Browsing Tag
Stephen Rapundalo
By P.D. Lesko
In 2007, Ann Arbor City Council passed the Public Art Ordinance that sets aside one percent of funds from all public construction budgets for art projects — to a maximum of $250,000 per project. On the City of Ann Arbor web…
Local News Site Snaps Incumbent’s Political Tighty Whities With Debate Coverage
The AnnArborChronicle.com recently called out AnnArbor.com politics reporter Ryan Stanton for accepting an AP reporting award for a news piece that misinterpreted available data. In the same piece, the news blog also called out former…
Websites Speak Volumes About Ward 2 Council Candidates
by P.D. Lesko
Sex sells. It's a tried and true marketing tool that has been used since, well, forever. Gallup & Robinson, an advertising and marketing research firm, has conducted multiple studies and determined that the use of sex in…
Dems in This Liberal Bastion Label Strong Women Candidates Incredibly Vag-ifficult
by P.D. Lesko
In Ann Arbor it's often tough to decide who's more addled, the politicos or the voters.
In August of 2010 Ann Arbor County Commish Barbara Levin Bergman actually spoke in favor of hiring of sexual predators into county jobs.…
Interview: Sally Hart Petersen— "A Real Democrat Is Running In Ward 2!"
SECOND WARD CITY Council member Tony Derezinski has get-togethers for Ward 2 constituents in the know at bars, and in March had a Ward 2 meeting at his home where, again, those in the know showed up and got to rub elbows with AATA Board…
Fourth Ward Dem Incumbent Margie Teall Launches Campaign Website Fit For a Republican
by P.D. Lesko
Margie Teall is not one of the Ann Arbor City Council members who used to be a Republican, changed parties, then ran as Democrats. She's one of the Democrats on Ann Arbor City Council who votes like a Republican, squeezes pay…
Tony D Is Suddenly For Ann Arbor—Crass Political Opportunism Makes A Return
by P.D. Lesko
In November 2011 Second Ward Council member Stephen Rapundalo sent a damaging email to AnnArbor.com in which he painted himself as a disingenuous opportunist, writing that he wanted to “look engaged” prior to the election. …
Second Ward Council Member Tony Derezinski Trapped Under The Same Political Baggage That Crushed Rapundalo
by P.D. Lesko
Former Second Ward Council member Stephen Rapundalo was not popular. He had earned a reputation among constituents and city staffers as being nasty. One police officer, when asked about Rapundalo prior to the November 2011…
Six Candidates Now Poised to Run For Mayor & City Council
by P.D. Lesko
It's February, and in another 60 days or so those in the mood to run for mayor and City Council as Democrats or Republicans will have gone to the City Clerk's office and taken out petitions. Those running as Independents have…
Council Members in Open Revolt: Challenge Mayor & Insist Transit Proposal Is Seriously Flawed
by P.D. Lesko
Third Ward Council member Stephen Kunselman has been a pain in John Hieftje's butter dish ever since Kunselman knocked off Leigh Greden in the 2009 stunner of a primary election. While Kunselman won by a 6 vote margin, Greden…