addled Klansman rustics.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/report_poverty_rates_for_rural.html

They're all living on the goddamn dole anyway - maybe I deserve some tax relief. Hypocrites.

[Thruster315]

Yep - Everyone is fine with a regional tax for the Zoo with does not reside in the city. Perhaps the backwoods people around here prefer watching monkeys fling shit as opposed to world class art.

As a resident of this area, I question why I live here and I answer it with "the quality of life here". There are literally things to do here.

Now I ask myself what would bring someone from out of town to live here.

Don't these people realize that without some of these cultural things to do, what really is left here other than sitting back home watching Netflix all night long on a weekend? Regions like this need cultural things to do as it adds to the quality of life. Ditch the DIA or screw with it in such a way that it can never recover is tantamount to regional suicide. No one from out of state will want to come here- not as a tourist and sure as hell not to raise a family and live.

I even ask myself what would it take for me to move to another region. There has to be something there besides a well paying job for me to move there. They'd better have access to grocery stores, theaters, parks, and some cultural amenities. I'm not saying this region has ALL of those things in abundance but let's take an inventory as to what we do have. What we do have a world class art museum and these jokers are so short sighted as to want to cripple it forever.

And no disrespect meant to the Zoo, but we lose a monkey or a giraffe there, they can be replaced a little easier than losing a Monet or Van Gogh original.

[Thruster315]

Yep - Everyone is fine with a regional tax for the Zoo with does not reside in the city. Perhaps the backwoods people around here prefer watching monkeys fling shit as opposed to world class art.

I'm often left wondering if some of these people even know what "world class" means. Seriously how many of these people can even appreciate what we have here compared to other cities around the world and their puny collections?

[compn]

you could solve this and a million other tax problems easily by having each tax-paying resident mark off what they wanted their taxes spent on.

want your taxes to support women health centers? yes/no
want your taxes to support the DIA? yes/no
want your taxes to support mass transit buses? yes/no
want your taxes to support war/national guard? yes/no
want your taxes to fix the roads? yes/no

let people vote where they want their taxes to go.
sure it'd be a long complicated list of issues, and there would be an option to let the represenatives handle it if you didnt want to fill out the form.

[Bham1982]

Ditch the DIA or screw with it in such a way that it can never recover is tantamount to regional suicide. No one from out of state will want to come here- not as a tourist and sure as hell not to raise a family and live.

The quality of "high culture" amenities has almost nothing to do with local population and economic trends.

The fastest growing parts of the country tend to have crappy high culture. There are no great art collections or symphonies in the Phoenixes and Tampas and San Diegos and Vegases of the world.

I support the DIA, but it's reasonable to ask why the entire region should be forced to pay for the instution. It's an arguable point, where reasonable people can disagree.

I agree, though, that if you support a regional tax for the zoo, then you should probably support one for the art museum too. The Metroparks tax is slightly different, as they were established as a regional authority from the beginning.

[compn]

I'm often left wondering if some of these people even know what "world class" means. Seriously how many of these people can even appreciate what we have here compared to other cities around the world and their puny collections?

you've seen one 'world class' flower vase from the 18th century, you've seen them all. i voted for the dia millage but in my opinion some of the art on display is pretty boring.

[Gistok]

I agree with the major assessments here.... as a SCS resident... I helped [[along with Eastpointe and much maligned Warren) to win over Macomb County, over the objections of the knuckle dragging northern part of the county.... I am heartened to know that in 8 years the authors of the bill will be long gone, subject to term limits. I'm sure that wiser heads may rule by then, and rescind the bill, or put it up for another vote....

[jt1]

What a wretched bunch of snake-handling, meth-addled Klansman rustics.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/report_poverty_rates_for_rural.html

They're all living on the goddamn dole anyway - maybe I deserve some tax relief. Hypocrites.

WTF Poobert, when are you going to get it. Rural people on the take are hard working, god fearing people that just need help to get through a rough patch. City people are just lazy takers that drive Cadillacs and spend all their welfar on drugs.

How many more times do they need to tell you that before you believe it.

I'll make it even easier: Black/Brown-lazy takers. White- hard working down on their luck people.

[RO_Resident]

Yep - Everyone is fine with a regional tax for the Zoo with does not reside in the city. Perhaps the backwoods people around here prefer watching monkeys fling shit as opposed to world class art.

