Another Council Candidate who just needs a job?

[Brittz]

But does it matter that it's out? Do Detroit voters care? How many of the top vote getters had/have financial problems/issues?

Sometimes it seems voters in Detroit will oust Bing for cutting union jobs while voting in people who can't handle their own finances.

It only matters now because it shows the candidates are like so many other Detroiters. Pugh's case is somewhat different to me however. He was so in the public's eye and assumptions were he was making a decent salary. Perhaps, his passion is in politics.

[kraig]

But does it matter that it's out? Do Detroit voters care? How many of the top vote getters had/have financial problems/issues?

Sometimes it seems voters in Detroit will oust Bing for cutting union jobs while voting in people who can't handle their own finances.

Bing is doing the same thing Kwame did. Lay off some workers, but rather than manage the rest of the employees or resources more efficiently, he simply gives contracts to his friends. There's no overall cost savings, just a shift in who gets the money. Once you see a reduction in workforce with no corresponding contract, then you'll know that someone's for real. Bing may claim he's not a politician. But what has he really done that is so different from Kwame?

[Buy American]

I am not surprised that someone would make a thread with the intent of being snarky.

Because Pugh is running for City Council, this is a story. One of THOUSANDS. Remember that Pugh had to quit his jobs because he was in the media. [[Reporting the news and being in the middle of Synagro cost Stinger her job) It would have been inproper for him to stay on the jobs and run for political office. I am sure that if he was a teacher or a doctor he could have either worked part-time or taken an leave but sometimes you have give up something to get something. The fact that he is broke like everyone else only tells me that he is just everyone else struggling to get by.

Just reading some of the responses just make understand that this board has perfect human beings who because of DNA cannot commit any errors

His "DNA" has nothing to do with him being irresponsible. He knew he was going to run, he made lots of money, he could have set himself up and have some sort of cushion so his bills would be paid and he wouldn't come under public scrutiny. Any political leader in Detroit or elsewhere needs to be above reproach. His inability to pay his bills just shows me that he can't balance a checkbook, keep track of what he owes. This also shows me that he is clueless on how a City budget is determined, how to pay bills, etc.

[gnome]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091...-loss-of-condo

Detroit--City Council front-runner Charles Pugh is set to lose his downtown condo at a foreclosure auction just days before the Nov. 3 election after defaulting on a $331,000 bank loan, records show.
The Oct. 29 sale will follow a handful of financial problems for Pugh, a former broadcaster and political newcomer who finished first in the Aug. 4 primary.
Last month, his condo association filed suit, claiming he owed more than $4,900 in unpaid dues and lawyer fees. This spring, Wayne County began foreclosure proceedings on the condo on Adelaide Street after he didn't pay $2,631.89 in property taxes. The proceedings stopped when Pugh paid the taxes, and campaign staffers say he has paid some of the money owed to the condo association.

Seems that Charles had some problems paying his bills in the past.

Eviction notices were filed against Pugh 11 times while he was in Trolley Plaza on Washington Boulevard from December 2001 through April 2005, records show.
In each case, he eventually paid his rent after he was sued in 36th District Court.

Charles has known he was going to run for political office for several years; he knew he'd have to quit his broadcast jobs so I'm a little worried he didn't have a financial plan in place before deciding to quit those jobs. This lack of planning is in sharp contrast to what he told me at the DYes picnic, where he said that managing the City's budget was "simply a matter of common sense".

[kraig]

Totally agree with you, Gnome. A local celebrity that doesn't know how to handle money. There's no difference between he and Martha Reeves. He's not getting my vote.

[kryptonite]

Pugh is popular but there are much more intelligent people running for city council than him. Just because someone has name recognition does not make them ideal for public office. Martha Reeves is a perfect local example.

[SWMAP]

Oh, but the Free Press thinks he's the best!

[bartock]

Yes "overall" average is $47k but surely Detroit is one of the top 25 if not top 10 markets given the size of the metro-area. My guess is that he made a six figure salary.

Detroit is the 11th biggest market, and "unofficially" I believe the 7th or 8th because Canada is not factored into the Neilson markets and even though for the most part they tune in, Toledo is not considered part of the Detroit market either. This market would pay the $130K+ top dollar referenced earlier.

[kraig]

Oh, but the Free Press thinks he's the best!

