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Econ
Ann Arbor Sweetwaters Owners to Begin “Good Faith” Bargaining With New Union
by Jon King, Michigan Advance
Eight months after casting ballots, employees of Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea in Ann Arbor have had their union recognized.
That’s after a decision from a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) hearing…
How Did Supreme Felons, Inc. Spend $527K in Public Funding? A2Indy’s FOIAs Trigger Threat
by P.D. Lesko
Supreme Felons is not a public body and was therefore not subject to the FOIA pursuant to OAG, 1989-1990, No 6563, p 27 (January 26, 1989).--Billy Cole, President, Supreme Felons, Inc., in an email to The Ann Arbor…
Puttin’ on the Ritz (Hilton, Hyatt, & Crowne Plaza): County Employee Credit Card Records
by P.D. Lesko
While County Administrator Greg Dill and the County Commissioners mull over asking County taxpayers to raise their own property taxes through a ballot initiative, Washtenaw County credit card and checkbook records which…
Non-Profit Controlled By Felons and Funded By County Again Neglects to File Federal Tax Return
Updated 9/13/24 with a comment from Billy Cole and County Administrator Greg Dill.
by P.D. Lesko
Supreme Felons, Inc. is led by felon Billy Cole, a murderer. Bryan Foley, a bank robber, has self-identified as the "managing director"…
Michigan Supreme Court Rules Minimum Wage Must Be Increased: 40 Percent of Restaurants Face Insolvency
by Scott McClallen
The Michigan Supreme Court ruled on August 1 that the Republican Legislature illegally blocked two ballot proposals in 2018, paving the way for a minimum wage hike and new paid leave requirements.
The 4-3 ruling…
Washtenaw County Administrator’s Secret Memo Advocates For Major Millage Increase
by Ann Arbor Independent staff
Read the memo:
Greg-Dills-Washtenaw-County-Revenue-White-Paper-Recommending-Millage-Increases-10-18-2023Download
The Ann Arbor Independent obtained from a tipster a copy of a secret memo written by…
Ann Arbor Short-Term Rental Owners Could Be Subject to Higher Taxes if Bills Pass State Legislature
by Jaime A. Hope
Proposed legislation targets owners who rent property for more than 14 days per year
Owners of short-term rentals may have to deal with more regulations and additional taxes under a new package of bills introduced in…
School Board Member and Wife Took County Grant Money For Which They Were Ineligible
by P.D. Lesko
County records show Ann Arbor School Board Trustee Ernesto Querijero, through his wife Lisa Querijero, applied for funding from the Washtenaw County Community Priority Fund in 2022. The money, according to the application…
Ypsi Non-Profit Receives $2M Grant from Mackenzie Scott (Bezos)
MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced that several Michigan nonprofit organizations have secured a total of $11 million in grants. Scott, a novelist and philanthropist, is the former wife of Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos.
…
Alize Asberry Payne Slept (Ate and Ubered) Here: County DEI Dir. Charged $115K to County Credit Card
by P.D. Lesko
County records revealed that between 2022-2023, Alize Asberry Payne charged $115,000 to the credit card given to her by Washtenaw County. Along with trips, workshops, conferences, and a $3,700 payment to the Detroit…