Not content to kick Detroit while it was down, disgraced former Detorit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is now kicking the rest of us Michiganders in the teeth.
Taxpayers to foot bill for Kilpatrick's defense Detroit -- Clad in an inmate's uniform and leg irons, a noticeably thinner Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded poverty Tuesday when charged in federal court with 19 counts of fraud and income tax violations.
"That is correct," the former mayor of Detroit answered when asked by U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald A. Scheer if he was unable to hire an attorney. Scheer accepted an affidavit from Kilpatrick, 40, explaining his current financial straits.
Hours later, James C. Thomas, the same high-powered attorney paid by Kilpatrick to lead a legal team in fighting criminal charges stemming from the text message scandal, was appointed to represent Kilpatrick again -- this time at taxpayer expense.
[snip]
Mike Paul, who acts as the Kilpatrick family spokesman, said in a telephone interview from his New York office, "He doesn't have any money. He doesn't work. He has no job. The family just downsized to a smaller house because he's the breadwinner and there is no bread.
So he gets his same high-dollar lawyer back but, this time, WE have to pay for it.
No bread. And no shame. Won't this guy ever go away???
Former broadcast news reporter Charles Pugh is leading a pack of 18 candidates for Detroit City Council with former Detroit Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown in second place.
At 10 p.m. with 85% of the votes counted, Pugh had 73,514 with Brown at 66,896.
Brown was the whistle-blower whose lawsuit ultimately led to the text message scandal and downfall of former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
The top vote-getter will be council president.
Personally I think this is big for the LGBT Community, because it means one of us is being accepted into office, during a climate where so often we feel discriminated and out of the loop.
Blogging for you from the Michigan Policy Summit and having a wonderful time. My inner wonk is rejoicing and loving the progressive policies and concepts being discussed, many more blogs to come!
After a very thoughtful, intellectual, and clearly articulated Keynote Address by Dean Baker on Economic Policy, I thought it couldn't get any better. He spoke to us about the problems we face and the challenges to come, but also the great possibilities that present themselves in this time of economic crisis. The symbolism of listening to these ideas in the city of Detroit, of all places, is outstanding.
And then for a brief few moments I was taken out of my head, and felt my heart open so wide, as Grace Lee Boggs was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The very woman who on Bill Moyers Journal spoke these words,
"The struggle we're dealing with these days, which, I think, is part of what the 60s represented, is how do we define our humanity?"
At 91, Grace Lee Boggs has been a part of almost every major movement in the United States in the last 75 years, including: Labor, Civil Rights, Black Power, Women's Rights and Environmental Justice. (Bill Moyers Journal)
Grace's eloquent words also spoke to the opportunities we have, not just as a country but the opportunity for humanity to transform and to create a new meaning for what is means to be human. Grace hopes that we don't just work for a higher standard of living, but for a higher quality of life for all people, greater connections and embrace of humanity.
Grace spoke of the opportunity to grow our souls. She spoke of soul as a verb, a way of acting in the world, not a substance within oneself.
How is the economic downturn and the crises you are facing helping to grow your soul?
Grace wrote in her recent article for the Michigan Citizen,
"Healing our society will require the patient work not primarily of judges but of artists, ministers, gardeners, workers, families, women, communities. It will require the creation of new forms of Governance, Work and Education that are much more participatory and democratic than those collapsing all around us. It will require enlarging our vision, decolonizing our imaginations."
Grace is calling on all of us to act, not just for sake of Detroit, or Michigan, or America, but for sake of humanity. I get the impression no one says "no" to Grace.
So, yet another front page story on CNN about how awful Michigan's economy is and how young, educated people are fleeing the area appeared today. It's nothing we Michiganders haven't seen a hundred times before over the years and it usually our teeth on edge.
Usually, but not today. Today, I'm beaming with so much pride that I literally had to stop what I was doing and write this.
Why? Because this particular story did not focus on MBA students at University of Michigan nor Accounting majors at Michigan State. Instead, this story highlighted a bunch of ambitious, young African American men getting high-tech training at Focus HOPE, a non-profit school that trains inner city teens for high paying machinist jobs.
DETROIT (CNNMoney.com) -- Isaiah Brooks expects to graduate soon from Focus: HOPE, a non-profit machinist school in Detroit, where his hopes of getting a job are fading along with the local auto industry.
"You got to go where the money is," he said during a question and answer session with his classmates at Focus: HOPE. "You can't sit around and wait for an opportunity to happen," he noted. The other students in his class nodded in agreement.
Think I'm exaggerating? When was the last time you saw or heard a 19-year-old black male student talk about competitiveness in the job economy and being in a high-demand field?
Ever?
