So, How Much Did AATA Spend on Its Failed Regional Transit Scheme? It’ll Cost Ya $1,538 to Find Out.
by P.D. Lesko
Freedom of Information Act requests are governed by the notion that public government has the obligation to err on the side of transparency. It is also governed by the principle that if public records released would benefit…
“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…
The Parent Trap: Autism Speaks, but No One is Listening in My World
by Kristina Lakes
I don’t understand IEP’s. If you are blessed enough to not have a child on one, you might not know that it stands for Individualized Education Plan. Basically, it means that if your child has “special needs,” he or she…
House Calls: Representative Jeff Irwin Still Behind County-Wide Transit
Representative Jeff Irwin, a Democrat, served for a decade as a Washtenaw County Commissioner. In January 2013, he will began his second term in the Michigan House of Representatives. In his regular column, House Calls, A2Politico will pose…
Library Tax Proposal Goes Down In Flames—And the Political Firmament Trembles
by P.D. Lesko
On November 6, 2012 the firmament trembled in Ann Arbor—the political landscape opened up and swallowed local politicos and their monied donors whole, casting the owner of Main Street Ventures, members of the Downtown…
AADL Executive Director’s Fuzzy Math and Alleged Violations of Patrons’ Privacy Raises Red Flags
by P.D. Lesko
Librarians are all about the numbers—exact numbers: Dewey decimals, due dates, number of copies, and call numbers. The Executive Director of the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) is all about numbers, too. However, her…
Special Interests Trying to Get What They Want Through Amending Mich Constitution
by Rob Smith
Michigan Radio writer Lester Graham points out in a great piece titled, "Muddying the Michigan Constitution?": "In the 224 years since it was ratified, the U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times. The latest Michigan…
Almost ALL Washtenaw County Townships/Cities Opt OUT of $500M Dollar Regional Transit Plan
by P.D. Lesko
Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje doesn't have a good track record of getting other politicos to jump on board his transit schemes. The WALLY commuter train was supposed to run between Washtenaw and Livingston counties and be…
MI 52nd District Race Boils Down to Bamboozling Naive Dems & Independents. Again.
by P.D. Lesko
52nd District Representative Mark Ouimet and Governor Rick Snyder both let mainstream media assumptions that they were moderate Republicans go uncorrected. The last laugh, in retrospect, has been on all of the Ann Arbor and…
Michigan Rising: A Political Souffle That Has Fallen
by Rob Smith
Michigan Rising was born The Committee to Recall Rick Snyder. It was exciting and dynamic—citizens who came together to try to rid Michigan of Republican Governor Rick Snyder. Volunteers across the state took on the incredible…
