Detroiters for City Council by Districts

[cycledetroit]

Anyone going Friday???


http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68788639782

[sharmaal]

For the non-FB folks...

This Friday [[April 24th) join us as we get together to recruit volunteers to collect signatures at the polls on May 5th [[and other days!).

1. Please invite Detroiters to join this Facebook group

2. Sign-up for volunteering on May 5th [[http://tinyurl.com/c2qtty)

On Friday the 24th...

3. Bring your phone and laptop to the Park Bar [[2040 Park Ave - Downtown) between 5 and 7.

4. Buy a beverage if you like.

When you arrive on Friday we'll have a check-in table where we will give you a script and a list of people to call. You will be recruiting people to help our cause.

[cycledetroit]

www.councilbydistricts.org

[wanderinglady]

For those people going to the event at the Park Bar, please consider that this is a business. Detroit businesses need all the assistance they can get. If you're going to take up space for two hours, PLEASE, in the least, buy a beverage [[doesn't have to be alcoholic).

BTW, I have no financial interest in the Park Bar.

[sharmaal]

Hope to see lots of folks out this evening. You don't have to stay the whole time, you can just drop in! Don't worry if you don't have a laptop!

[Supersport]

Until the city charter changes a city council member's responsibilities, going to a district/ward system solves nothing. It appears most don't understand what the charter states is the responsibility of your city council. You neighborhood problems/concerns? Not their problem! They often take on problems/concerns as a courtesy, but by no means is it in their job description. Passing legislation, for the most part, is what their job description entails.

[sharmaal]

Sport,

Though you are correct from a legal perspective, I don't believe you are correct from a real-world perspective.

If a resident calls a city department does anything get done? Would anyone even take the phone call?

But if a Council Member made a phone call on my districts behalf, they will get an answer. A Council person could force someone to appear in front of the council as well.

[Hypestyles]

i support an aldermanic system for the city of detroit.. totally rewrite the city charter, whatever it takes..

[erikd]

Until the city charter changes a city council member's responsibilities, going to a district/ward system solves nothing. It appears most don't understand what the charter states is the responsibility of your city council. You neighborhood problems/concerns? Not their problem! They often take on problems/concerns as a courtesy, but by no means is it in their job description. Passing legislation, for the most part, is what their job description entails.

While a simple change to a ward/district system will not change the responsibilities of city council members, I think it still a great idea, simply because it creates more accountability by forcing council members to individually defend their seats, creates a system that allows the voters to be more informed about the potential candidates, and gives local community leaders a much better chance of getting elected, by lessening the impact of sheer name recognition.

Under the current system, Detroit voters are asked to choose 18 council candidates out of field of some 200 in the primary election. It is simply impossible for a voter to vet 200 candidates, so the candidates with the most money and/or name recognition win the primary election, essentially by default. A ward/district system would allow voters the opportunity to properly vet candidates, by breaking this down to a manageable field of some 20 candidates running for 2 primary spots.

[sharmaal]

Lots of motivated volunteers have offered to help collect signatures on May 5th. Have you signed up yet? You must be a registered Michigan Voter to collect signatures.

Sign-up for volunteering on May 5th [[http://tinyurl.com/c2qtty)

Volunteer for as little at 2 hours!

[Fnemecek]

Until the city charter changes a city council member's responsibilities, going to a district/ward system solves nothing. It appears most don't understand what the charter states is the responsibility of your city council. You neighborhood problems/concerns? Not their problem! They often take on problems/concerns as a courtesy, but by no means is it in their job description. Passing legislation, for the most part, is what their job description entails.

You should read the City Charter. There's a lot more to being on the City Council than simply adopting ordinances.

The City Council is responsible for approving the City's budget. The Mayor proposes it, but the Council approves it. Questions like whether we spend our money on yet another streetscape project downtown or hiring more police officers for the neighborhoods are determined in part by the City Council.

Also, the City Council is responsible for reviewing and approving any contract that the City enters into pursuant to Sec. 4-122 of the Charter. If a certain Mayor wanted to award a contract to someone on the "friends and family" plan, the City Council could either approve or reject that contract.

The City Council is also responsible for conducting investigations into affairs of the City and the conduct of its various agencies, in accordance with Sec. 4-109 and 4-110 of the Charter. The means that if a certain Mayor was abusing his powers, misappropriating City funds or otherwise conducting himself in manner that was detrimental to the City, the City Council is responsible for investigating this conduct.

Moving to a district system simply makes it easier for residents to make sure that the City Council actually does that.