State bill proposes 20-year oversight period

**Novine** · May-08-14, 10:45 PM

Why does this package of bills include legislation to prevent the millage for the DIA from being renewed?

**Vic01** · May-09-14, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

Why does this package of bills include legislation to prevent the millage for the DIA from being renewed?

From the Free Press - http://www.freep.com/article/2014050...oit-bankruptcy
■ Prohibit the Detroit Institute of Arts from approving a new millage or renewing the existing millage that benefits the museum. That change reflects the change in ownership of the museum from a quasi-public to a private entity. And legislative leadership didn’t think it was appropriate for a private museum to go for a millage, said state Rep. John Walsh, R-Livonia, who is chairing the committee that will review the bills.
But that was the intent of the 0.2 millage in the first place. The DIA has said that when the 0.2 millage expires in 10 years, the goal is to have enough money on hand — roughly $400 million — to cover 60% of the museum’s operations and a sizable endowment that the millage would not be renewed.

The 20-year oversight of the city could go on for even longer or end earlier, depending on the city’s economic outlook, said state Rep. John Walsh, R-Livonia, who will chair the committee reviewing the bills.
“If there are periods of time of fiscal health in the city, then it could go dormant,” he said.

Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins said the panel’s level of oversight should not be set in stone for all 20 years. She also said the mayor and the council should have equal representation on the board.“Twenty years from now, or even five years from now, this board should not have the same level of oversight that it might have next year,” Jenkins said. “At some point soon, the city of Detroit needs to be returned to a fully democratic government, meaning the people that the residents of the city of Detroit elected to run this city should be able to run this city.”

As usual, the City Council shows that they don't have a clue and want to get their hands on the $$$ ASAP.

**Vic01** · May-09-14, 05:01 AM

interesting Detroit News article -

Michigan politicians and civic leaders for years touted Detroit’s importance to the state and its future, but it wasn’t until the city’s historic bankruptcy that much of it proved to be more than talk.
Thursday, Republican leaders in the state House introduced legislation that would ensure Lansing’s participation in the “grand bargain” to bolster city pensions and protect the assets of the Detroit Institute of Arts. This from a party [[and governor) whose engrained biases are said to be inimical to Detroit, its people and its power structure.
Facts on the ground suggest otherwise. At least a decade in the making, Detroit’s complex workout is pushing disparate interests — from foundations, the DIA, suburban counties and evil Republicans to unions, pension funds and their Democratic supporters — to abandon entrenched positions long considered permanent fixtures in the landscape of southeast Michigan.
The result, still evolving, augurs a more interdependent region built on fiscal reality. The rationalization of Detroit’s asset base, and the need for new dollars to fund its court-supervised restructuring, is giving business, civic groups, suburban taxpayers and their political allies a much larger stake in the success of Detroit, its redevelopment and its leadership under Mayor Mike Duggan and a City Council led by Brenda Jones.
Think about that for a second: what years of Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conferences, countless do-good studies, civic harangues, divisive politicians, labor-management confrontations, aborted attempts at regional transportation and so many other things could not achieve, Chapter 9 bankruptcy well could.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz31D8cHEJx

**bailey** · May-09-14, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Vic01

From the Free Press - http://www.freep.com/article/2014050...oit-bankruptcy
■ Prohibit the Detroit Institute of Arts from approving a new millage or renewing the existing millage that benefits the museum. That change reflects the change in ownership of the museum from a quasi-public to a private entity. And legislative leadership didn’t think it was appropriate for a private museum to go for a millage, said state Rep. John Walsh, R-Livonia, who is chairing the committee that will review the bills.
But that was the intent of the 0.2 millage in the first place. The DIA has said that when the 0.2 millage expires in 10 years, the goal is to have enough money on hand — roughly $400 million — to cover 60% of the museum’s operations and a sizable endowment that the millage would not be renewed.

Yes, that was the intent. Sort of like how the telephone tax was intended to pay for the Spanish American War....took 108 years to get that repealed.

Once the camel's nose is under the tent and all that. .

I fully expected a very earnest appeal to continue the millage for "a short while longer". [[and not really against paying it... just saying I didn't see this ever going away.)

**Honky Tonk** · May-09-14, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Yes, that was the intent. Sort of like how the telephone tax was intended to pay for the Spanish American War....took 108 years to get that repealed.

Once the camel's nose is under the tent and all that. .

I fully expected a very earnest appeal to continue the millage for "a short while longer". [[and not really against paying it... just saying I didn't see this ever going away.)

The DIA lifted the entry fee. So entry is now free, if you live in Oakland, Macomb, or Wayne counties, where the millage was voted on and passed. I invited a friend down from "evil" Farmington, to a Friday Night Live! concert. @ the end of the concert he stood up, looked me in the eye and said "Well, damn, THAT was certainly worth my $10". If you can't find $10 a year worth of entertainment @ the DIA, you aren't trying.

**bailey** · May-09-14, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

The DIA lifted the entry fee. So entry is now free, if you live in Oakland, Macomb, or Wayne counties, where the millage was voted on and passed. I invited a friend down from "evil" Farmington, to a Friday Night Live! concert. @ the end of the concert he stood up, looked me in the eye and said "Well, damn, THAT was certainly worth my $10". If you can't find $10 a year worth of entertainment @ the DIA, you aren't trying.

I 100%, unequivocally agree with you in 100% of all respects on that point. [[is that clear enough that I'm a supporter of the millage?).

My only point was I never saw it going away in 10 years as claimed. Way too many weasel words used in support of that claim... we "hope" that... our "goal" is to be....etc.

**Honky Tonk** · May-09-14, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

I 100%, unequivocally agree with you in 100% of all respects on that point. [[is that clear enough that I'm a supporter of the millage?).

My only point was I never saw it going away in 10 years as claimed. Way too many weasel words used in support of that claim... we "hope" that... our "goal" is to be....etc.

Yes, that's much better......

**leapfrog** · May-10-14, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

The DIA lifted the entry fee. So entry is now free, if you live in Oakland, Macomb, or Wayne counties, where the millage was voted on and passed. I invited a friend down from "evil" Farmington, to a Friday Night Live! concert. @ the end of the concert he stood up, looked me in the eye and said "Well, damn, THAT was certainly worth my $10". If you can't find $10 a year worth of entertainment @ the DIA, you aren't trying.

I agree with you [[and your friend) completely! We have friends who just moved here from Rochester, NY. They had no idea that they paid no admission fee due to the tax. They both love it, and I am getting to enjoy seeing the art all over again through their perspective! If you don't see the value in that $10, look again!