I guess Harvey Santana lost your vote this morning. From the Craig Fahle Show:
'[O]n a personal level, they can sell all the art in the DIA and make it a community center for all I care; I don't have an appreciation for it, number 1. Number 2, at this point, I haven't heard anything from my constituents that are in the city of Detroit that say that we have to go out and save the DIA and I am very active in my community. So, at this point, if people want to save it fine, let's save it. Otherwise, I have to move my city forward.'

[jt1]

I agree with the major assessments here.... as a SCS resident... I helped [[along with Eastpointe and much maligned Warren) to win over Macomb County, over the objections of the knuckle dragging northern part of the county.... I am heartened to know that in 8 years the authors of the bill will be long gone, subject to term limits. I'm sure that wiser heads may rule by then, and rescind the bill, or put it up for another vote....

Good point about term limits and calmer heads prevailing.

[Thruster315]

you've seen one 'world class' flower vase from the 18th century, you've seen them all. i voted for the dia millage but in my opinion some of the art on display is pretty boring.

I can agree to that to a certain degree. That's why I'm also for showing some of the other art that's in storage at the DIA. Let's rotate out some of that stuff. Let's bring new exhibits from around the world here as well as loaning out some of those "world class" flower vases that we have here. The DIA has assets that can be utilized but to sell them off is ridiculous.

[jt1]

I guess Harvey Santana lost your vote this morning. From the Craig Fahle Show:
'[O]n a personal level, they can sell all the art in the DIA and make it a community center for all I care; I don't have an appreciation for it, number 1. Number 2, at this point, I haven't heard anything from my constituents that are in the city of Detroit that say that we have to go out and save the DIA and I am very active in my community. So, at this point, if people want to save it fine, let's save it. Otherwise, I have to move my city forward.'

Yep, I disagree with his opinion. Is that an attempt to turn two wrongs into a right?

[jt1]

The Metroparks tax is slightly different, as they were established as a regional authority from the beginning.

Well then let's rally to cripple it like the RTA and restrict funding/overturn the tax. Just because it is set up as a regional authority doesn't mean the tax must last in perpetuity. Surely the reps on the outskirts will support that approach for tax relief, right.

[Thruster315]

The quality of "high culture" amenities has almost nothing to do with local population and economic trends.

The fastest growing parts of the country tend to have crappy high culture. There are no great art collections or symphonies in the Phoenixes and Tampas and San Diegos and Vegases of the world.

I support the DIA, but it's reasonable to ask why the entire region should be forced to pay for the instution. It's an arguable point, where reasonable people can disagree.

I agree, though, that if you support a regional tax for the zoo, then you should probably support one for the art museum too. The Metroparks tax is slightly different, as they were established as a regional authority from the beginning.

I wouldn't exactly knock cities like Phoenix, Tampa Bay or San Diego as they have other things to offer beyond high culture. They have their things to draw in new residents- and maybe art isn't one of them. My point was more to that OUR region has been lucky enough to have amassed such a collection. It should be one of our region's selling points as it's been a reason for me to stay here.

[Bham1982]

Well then let's rally to cripple it like the RTA and restrict funding/overturn the tax. Just because it is set up as a regional authority doesn't mean the tax must last in perpetuity. Surely the reps on the outskirts will support that approach for tax relief, right.

I personally have no problem with this. I prefer to not pay for Metroparks, DIA, or Zoo, and convert all three to 100% user-fees. Much more equitable to not ask poor schlubs to pay for all kinds of stuff not essential to their lives.

[jt1]

I personally have no problem with this. I prefer to not pay for Metroparks, DIA, or Zoo, and convert all three to 100% user-fees. Much more equitable to not ask poor schlubs to pay for all kinds of stuff not essential to their lives.

I'm on the opposite end as these are all quality of life institutions and total less than 1 Mil. Someone with a 300k home will pay less than 12/month. Someone with a 100K home will pay less than 4/month.

We take these away and there is less reason to live here.

But.....at least you're consistent which is all I ask from these exurb and rural reps. I'm fine if you don't support any or if you support all but don't pick which ones should be supported and which should not.

[compn]

why do we have so many parks and park taxes?
metroparks, county parks, state parks.

[jt1]

why do we have so many parks and park taxes?
metroparks, county parks, state parks.

Hell, if you live in Detroit you get hit for state, county, HCMA and city parks. And for all of this, we get pretty crappy parks or parks that are far, far away.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

What I'm not surprised about is a GOP move to prohibit a vote on the issue. It is the party of voter suppression after all.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

The "small government" GOP has no trouble with the state keeping the county residents from deciding whether to support the DIA or not.