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Ann Arbor Pays Thousands Monthly in Car Allowances and Mileage Reimbursements to City Employees With Desk Jobs
According to information provided to A2Politico in response to a FOIA, in Ann Arbor government, an attorney, planning department staffers, police officers, and even a DDA employee receive stipends worth $50 to $400 a month to put toward…
As Budget Woes Mount, City Managers/Staff Spend On Extravagant Meals & Luxury Resorts At Taxpayer Expense
A2P Notes: This is filed under "Scoops & Scores" because you read it here first.
Over the past 36 months Council has struggled with budget "deficits," threatened to close Mack Pool and the Burns Park Senior Center to make ends meet,…
AnnArbor.com Is A Failure Because Tony Dearing Was “Clueless” Argues Former AA News Reporter
A2P Notes: Just after AnnArbor.com was launched, essayist Jack Lessenberry wrote in the Metro Times:
Now I like to think of myself as a fairly sophisticated newspaper critic. I've worked for a lot of them, have had bylines in The Washington…
Interview: Will Michigan Voters Fire Rick Snyder? FireRickSnyder Organizers Talk to A2Politico.
On April 18, 2011 A2Politico posted a piece titled, "The Politics of Buyer's Remorse: Group Files Petition to Recall Governor Rick Snyder." The post was shared over 500 times on Facebook and Twitter. In that piece, I wrote:
When Republican…
Interview: Chris Savage. You Don’t Know Him Yet. But You Will.
Chris Savage (pictured left in a photo taken by his wife Anne) and his wife live in Dexter, Michigan. Chris is the voice behind the progressive-leaning Eclectablog. Well, actually, progressive-leaning is putting it mildly. Chris Savage…
WHISPER: Think Local First Executive Director Enters Third Ward Council Race
A2Politico Notes: This is filed under "Scoops & Scores" because you read it here first!
There are now two challengers running to unseat Third Ward Council member Stephen Kunselman. The first to throw a hat into the ring was Marwan…
Service Cuts Have Resulted In Sharp Rise In Number & Frequency of Fire-Related Deaths
A2P Notes: This is filed under "Scoops & Scores," because you read it here first!
The graph, above, is simple to read. As the number of firefighters in Ann Arbor has declined, the number and regularity of fire fatalities have…
The Culture Vulture: Ann Arbor Summer Festival Executive Director Robb Woulfe Talks About the Festy’s Mid-Life Crisis
The weather’s turning warm (and then cold again and then warm again, but let’s just forget the blustery part for now), the kids are clamoring to begin their video-game and amusement park-filled vacations, Leinenkugel Summer Shandy is in…
The Politics of Education: 2010 MEAP Scores Reveal Significant Achievement Gaps Between Elementary Schools in A2
At the end of March, the Michigan Department of Education released MEAP scores for the state's elementary and middle schools. The data is a treasure trove for those who enjoy sifting through such information. Test scores impact districts'…
Library Lot Underground Parking Garage Retaining Wall Collapses: DDA Contractor Has History of Wall Collapses on Projects
A2PNotes: This is filed under "Scoops & Scores" because you read it here first.
The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and Christman Construction released a joint statement today concerning the retaining wall collapse that…