Interview: Rick Dekeon—Don’t say “I can’t do it.” Say “I can’t do it right now.”
by Betsy McMillin
I truly don't know how to do justice to long-time Ann Arbor Public Schools teacher Rick Dekeon. Anyone who knew him knows exactly what I am talking about. He was by far one of the most amazing teachers you will ever…
Ward 4 Council Member Claim “Residents Don’t Shop Downtown” Draws Sharp Criticism
AT THE NOVEMBER 7th City Council meeting, Ward 4 City Council member Margie Teall made an observation: She said that Ann Arbor locals shop at big box stores and that downtown is supported by “tourists.” It should be noted that Teall did not…
Citizen Complains To Michigan Attorney General to Get Ann Arbor SPARK’s Audited Statements
Editor’s Note: Kai Petainen serves on the Editorial Board of The Ann Arbor Independent.
THESE ARE THE facts:
1. Between June 2009 and November 2013, the City of Ann Arbor gave Ann Arbor SPARK $5.1 million dollars from its General…
City Attorney Faces Council Scrutiny Of His Advice Memos Which Critics Claim Are Legal Opinions Delivered in “Secret”
ANN ARBOR CITY Attorney Stephen K. Postema has represented the City Council as its legal eagle since 2003. He advises the Mayor, City Council, City Administrator and oversees the City Attorney’s Office, with a staff of 10 attorneys and a…
High Overhead & Debt Load Push DDA Parking Space Revenues Well Below National Average
MAYOR JOHN HIEFTJE’S propensity to populate the city’s boards and commissions with what City Council members allege are his political cronies has long irked political insiders.
This, among other reasons, is why there is a quiet movement…
Insider Baseball: If Rep. John Dingell, Jr. Retires, Who’s Next?
by Joseph DiSano
THE BIGGEST PARLOR game played among political observers is “Will John Dingell retire?” And this year is no different — except there actually may be some merit to the speculation.
It will be a sad day when the…
Halbig v. Sebelius Could Be the Undoing of Obamacare
AT THE END of October, a federal judge denied a request from the Justice Department to dismiss a lawsuit aiming to block health care subsidies in states not running their own healthcare exchange sites. Put another way, if the plaintiffs in…
A2Politico: Politics Have Gotten Nasty? No. They’ve Been Nasty.
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Board members Joan Lowenstein and Keith Orr took to the blog-o-sphere to endorse their candidates for Ann Arbor City Council. The irony of DDA Board members endorsing in local elections is as rich as Devon…
AAATA Community Relations Staff & Managerial Pay Up Significantly Since 2010
IN SEPTEMBER 2011 former Ann Arbor News government reporter Tom Gantert filed a Freedom of Information Act request for information concerning the compensation of then AATA managers. The FOIA revealed that while AATA was running a deficit of…
EDITORIAL: Term Limits for Ann Arbor Board and Commission Members
OVER THE PAST dozen years there has arisen what one City Council member recently referred to as a “professional class” of people who are appointed time and again to serve on Ann Arbor’s boards and commissions. These people are sometimes…