I was done with the newspaper endorsements the moment I saw John Johnson endorsed for Charter Commissioner. Whoever does the endorsements for the papers, I believe it's Stephen Henderson for the Free Press, is doing a horrible job.

[iheartthed]

Charles Pugh was an anchor in a very large market. He made well over $47K. My guess is that his salary was around the $200K mark.

I don't think he's hurting for money now. I think this is a case of mismanagement and he decided that the best way to spin this politically was to frame it in economic terms. I can't say that this changes my opinion of him much since I already wasn't much in favor of his candidacy.

[gnome]

So if he has a $300K mortage at 8.5% he is paying around $2,800 a month on the note. Another $300 in Association dues and a $1000 a month in taxes ... that's $4,100 a month

If Charles some how can save his condo from foreclosure he'll be on the hook for a chunk of dough and his $80 grand salary might not cover his expenses.

http://www.paycheckcity.com/copaycyc...CalcResult.asp

His weekly take home will be a little over a $1000 or about $4,100 a month.

[kraig]

So if he has a $300K mortage at 8.5% he is paying around $2,800 a month on the note. Another $300 in Association dues and a $1000 a month in taxes ... that's $4,100 a month

If Charles some how can save his condo from foreclosure he'll be on the hook for a chunk of dough and his $80 grand salary might not cover his expenses.

http://www.paycheckcity.com/copaycyc...CalcResult.asp

His weekly take home will be a little over a $1000 or about $4,100 a month.

Gnome, you're on a roll today. People should keep in mind. He's in a situation, were he's going to take the car and all the perks that come with the job. He's also a likely target for the Rayford Jackson's and Rosendall's.

[ziggyselbin]

Charles Pugh was an anchor in a very large market. He made well over $47K. My guess is that his salary was around the $200K mark.

I don't think he's hurting for money now. I think this is a case of mismanagement and he decided that the best way to spin this politically was to frame it in economic terms. I can't say that this changes my opinion of him much since I already wasn't much in favor of his candidacy.

Doubtful that he made anywhere near that kind of $. Unfortunately for him he got into the business at the wrong time. Back in the glory days of Mort Crim and Bill Bonds et,al salaries were quite lucrative. I distinctly remember someone on the radio [[wjr) that knew the business saying that the pay was much less these days.



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...8165951AAZoru2

[iheartthed]

Doubtful that he made anywhere near that kind of $. Unfortunately for him he got into the business at the wrong time. Back in the glory days of Mort Crim and Bill Bonds et,al salaries were quite lucrative. I distinctly remember someone on the radio [[wjr) that knew the business saying that the pay was much less these days.



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...8165951AAZoru2

The pay is probably a lot less for people who are just starting out, but Charles Pugh has been on the air waves in Detroit for a decade [[in addition to several years in smaller markets). If Fanchon Stinger was making $300K then he was at least in $200K range.

When Carmen Harlan was named the highest paid anchor in Detroit a few years back, I'm pretty sure she was over the $1 million mark. So if my memory is correct, then $200K isn't a stretch for Charles Pugh. Remember that news anchor pay is based on the cost to advertise in the Detroit media market. Detroit is a fairly expensive market for advertising, so the anchors on the air in Detroit have above average salaries.

Edit: Below is a link to Nielsen's Television Market Estimates by DMA. Detroit is #11 out of 211 for its percentage of national TV viewers.

http://en-us.nielsen.com/etc/content....MediaPath.pdf

[English]

More money, more problems... sigh.

People who are making six figures tend to spend in the same proportion as lower-income people. As I'm finishing a terminal degree, I've had to invest in some good quality suits, laptop totes, etc. for interviews. I can't get away with the cheap-looking stuff anymore. When I was teaching in the D, high-end for me was JCPenney's-- I shopped at bargain stores and thrift and always looked presentable. I came up the road to U-M with the same wardrobe and... let's just say that urban hipster doesn't always work everywhere. It works even less well when you're a sista. People really read the way you dress and wear your hair to get clues about you.

The same question could be asked about Kwame. He grew up middle class in a relatively inexpensive city and was making pretty good money as mayor. Why was the money such a huge temptation? The problem is that the higher up the social ladder you climb, the more of an image you have to put together, and the greatest the financial temptations. Good impulse control is important, but I read somewhere that the risk-taking gene that produces huge success also is quite a few people's downfall... and we don't just have Black influential figures in Detroit as an example. Everyone from Eliot Spitzer to Bill Clinton to that Madoff dude are implicated in this psychological fact.

