Clownsil bodyguards racking up overtime...

[Buy American]

http://detroitnews.com/article/20100...ks-up-overtime

These pompous people are all the same. Nothing has changed in Detroit. Pugh is the worst. Why do any of them need bodyguards? So what they are saying, in effect, is that Detroit is a terrible, unsafe place to do business, to play, to come to....even the powers that be need protection. Gary Brown is an ex cop, does he need a bodyguard? What a sham...what a crime...what a shaft to the taxpayers...AGAIN!!! Detroiters keep taking it up the a$$ with no complaints and as long as they do, the corrupt politicians will continue to rape and pillage the taxpayers just like they have done since Coleman Young.

[pffft]

And yet he is the leading voice saying we have to cut services, including police.

[Eastside]

It is my understanding that the City Council has a working budget of $30 million and they cut $1 million of that.

My question, what is $30 million used for? I'm sure city council wages/benefits/staffing can't be more than $4-$5 million!

Any insight?

[Novine]

Here's the Council portion of Bing's proposed budget.

http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...il_stamped.pdf

It's not $30 million. Council's budget also includes a lot of activities that would normally be accounted for in some other department in other cities, like the Planning Commission. Not defending the waste but before you're going to hurl criticisms, get the facts straight.

[agirlintheD]

But c'mon, Chaz said he didn't realize they were racking up the hours. I mean, if someone from the council says it, then it must be true, right? Here we go again...more of the same old same old. Charles, you anchored the news...who in the hell do you need so much protection from and why??? You should probably spend more time on driving lessons!

[Buy American]

From my understanding, staffing is a big part of their budget. The clownsil is almost a separate entity from the City. Correct me if I am wrong, but each member has staff members, a personal aide, a driver, a car, insurance for the car, a bodyguard or two, depending on how much of an ego they have, and all the other miscellaneous perks that they feel are pertinent to their "high office standing".
I also would like to say again, Pugh can't manage his own personal finances...how on earth can he even begin to manage The City of Detroit's finances? It's like a practical joke is being played on the taxpayers or they've been punked. The City of Detroit can manage with half of the clownsil.
Are there any other cities in Michigan where their council has bodyguards? Why is this necessary in a City that is promoted as being safe? This sends the wrong message to everyone.

If I'm reading the budget correctly, the City Council President Office [[ie., Pugh) has appropriated a total of $46,000 more for that office and reduced the other council members budgets.

[Novine]

It's Bing's version of the budget. It may not reflect how Council wants the money spent.

[Eastside]

Here's the Council portion of Bing's proposed budget.

http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...il_stamped.pdf

It's not $30 million. Council's budget also includes a lot of activities that would normally be accounted for in some other department in other cities, like the Planning Commission. Not defending the waste but before you're going to hurl criticisms, get the facts straight.

Thanks for the clarification...

[Gannon]

Everyone in government should be forced to use the bus system. No more city paid vehicles, save those used for fire and police and sanitation...but even THOSE folks should be encouraged somehow to ride the bus to work always.

That would solve so many problems, we couldn't begin to count them all.

[detroitbred]

These people on the council need a big dose of reality................look around Charles and the rest of you egotisical idiots. Many people in this area don't have JOBS, period, and cannot pay their bills, and struggle each day to make ends. meet and feed their children. How can you possilbly think that you are still entitled to carry on with your perks, like all is right with the world and everything is rosey? My god, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Buy yourseves a car and drive yourself to work, buy your own gas and lunch each day, learn to do some of your own office work.Treat people as you would like to be treated and maybe you won't need a body guard. You are NOT royalty. Try to live like the rest of us, you are not special or entitled.

[One Shot]

They are crooks and THATS why they need bodyguards!

[Buy American]

Does anybody care within the confines of The City of Detroit? When is this going to end? Police are working without the proper equipment. Firefighters have to buy their own batteries for their flashlights because the City won't purchase them. Some firefighters do not have working kitchens or decent plumbing in the firehouses. How are these men and women supposed to do their job to protect and serve when the City could give two shits about them?

[Detwa]

Well, its clear now why he wanted the position, the unlimited budget! He's living like a rock star!

[GOAT]

Detroiters voted these idiots in so you got 'em.

That being said, don't you have the ability to recall these fools via petitions? Then again the DPS is so dismal perhaps many Detroiters couldn't read what the petition would state.

[detroitbred]

I'm sure that none of the council members would ever dream of using their city cars and drivers for any purpose other than city business, now would they? They concientiously park those city cars and send their drivers home after hours. None of them have every gone to the grocery store, or the doctor, or taken their kids to school or soccer practice, etc., on the city's dime have they? Don't they get that they are small fish in a small pond that is growing smaller every day, and they contribute to it's shrinkage??

[Zacha341]

Precisely!! Consuming every drop from the ever-thinning "cash cow" continues, on and on unabated. 'Till the cow finally falls down dead. That's the mind set! Why CAN'T the clown-cil ease off the amenities, while at the same instance talk all that slick talk about being "down" for the peeps. Rubbish! Instead they continue to operate as persons of entitlement... citizens be damned!!!!!

I'm sure that none of the council members would ever dream of using their city cars and drivers for any purpose other than city business, now would they? They concientiously park those city cars and send their drivers home after hours. None of them have every gone to the grocery store, or the doctor, or taken their kids to school or soccer practice, etc., on the city's dime have they? Don't they get that they are small fish in a small pond that is growing smaller every day, and they contribute to it's shrinkage??

