City Council Member Responds on Twitter to Allegations of Ethical Lapse Related to His Support of AAATA Millage
Pease note: Kai Petainen is a member of The Ann Arbor Independent’s Editorial Board.
WARD 5 COUNCIL member Chuck Warpehoski is facing persistent questions from the public, his Council colleagues and his opponent in the August 5 Democratic primary election concerning his open support of the AAATA’s May 6 transit millage ballot proposal. The Ann Arbor Independent published an article in its April 3 issue about the Council member’s alleged conflicts. Warpehoski was contacted by email for a comment, but did not reply to repeated requests. On April 8, in response to a Tweet from Kai Petainen in which Mr. Petainen commented on the fact that an article from the newspaper was read aloud at the April 7 Council meeting by a member of City Council, Warpehoski sent two Tweets directly addressing allegations made by his colleagues and the public concerning his conduct. In one Tweet Warpehoski wrote: “@a2indy @Kai Petainen My wife’s funding federal & separate from transit vote. Win or lose doesn’t affect income, job security.”
The Council member’s wife, Nancy Shore, is employed by the AAATA as a public relations manager. According to documents released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, all of Ms. Shore’s salary comes from AAATA-controlled sources. Virtually all of the money for the getDowntown program, which employs Ms. Shore, is controlled by the AAATA, as well.
Ward 5 City Council member Mike Anglin had made no secret of the fact that he believes Warpehoski is crossing an ethical line.
“AAATA supports their family, and he’s out there pushing for AAATA to have more funding. How is that appropriate?” asked Anglin of his Ward 5 colleague.
Not only is Council member Warpehoski openly supporting AAATA’s $22 million five-year millage proposal, he sent out an email in his capacity as the Executive Director of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) which states that the organization is “setting aside” projects to focus its energies and resources on the AAATA millage drive.
“He’s not only talking up the millage himself, he’s using his non-profit to do it, as well,” said Anglin.
IRS regulations permit 501(c)3 non-profits such as the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice to openly lobby on behalf of ballot questions.
However, because the ICPJ is a small nonprofit—its gross revenue over the past three years has not surpassed $120,000—the ICPJ is Chuck Warpehoski, along with a Board of Directors and a community of volunteers.
Opponent Questions Ward 5 Council Member’s Actions
Democrat Leon Bryson, who recently turned in his nominating petitions to secure a spot on the August 5 primary election ballot, was measured in his response concerning the first-term Council member’s alleged ethical dilemma.
Bryson said in a phone interview, “His personal opinion is his to have and his personal support of the millage is independent of his position as a Council member.”
Bryson went on to say, “However, I can see where many people could view Chuck’s public support of the millage as a conflict. I think even if there is a perception of a situation being a conflict Council members must be careful.”
While Council member Warpehoski’s Tweets suggest he does not see a conflict in advocating for the passage of a millage for his wife’s employer, Leon Bryson sees Warpehoski’s actions as part of a disturbing pattern.
As a candidate, Warpehoski accepted endorsements and large campaign donations from several Downtown Development Authority Board members.
“I think if we add it all up together with some of his other votes, we do see someone who doesn’t step away from either actual or perceived conflicts.”
Last Spring, as Council members weighed imposing term limits on the Board members of the Downtown Development Authority, the DDA’s Executive Director threatened to cut funding for the getDowntown program (which employs Warpehoski’s wife)—a move widely seen as a threat aimed at Warpehoski.
At the April 15, 2013 City Council meeting, Mayor Hieftje proposed an amendment to the new DDA ordinance which would have stripped out term limits. Voting in support of the proposal was Council member Chuck Warpehoski. On April 2, 2013, Warpehoski slammed term limits as “mandatory inexperience law.”
The Indy once again contacted Council member Warpehoski for a fuller response to the allegations made by the public, as well as his own colleagues on City Council, but the first-term Council member did not reply.