So even though the title of the news stories reflect doom and gloom: Detroit's youth: We'll leave if we have to, I have to commend the CNN reporter for actually -- you know, doing reporting -- to find this story. Not too many elite reporters from New York City would venture far enough into the city to find this school, let alone be professional enough to show these young people as savvy enough to make proactive decisions about their careers.
So I don't know who this Adam Smith is, but kudos to this guy for being a good reporter and refusing to perpetuate the myth that all inner city teenagers are uneducated, hopeless victims destined to live a life of the underclass.
Frederick Dunbar used to make parts for the auto industry. Now, he's learning how to use laser technology to refurbish submarine parts for the Navy. "I'm looking at NASA, the Department of Defense, maybe civil engineering," said Dunbar. "Definitely, I feel more secure pursuing a government job. I'm compelled to go wherever my job takes me."
Also, before I forget, kudos to the dedicated visionaries at Focus HOPE who mentally and physically prepared these young men for the real world. There are too many older, mid-career people who haven't been taught the basic tools of survival that has been instilled in these kids by the ripe old age of 20. It's clear that they are being educated in more than just writing, reading and arithmetic.
Alan Clark just accepted an engineering job in Detroit at the Pepsi Bottling Group. "The same concepts you use to make a car, believe or not, are the same concepts and principles you use to make a bottle of Pepsi."
This is another one of the posts where I start out by saying, "I don't have time to do this justice, but ..."
Yesterday in Livonia, Rousch Performance introduced two new low-carbon, propane-powered vehicles. The 2010 Roush Powered Ford F-250 and Ford E-250 meet strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) certifications, which means that they will be available in all 50 states.
Rousch Performance is an engineering company based in Livonia and Detroit. From their about page:
Bridging the gap between road and track, ROUSH Performance is in a unique position to seamlessly blend Roush's legendary racing successes with the formidable OEM engineering and manufacturing skills of ROUSH Industries and their nearly 2000 employees.
ROUSH Performance is the first specialty-vehicle company to combine race-proven technologies with advanced automotive engineering.
Rousch rolled out the propane-powered F-250 and E-250 with support of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), whose mission is "to to promote the safe, efficient use of odorized propane gas as a preferred energy resource through consumer and employee education and technology development and commercialization."
According to PERC CEO and President Roy Willis, propane is already the most widely used alternative fuel on roads today, powering 10 million vehicles around the world. "Of all available alternative fuels," said Willis, "propane offers the best mix of vehicle range, durability, and performance. And the nationwide propane infrastructure can readily and affordably be expanded to provide easy access to refueling stations for fleets and the public."
The F-250 and E-250 are not Roush' first propane-powered vehicle. The propane-powered Ford F-150 is already a proven seller. The vehicles are based on the 5.4L, 3-valve Ford V-8 powertrain, each using a ROUSH liquid propane injection fuel system, including new fuel rail assembly and fuel injectors. The propane trucks sustain no loss of horsepower, torque, or towing capacity as compared to a comparable gasoline-powered vehicle. The F-250 and the E-250 have been in development for three years, and the company has plans for several additional propane vehicles over the next few years.
(Reason #534 why I love blogging: I didn't understand a word of the above paragraph, and yet I am still qualified to blog it.)
I don't follow alternative fuel or the green initiative too closely, but any Michigan automotive engineering company that is talking about being the leader of Detroit's Green-Collar Revolution definitely gets my attention. You can check out Roush on the web here, and here's a video about the F-150 and the green initiative:
Yes, Virginia. I know you think this is a typo, but it's not. Our elected representatives in Washington, DC finally decided to get off of their collective, self-righteous asses and actually DO something to help and help tens of thousands of hard-working people:
The Senate voted Tuesday to give a tax break to new car buyers, setting aside bipartisan concerns over the size of an economic stimulus bill with a price tag approaching $900 billion. The vote was 71-26 to allow many car buyers to claim an income tax deduction for the cost of automobile sales taxes and interest payments on car loans.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., said the plan would aid the beleaguered automobile industry as well as create jobs at a time the economy is losing them at a rapid rate. "I believe we can help by getting the consumer into the showroom," she said.
What caused this shocking moment of clarity? Would it have anything to do with the fresh, new headlines of Chrysler losing a whopping 55% of its sales in the past month? Did our Michigan delegation finally succeed in convincing their 98 counterparts (okay, well actually 97 until the debacle in Minnesota gets worked out) that Michigan really is a part of the United States of America?
Who knows. But no one could possibly doubt that tax credits to help buyers purchase a car would definitely save jobs in this atrocious down market. It will also help working families trying to afford transportation in addition to their other economic strains.
Mikulski's office put the cost of the tax break she sponsored at $11 billion for one year. It would apply to the first $49,500 in the price of a new car purchased between last Nov. 12 and Dec. 31, 2009. Individuals with incomes of up to $125,000 and couples earnings as much as $250,000 could qualify, including those who do not itemize their deductions.