[ziggyselbin]

The pay is probably a lot less for people who are just starting out, but Charles Pugh has been on the air waves in Detroit for a decade [[in addition to several years in smaller markets). If Fanchon Stinger was making $300K then he was at least in $200K range.

When Carmen Harlan was named the highest paid anchor in Detroit a few years back, I'm pretty sure she was over the $1 million mark. So if my memory is correct, then $200K isn't a stretch for Charles Pugh. Remember that news anchor pay is based on the cost to advertise in the Detroit media market. Detroit is a fairly expensive market for advertising, so the anchors on the air in Detroit have above average salaries.

Edit: Below is a link to Nielsen's Television Market Estimates by DMA. Detroit is #11 out of 211 for its percentage of national TV viewers.

http://en-us.nielsen.com/etc/content....MediaPath.pdf

Pugh was a week end anchor, he does not or did not make anywhere near 200k as a week end anchor on ch 2. The average salary in detroit on a sight I found is 70thou; in la it is 68thou.

I did not post the link as I figure you don't care that much and I am getting off topic.

[rjlj]

If you truly listen to Pugh, he has more of a vision for the city than any of his other running mates. He is sacrificing his home for a chance to make the city a better place. Give the guy a chance and listen to what he has to say.

[Pam]

Eviction notices were filed against Pugh 11 times while he was in Trolley Plaza on Washington Boulevard from December 2001 through April 2005, records show.
In each case, he eventually paid his rent after he was sued in 36th District Court.

For those who are defending him, read this part again. His troubles have nothing to do with the current economy. He seems to have no clue on how to manage money. [[Here's a tip Charles- pay your rent first.)

[kraig]

If you truly listen to Pugh, he has more of a vision for the city than any of his other running mates. He is sacrificing his home for a chance to make the city a better place. Give the guy a chance and listen to what he has to say.

Yeah, right. He's not sacrificing his home to make the city a better place. His home is in jeopardy due to his own irresponsibility. What sacrifice for the city was he making when he received 11 eviction notices on an apartment? I think we've all had enough life experience to know that a person that does not handle their own financial affairs is usually bad about handling someone else's. If this guy can't handle his money any better than Martha Reeves and Barbara Rose Collins, we don't need him.

[gnome]

If you truly listen to Pugh, he has more of a vision for the city than any of his other running mates. He is sacrificing his home for a chance to make the city a better place. Give the guy a chance and listen to what he has to say.

Attachment 3618

Anybody up for a glass of what rjlj is sippin'?

[iheartthed]

Pugh was a week end anchor, he does not or did not make anywhere near 200k as a week end anchor on ch 2. The average salary in detroit on a sight I found is 70thou; in la it is 68thou.

I did not post the link as I figure you don't care that much and I am getting off topic.

You're right, this is off topic. But another way to take an educated guess about Pugh's salary is to use the information that you already have, which is the amount of his mortgage loan. The size of his loan -- $331K -- and the fact that he is not married, suggests that his salary was well upwards of $100K, and most likely in the $150K - $200K range. Most legitimate loans will not exceed 2.5 times your annual income. If he was only making $70K per year then his mortgage [[when he was working) would have been nearly 5 times his annual income.

[iheartthed]

FYI:

This week, Pugh acknowledged that he's about to lose Adelaide Street condo at a foreclosure sale Oct. 29. He blamed his loss of income from quitting jobs as a broadcaster at WJBK-Fox 2 and WJLB-97.9 FM. In the past, he has said they paid about $200,000 a year.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091...--records-show

[Motor City Sam]

FYI:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20091...--records-show

Glad you posted that. I was looking for that quote.

When Pugh and his supporters blame "the economy" for his current financial problems, it's an insult to people who have legitimately been negatively impacted by these hard times, incluing myself and many of the people on this board. Anyone who gives up 200K a year voluntarily has almost nothing in common with those who have been laid off and are struggling to pay their bills through no fault of their own.

And he's also conveniently ignoring the fact that he was facing foreclosure in 2007, long before he quit his two jobs.