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Ann Arbor Government
Mayoral Candidate Alleges Opponents’ Affordable Housing Resolution “Pandering” and “Politicking”
WARD 3 COUNCIL member Stephen Kunselman repeatedly alleged that a resolution brought to Council’s June 2, 2014 meeting by Mayor Hieftje, Ward 1 Council member Sabra Briere, Ward 3 Council member Christopher Taylor, Ward 4 Council member…
26 Home Invasions Reported by AAPD in the Month of May, 90 Thus Far in 2014
ACCORDING TO DATA compiled by the Ann Arbor Police Department, during the month of May there were 338 crimes, total, reported. The homes of 26 residents were invaded by thieves. Of those break-ins, 12 were forced entries, or almost half of…
France is Paying People to Bike to Work—Could Ann Arbor Do the Same?
by Liz Dwyer
NEXT TIME YOU head to Paris, you might see more people riding bikes across the Seine. That’s because France has just launched a trial experiment that will pay 10,000 people to bicycle to work.
According to Reuters, 20 of…
In Two Separate Rulings U.S. District Judges Blast City Attorneys’ Legal Arguments
by P.D. Lesko
ANN ARBOR City Attorney Stephen Postema was dressed down in a 17-page opinion penned by U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence Zatkoff in May. The judge concluded city officials had no legal justification to keep Bob Dascola…
City Administrator Once Again Refuses to Turn Over Records to a Council Member
CITY ADMINISTRATOR Steve Powers answers directly to City Council. The city’s Charter requires the 11-member group to annually review the City Administrator’s performance. Council sets his pay and has the ultimate authority to fire him. …
Over 1,000 Potholes Reported to City—Residents Can Seek Reimbursement for Damage to Vehicles
IN THE JUNE 2014 issue of The Ann Arbor Observer, writer Jan Schlain reports, “So drivers will be hitting this year’s bumper crop of potholes for a while. They just shouldn’t expect any compensation from the city when they do so.” Ward 2…
Highest Percentages of No Votes on AAATA Millage Came From Ypsilanti Township and Ann Arbor
THE AAATA MILLAGE vote was costly. Ted Annis, former treasurer of the AAATA Board of Directors placed the amount spent on the special election, staff time, surveys, consultants, marketing and materials by AAATA at around $1.5 million.…
A2POLITICO: Proposed City Budget Should Focus on the Results of the 2013 Citizen Survey
by P.D. Lesko
IT’S USUALLY DEATH and taxes that define the inevitable. However, in the city’s 2013 National Citizen Survey, comments about roads and taxes dominated the open-ended question responses. Respondents were asked to record…
Protected Bike Lanes Drive Economic Activity & Appeal to Millennials—What’s Ann Arbor Waiting For?
IN 2000 THERE were eight miles of bike lanes in Ann Arbor. City officials recently began touting the number of “lane miles” of bike lanes: 71.8 (a lane mile is a mile on one side of a two-land road). The mayor often tells media that Ann…
County Seeks Volunteers to Fill Board & Commission Openings
THE WASHTENAW COUNTY Board of Commissioners is looking for citizens to volunteer for a slate of positions with the various Boards, Committees and Commissions. The Board of Commissioners will make these appointments at their upcoming session…