Kudos to Barbara Mikulski for championing this groundbreaking legislation. Let's pray that the Giant Ostrich People don't succeed in obstructing yet another great piece of legislation.
Hmm... From my keyboard to Anthony Bourdain's ears maybe? This is what I wrote in December 2007:
Just in case Anthony Bourdain is looking for a place to shoot next, I'd like to recommend Michigan. From pierogies in Hamtramack to pasties in the U.P., we have plenty of food and culture - and "no reservations" are required.
Chef and culinary adventurer Anthony Bourdain, visiting Detroit this week to film part of an episode for his Travel Channel series "No Reservations," says "the city fathers are not going to be happy" with the places he has chosen to feature in the show. [...]
"I'm not interested in places where we sell each other cheeseburgers," he said. "I'm interested in places where people make things, and where Mom and Pop businesses grow up around those businesses to feed the people who make the things. ... And Detroit is full of those," he said.
Among the places he visited, he said, are Hamtramck's Polonia restaurant, where he had "fantastic" duck's blood soup, and Family Donut Shop, where he tried paczki as well the phyllo-wrapped pastries called bourek.
The "city fathers" may not be happy, but Hamtramck and other suburbs are "Detroit" in my mind. We're all one big family.
And although I'm not too crazy about the title of the three-city episode featuring Baltimore, Buffalo and Detroit, the "Rust Belt show, I have no doubt Bourdain will portray us realistically, rust and all. That's what I love about his show. He gets down and dirty and shows us the heart of the areas he visits.
Michigan State Senate Minority Floor Leader Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit) took out petitions today to run for mayor of Detroit. Thomas needs 583 valid signatures of registered Detroit voters by Tuesday to be included on the ballot.
During his time in Lansing, Thomas has been an advocate of improving regional transportation in metro Detroit, addressing school bullying, making Detroit more business friendly and seeking tougher gun control laws.
And it's finally time for Detroit to start making some progress (or at least reverse the tumble downhill under Mayor Kilpatrick).
Yesterday, Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice and pleaded no contest to a felony count of assault on a police officer. As punishment, he must "pay restitution to the city of $1 million; [...] surrender his law license, forfeit his state pension to the city and be barred from elective office for five years; and [...] serve 120 days in the Wayne County jail, followed by five years’ probation. The other charges were dismissed"(NYTimes). He also resigned.
Why won’t he just give in? Governor Jennifer Granholm just started the hearing to remove Kwame Kilpatrick from the mayor’s office today. It is unbelievable that he still has not resigned despite all the pain and embarrassment he has put Detroit and the rest of Michigan through, not to mention the stagnation he has brought to the city’s and region’s growth and development ever since the whole scandal erupted.
Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama will hold a rally in Hart Plaza (Jefferson Ave. E. and Woodward Ave.), Detroit on Monday. The event is free, no ticket is required and the gates will open at 8:30 a.m. The program begins at 11:00 a.m. after the Labor Day Parade.
Michiganians are stuck on automobiles in more than one way. Not only is our economy dependent upon the Big 3 automakers, we rely solely on automobiles to get around our state–and now it is taking its toll.
A task force appointed by Governor Granholm recently released a report declaring that Michigan must double spending on roads and bridges otherwise “many will keep deteriorating and become unsafe.” The state spends about $3.2 billion a year on road and bridge maintenance, and now the task force recommends it to spend $6.1 billion a year for “good” conditions or $12.6 billion a year for “better” conditions. It is ridiculous how much taxpayer money goes towards fixing roads. The main propagator for this crisis? The lack of an adequate mass transit system anywhere in the state.
Detroit has become consumed by the Kilpatrick problem. Just released after a one-night stay in jail for not telling the Court about a trip to Ontario, Mayor Kilpatrick has now been charged with two felony cases for assaulting a detective trying to issue a subpoena to Kilpatrick's friend. So is it time for him to give up or keep on fighting?
While Kilpatrick might have done some good for Detroit by initiating several renovation plans in the city and by cutting costs, it is time for him to resign. He has cost our state and city a ridiculous amount of time, effort and legal expenses by refusing to hand his job over to someone else. He has coopted the city's goals for his own personal benefit, to clear his own name.
Even if by some farfetched chance that he's innocent, there is no way he can deal with Detroit's issues (which number so many) and a crucial trial with so much media coverage at the same time. But he still hangs on, squandering so much of Detroit's potential to recover by not giving it an able mayor to focus his/her attention on city issues.
Some also argue that it's not Kwame that's the problem that brings down Detroit, but it's long-lasting racial antagonisms. Kwame is just a symptom. Look here for such an opinion:
http://michypa.com/2008/08/12/...