[Zacha341]

Hah! Yeah, the need for bodyguard is legitimate one can argue! The clown-cil know better than to rely on police or the legal system. They know a percentage of crime goes unreported. Again as like most politicians and appointees 'dem' or 'repub' they DON'T and refuse to live under the same policy they endorse and enact!! Meet the NEW BOSS -- same as the old boss!

http://detroitnews.com/article/20100...ks-up-overtime

These pompous people are all the same. Nothing has changed in Detroit. Pugh is the worst. Why do any of them need bodyguards? So what they are saying, in effect, is that Detroit is a terrible, unsafe place to do business, to play, to come to....even the powers that be need protection. Gary Brown is an ex cop, does he need a bodyguard? What a sham...what a crime...what a shaft to the taxpayers...AGAIN!!! Detroiters keep taking it up the a$$ with no complaints and as long as they do, the corrupt politicians will continue to rape and pillage the taxpayers just like they have done since Coleman Young.

[Retroit]

Maybe they realize that they are doing a shitty job and deserve to be clobbered by the citizens.

[Buy American]

There is something about Detroit politicians [[and I mean all of them) that seems to defy getting punished for their transgressions. How can one ask for special favors [[ie., Conyers) when they've been sentenced? How does one [[ie., thug KK) get recommended for Boot Camp? Where do all these ambulance chasers come from that seem to be everywhere, offering their services to these rip off artists?

Charles Puke can be sued for non-payment of his rent, file bankruptcy, and still get elected. He needs a bodyguard??? He has his CCW.

Too bad that John Q. Public or Jane Doe aren't afforded the same preferential treatments.

[fryar]

Wow. Consider me floored. They're not exactly keeping their ears close to the ground, are they?

For starters, the council handling stuff that in other cities are handled by departments/the executive sounds kind of dysfuntional.

From my understanding, staffing is a big part of their budget. The clownsil is almost a separate entity from the City. Correct me if I am wrong, but each member has staff members, a personal aide, a driver, a car, insurance for the car, a bodyguard or two.

A car? You have got to be kidding. I would have expected they'd be sharing a van or two? This really just dovetails with the foreclosure on the property of Kwame's sister [[not that I wish her ill, personally) being related to a mortgage in excess of $200,000. That's just not representative of Detroit.
I also don't think they need bodyguards. But I do remember reading somewhere that Kwame got police bodyguards in DC as a courtesy [[for a while, until they just got sick of his antics, as I remember), so I guess this is not all that unusual. Just kind of ridiculous.
In most scenarios, I would just say the city's problems are bigger than this, don't sweat the small stuff and stay focused. But within the framework of the bad police response times and yet further layoffs of police officers, I think this is indefensible. Not the overtime, the bodyguard. Get outta here.

Are there any other cities in Michigan where their council has bodyguards? Why is this necessary in a City that is promoted as being safe? This sends the wrong message to everyone.

Come to think, there's probably dozens of municipalities in Michigan where being on the city council comes with no compensation of any kind. They're probably smaller, but still.

Everyone in government should be forced to use the bus system. No more city paid vehicles, save those used for fire and police and sanitation...but even THOSE folks should be encouraged somehow to ride the bus to work always.

That would solve so many problems, we couldn't begin to count them all.

+1.
+1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1.
[[possibly aside from details. Like, maybe we should try to budget for some cars for child protective services, or whatever that's called. But I couldn't agree more with the main idea)

Everyone in government should be forced to use the bus system.

"But the bus doesn't go past my house anymore..."

Police are working without the proper equipment. Firefighters have to buy their own batteries for their flashlights because the City won't purchase them. Some firefighters do not have working kitchens or decent plumbing in the firehouses. How are these men and women supposed to do their job to protect and serve when the City could give two shits about them?

Yes. This is why it's simply unacceptable.

That being said, don't you have the ability to recall these fools via petitions?

One can only hope so.

[Detroit Stylin]

That not a single person who posted here is in the city....

[Retroit]

...maybe because people that live in the city realize that a bodyguard is necessary in Detroit.

[daddeeo]

Guess the gravy train is still running full steam ahead for some people in Detroit.
Maybe the crime situation would be handled differently if city council people had to deal with it first hand. See how it feels to always have to watch over your shoulder whenever you're on the streets in the D.
It's easy to spout off and be a bad ass when you're riding with a packing posse.
Ride a bus, get out and rub shoulders with citizens [[besides at election time) and find some solutions inside of getting insulated in city hall.

[bailey]

Ok. Pugh's 'explaination' went a little something like,

He maintains he's unable to dictate police shifts. He's guarded by one officer, Sean Bacon, but rotating them could reduce overtime costs. Pugh said he only uses an officer when he's on city business. Unlike Conyers, he isn't accompanied by one on out-of-town trips, he said. "I didn't think about it," he said. "We've just been on the ground. We've been busy. This means I've been working a lot of overtime. In no way were we taking advantage ... of the system."

I have to say I kinda agree. If the powers at be have decided that each councilperson rates one bodyguard to be there, how is it the protection unit can't figure out shifts or a staffing rotation that would eliminate the over time? Is Pugh supposed to check time cards?

[milesdriven]

How about we purchase a CCW class and a pistol for each council member? $10K onetime expense, maybe $1000/year for range time and ammunition, and more officers on the street. Everyone wins.