Joan Lowenstein

by P.D. Lesko When filing to run, candidates for elected office sign affidavits swearing their campaign finances are in proper order. Between 2018 and 2020, Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor purchased multiple Facebook ads, but his…

by Patricia Lesko Erica Briggs, Jennifer Eyer and Lisa Disch all announced their respective candidacies for City Council and the 2020 primary election well over a year in advance. The trio, on their websites, talk about progressive…

by Patricia Lesko In a meeting held at lunch-time on Wednesday Mar. 1, over the objections of both the Main Street and State Street Area Association member business owners, the Downtown Development Authority Board approved the leasing of…

K. INGRID AULT ran for Ann Arbor City Council and lost to incumbent Stephen Kunselman. Ms. Ault’s ideas and vision for the city did not appeal to the voters of her Ward. Ms. Ault was then appointed to the Parks Advisory Commission. The…

IN 2007 A FORMER Ward 3 Council member emailed his Council colleagues “talking points” for a meeting to be scheduled with Mayor John Hieftje. Hieftje had threatened to veto the police-courts building and Leigh Greden suggested to fellow…

Please note: Kathy Griswold is the Chair of The Ann Arbor Independent's Editorial Board. JOAN LOWENSTEIN, A long-time member of the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors launched a website titled A2BetterCity.com.  On her…

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…

KIRK WESTPHAL'S FUNDRAISING letter, has raised a ruckus among Ward 2 residents who found claims made about incumbent Ward 2 Independent Jane Lumm misleading. The letter is on Westphal's campaign stationary and signed by Downtown Development…

WARD 2 CITY Council challenger Kirk Westphal sent out a fundraising letter that includes several interesting claims, one of which is he is the "only Democrat" running in the Ward 2 November general election. Well, yes. For those who were…

The only former Ann Arbor City Council member having a worse time of it politically than Downtown Development Authority Board member Joan Lowenstein (former Ward 2 Council member) is former Ward 3 Council member Leigh Greden. Lowenstein,…