DTE Reposses Highland Park Street Lights

**cman710** · October-11-11, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by 1953

Its time for Highland Park to revert to Highland Park Twp. or to merge with either Detroit or Hamtramck.

1953

I had the same thought. If the city cannot provide the most basic city services, it needs to be combined with another city that can - not that Detroit does great in the services department, either.

**Detroitnerd** · October-11-11, 10:25 AM

Consider Highland Park a laboratory for the concept of privatization. They tried it with the water utility, now DTE is pulling out. What were all those unkind words about DPL a few weeks ago?

Highland Park merging with Hamtramck? As somebody familiar with Hamtramck's woes, not sure how that would play out. You'd have to double the police and fire resources of Hamtramck and you'd have a much lower tax base...

**1953** · October-11-11, 10:38 AM

Detroitnerd, mine is a long term vision that encompasses the expansion of Hamtramck! Its would be a serious challenge today, but in the long term the city could gain some room to become the greatest city in history!

**Danny** · October-11-11, 12:08 PM

DTE took those fancy street lights from its ghettohoods since last summer. Execpt on Woodward Ave. Fewer streetlights were placed along John R Rd. Second, Third, Hamilton Rds. This is result of corrupt HP city council and its workers. And of course DTE as a the rich that takes its utilities from the poor. They have to make money to feed the bigger pigs in Wall Street.

**Detroitnerd** · October-11-11, 12:18 PM

So glad Gov. Granholm removed the competent person running HP and installed Democratic Party crony Art Blackwell... not ...

That was part of the problem, that Highland Park is seen as some Baltic Avenue property to dole out to political insiders... Ed McNamara would be proud ...

**kraig** · October-11-11, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

So glad Gov. Granholm removed the competent person running HP and installed Democratic Party crony Art Blackwell... not ...

That was part of the problem, that Highland Park is seen as some Baltic Avenue property to dole out to political insiders... Ed McNamara would be proud ...

That was part of the problem, that Highland Park is seen as some Baltic Avenue property to dole out to political insiders... Ed McNamara would be proud

Now that was clever. Good one.

**Trumpeteer** · October-12-11, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

DTE took those fancy street lights from its ghettohoods since last summer. Execpt on Woodward Ave. Fewer streetlights were placed along John R Rd. Second, Third, Hamilton Rds. This is result of corrupt HP city council and its workers. And of course DTE as a the rich that takes its utilities from the poor. They have to make money to feed the bigger pigs in Wall Street.

DANNY give your NEDA crap a rest! Most privately owned electric utilities SUBSIDIZE the poor through financial assistance to pay their bills, mandated lower base charges, AND assistance in energy efficiency improvements to their homes such as providing weatherstripping, CFL's, etc. Companies like DTE PROVIDE the "utilities" and thus can't "take them away from the poor". Utility stocks are often a major part of retirement plans for we in the lowly middle class and not just the "pigs" on Wall Street. Isn't it time for you to be at your nearest "Occupy" sit in?

**Scottathew** · October-12-11, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

And of course DTE as a the rich that takes its utilities from the poor. They have to make money to feed the bigger pigs in Wall Street.

Huh?

If you don't pay your bills, then you don't get utility service. It's not some evil greedy scheme to take over the world by screwing over poor people.

It sucks that Highland Park won't have well lit streets. However, there are more options than just having street light poles.

My neighborhood is well lit by public lighting, but many folks on the street still want more light and install porch lights.

So if folks in highland park don't feel safe because their street is too dark, install a porch light! a ~20 watt CFL light will provide around the same level of light as a 100 watt traditional bulb and will light up a lot of real estate.

**sycloneman** · October-12-11, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by 48091

Huh?

If you don't pay your bills, then you don't get utility service. It's not some evil greedy scheme to take over the world by screwing over poor people.

It sucks that Highland Park won't have well lit streets. However, there are more options than just having street light poles.

My neighborhood is well lit by public lighting, but many folks on the street still want more light and install porch lights.

So if folks in highland park don't feel safe because their street is too dark, install a porch light! a ~20 watt CFL light will provide around the same level of light as a 100 watt traditional bulb and will light up a lot of real estate.

VGP! -- Regardless of the municipal-provided lighting, there should be plenty of other lighting as well.

**Danny** · October-12-11, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

Huh?

If you don't pay your bills, then you don't get utility service. It's not some evil greedy scheme to take over the world by screwing over poor people.

It sucks that Highland Park won't have well lit streets. However, there are more options than just having street light poles.

My neighborhood is well lit by public lighting, but many folks on the street still want more light and install porch lights.

So if folks in highland park don't feel safe because their street is too dark, install a porch light! a ~20 watt CFL light will provide around the same level of light as a 100 watt traditional bulb and will light up a lot of real estate.

DTE Energy and its Corporations must give the folks in Highland Park a break. They need their street lights to keep their ghettohoods safe. Yes they have been corrupted but they have a soft heart. Folks in those ghettohoods are just trying to survive. If they don't receive help and get a trained education. They would look to other sources to make and save money
for their own survival. If the corp pigs want to suck HP dry, then go right ahead. Those folks in Highland Park still have a compassionate heart to hang on their homes they work so hard to achive.

ferntruth · October-12-11, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

DTE Energy and its Corporations must give the folks in Highland Park a break. They need their street lights to keep their ghettohoods safe. Yes they have been corrupted but they have a soft heart. Folks in those ghettohoods are just trying to survive. If they don't receive help and get a trained education. They would look to other sources to make and save money
for their own survival. If the corp pigs want to suck HP dry, then go right ahead. Those folks in Highland Park still have a compassionate heart to hang on their homes they work so hard to achive.

I'm not sure which is more confusing - your rambling message or the fact you felt the need to bold the entire message.
What corp pigs? DTE Energy? Yes, how dare they expect payment for the service they provide. The repossession of the light poles was part of the settlement that HP and DTE reached over unpaid utility bills.

Not paying your bills has consequences.

**Scottathew** · October-12-11, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

DTE Energy and its Corporations must give the folks in Highland Park a break.

False. They are not required to give them a break.

However, the inverse it true. Highland Park is required to pay their bills, or suffer the consequences.

DTE has worked with Highland Park and has given them a lot of leeway, however, they exhausted this leeway and DTE had to act.