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City Council
Playing the “Progressive Values” Card While Pushing ALEC-Inspired Scams & Parkland Development Schemes
by P.D. Lesko
Ward 2 Democratic City Council candidate Kirk Westphal moved to Ann Arbor in 2004 and in 2006 was appointed by John Hieftje to the city's Planning Commission. It was, perhaps, another example of what one local politico…
The Politics of Pandering: Holding Meetings About Public Safety in Private
by P.D. Lesko
When Republican Marcia Higgins was elected to Ann Arbor City Council in 1999, there were over 240 police officers patrolling the town. Ann Arbor had just about as many police officers as the city of Dearborn has today.…
Leaf Collection Resolution Goes Up In Smoke But Debate Provides, Literally, Hours of Entertainment
Ann Arbor City Council is, once again, on fire. When Ward 3 Council member Steve Kunselman proposed a change in the fee schedule related to permits for bonfires and controlled burns of prairie grass areas, Council marm Sabra Briere ahemed…
Five Council Members Launch An Unprecedented Effort To Curb Cronyism
by P.D. Lesko
"We keep seeing the same names."
"It's like there is some 'professional class' of board appointees."
"We need to draw from a larger group of citizens."
"I want to open the door for a closer examination of the appointment…
Emails Reveal DDA Threatens to Cut Money That Funds Job of Council Member’s Wife
by P.D. Lesko
There are five solid votes on City Council to bring to heel the members of the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors. Those are the votes of Sumi Kailsapathy, Jane Lumm, Sally Hart-Petersen, Stephen Kunselman…
Fighting Entrenched Cronyism One Vote At A Time
by P.D. Lesko
At the moment, Ann Arbor City Council members are trying to assert their Charter-mandated authority over the Board of the Downtown Development Authority like a parent trying to discipline a hopelessly out-of-control toddler…
Will Unpopular Highrises Help Jack Eaton Unseat City Council’s Zoning Czarina Marcia Higgins?
by P.D. Lesko
Today, Jack Eaton announced his candidacy first via email to a loosely-organized group of neighborhood activists, city and county politicians. He wrote, "I wanted all of you to hear it from me, because so many of you have…
Auditors Catch Ann Arbor City Attorney Double-Dipping & New Council Members Press For Full Details
by P.D. Lesko
Usually, employees get fired for filching money or abusing an employer-issued credit card. Except in Ann Arbor. Auditors past and present, in fact, have sent the city's Audit Committee letters of warning about sloppy…
“Let Them Eat Art!” Why Refusing To Kill The Percent for Art Program Could Mean the Ouster of More Local Pols
We begin with a fairytale: Once Upon A Time there were five Ann Arbor City Council members named Sandi Smith, Carsten Hohnke, Leigh Greden, Stephen Rapundalo and Tony Derezinski. They all unquestioningly supported Ann Arbor's Percent for…
“Dark Side” Beckons & Local Pol Answers The Call
Ward 1 City Council member Sabra Briere recently voted to kill a resolution intended to protect parkland from de facto sale through leasing—a strategy being used by John Hieftje and his Council pals to try to "repurpose" a several acre…