In an interview yesterday, Michael J. Sullivan, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, directly linked reduced funding to an increase on crime.
Sullivan said that local police are too "cash-strapped" to fight crime, and that many cities no longer have the police manpower to respond to calls as quickly as they once did.
Mayors and police chiefs nationwide have long linked surging violent crime to dwindling federal grants that previously paid to hire more cops. The Bush administration, facing its own budget crunch while funding the war and reconstruction of Iraq, has scaled back the money available to cities to crack down on crime.
The Justice Department has offered to spend $200 million this year to combat violent crime in cities, but that likely won't cover the cost of hiring new police officers.
Detroit City Council has voted 5-4 to begin forfeiture of office proceedings against Mayor Kawame Kilpatrick and to ask Governor Granholm to remove him from office. The council also voted 7-2 to publicly censure Kilpatrick. The vote came in about an hour ago.
An attorney for the council maintains that Kilpatrick violated the city charter when "duped" the council into signing off on the $8.4 million settlement with three former police officers. By withholding information from the council, he entered into an agreement without getting their "informed consent." State law allows Governor Granholm to remove an elected official for misconduct, but the Governor's office would not comment.
The council scheduled a forfeiture hearing for June 13.
In a last minute schedule change, Hillary Clinton's campaign announced that the Senator will hold a 9am event in Detroit, MI - where she'll accuse Senator Obama of obstructing a re-vote in the state.
"She'll make the case that every vote should count, that the people of Michigan should not be disenfranchised, and that snubbing Michigan is going to hurt Democrats in the general election," says campaign spokesman Mo Elleithee. "We have an opportunity to prevent that; Senator Obama is standing in the way. So she wants to go to Michigan to press that case herself."
Democratic governor Jennifer Granholm (a Clinton supporter) has legislation for a new primary ready to go - legislation Clinton herself supports - and campaign aides say Obama's campaign is raising objection after objection in order to stymie a re-vote in a state she's likely to win.
Green is the word at this year's auto shows as the car manufacturers slowly admit that oil is now over $100 a barrel and the public is more interested in fuel economy than gewgaws and brute force. I attended the Chicago Auto Show on February 16, 2008, where at least 30 out of the more than 40 exhibitors featured at least one alternative fuel vehicle as part of their display. (Hummer wasn't one of them, in case you were wondering.)
UPDATE: 5:03PM- A judge has ruled that the casinos can stay open during a shutdown.
The first of many threatened lawsuits, courtesy of the legislature that wouldn't do its job.
Detroit's three casinos are joining together today to sue the Michigan Gaming Control Board and the state over the threat to close them down temporarily if Lansing lawmakers can't reach an agreement on a new budget by Monday.
Both the Gaming Board and casinos confirmed they expect Richard Kalm, executive director of the board, to be served with a lawsuit at about 11 a.m. today, a move aimed at preventing the closure of the casinos if Gov. Jennifer Granholm orders a shutdown of state government at midnight Sunday.
Operations at the three Detroit casinos are monitored 24/7 by on-site state employees; theoretically a state shutdown would make it impossible for the gaming halls to continue doing business without the legally-required oversight.
The lawsuit is expected to be filed this morning in Wayne County Circuit Court.
Attorneys for the casinos will ask the court for an expedited hearing -- perhaps even later today -- to hear arguments from both sides. The casinos hope they can get injunctive relief to prevent any shutdown.
Expect more of this.
How much will these guys cost us with their inaction by the time this is all over?
"Greektown Casino strenuously objects to any proposal that shuts down the casino over any governmental shutdown," said Andrea Hansen, an attorney for Greektown. "We dispute there is a policy that requires them to shut down. The casinos have done nothing wrong. They should not be punished for the state's fiscal problems. A shutdown would cause our own fiscal crisis and would result in the layoffs of our own employees."
The casinos produce $900,000 in tax revenue each day, for the city and the state.
Richard S. Kalm, Executive Director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, asked the board for the authority to suspend casino licenses in the event of a shutdown. The board did not approve the request.
The MGCB has scheduled a special meeting on Thursday of this week, to discuss the matter further.
I think the state should keep them open. Or is there some constitutional thing that says they can't stay open during a shutdown, due to gaming/casinos not being "essential services"? Anyone know?
Blogging for you from the Michigan Policy Summit and having a wonderful time. My inner wonk is rejoicing and loving the progressive policies and concepts being discussed, many more blogs to come!
Yesterday in Livonia, Rousch Performance introduced two new low-carbon, propane-powered vehicles. The 2010 Roush Powered Ford F-250 and Ford E-250 meet strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) certifications, which means that they will be available in all 50 states.
