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Ypsilanti Burning: Thompson Block Blues

2010-03-04T21:11:00.001-05:00

Because I live less than a half block from the hollow, burned out shell that was once the Thompson Block, I went to the Ypsilanti City Council meeting on Tuesday. I wanted to tell Council that the inaction on the Thompson Block has affected me, my family, and my neighborhood. I wanted Council to know that there are no simple solutions to the problems this fire has caused, and that there are many competing interests that must be considered now that the building has been devastated by the fire.

I am happy to report that Council was well prepared to respond to my concerns, as well as the concerns of many of my neighbors who also came to the meeting. Our elected officials are definitely aware of the myriad interests at issue in this unfortunate situation, and their comments indicated a deep understanding of the complexities at play.

Unfortunately, I was surprised and disappointed with Mr. Beal, owner and developer of the Thompson Block. Although Mr. Beal comes across as a friendly enough guy, he appeared to believe that his interests were superior to the interests of those who live in the surrounding neighborhood. He seemed to think that he is entitled to do whatever he wants for however long he wants, regardless of the impact on his neighbors. Rather than exhibiting a can-do, cooperative attitude, he seemed more focused on blaming others and avoiding responsibility for the unfortunate situation he finds himself in.

Mr. Beal openly admitted at the meeting that he was underinsured, and that his underinsurance has caused a massive problem for him (and by extension for the rest of us). Although I feel awful for his bad luck (and he is certainly entitled to our sympathy), he and he alone is responsible for the risk he took. By failing to purchase an appropriate amount of insurance, he has shouldered our community with the terrible consequences of this fire. He does not seem to realize that at night, he gets to leave the Thompson Block to go home. The rest of us leave our jobs and come home to the eyesore and safety hazard that was once the Thompson Block.

The City's attorney, John Barr, gave an outstanding presentation that demonstrated why it is in the City's interests to hold Mr. Beal's feet to the fire. I think Mr. Barr said it best when he stated that the City of Ypsilanti will never be in a better position to bargain with Mr. Beal than it is now. Now is the time to act. If progress is to be made on the Thompson Block, then Council will have to set the timetable, enforce it, and keep the pressure up to make progress. If Mr. Beal doesn't have the money to continue with the project because he didn't secure a proper amount of insurance, then he may have to give up the building.

During the meeting, I began to wonder if Mr. Beal is in over his head. As I watched the presentation, it became clear that Mr. Beal's plan for the Thompson Block is economically dependent on a liquor license he doesn't have, a zoning variance that he hasn't yet applied for, and a bar/music venue that has inadequate parking and that, if opened, is likely to ignite the ire of those who reside in the neighborhood in which it located. Under these circumstances, he may as well have no plan at all.

I thank Council for holding Mr. Beal's feet to the fire. I urge Council to continue to do so.

Dick Durbin reports that tort reform kills people

2010-02-28T10:16:00.004-05:00

Dick Durbin challenges Republican myths of tort reform with *gasp* facts. Just the facts, plain and simple. This clip is definitely worth watching.

And you know what? He's spot-on correct.

Goodbye Richard, we will miss you

2010-02-27T09:16:00.004-05:00

Last week, Richard Weigel, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Quality for Ypsilanti Public Schools, was offered the Superintendent job at Niles Public Schools in Niles, MI.

Although I'm happy for Richard, his departure marks a sad day for Ypsilanti. Richard was one of the most dedicated, motivated and talented school administrators I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Although he was given the monumental task of fixing a troubled curriculum department when he was first hired, he successfully accomplished that goal and much, much more during his tenure here. I believe that over the last several years, he has been the administrator who made the single largest contribution to the Ypsi Public Schools, though Richard would be far too modest to ever let anyone say such a thing in his presence.

A short time ago, when Superintendent Dr. James Hawkins retired, Richard applied to be Superintendent of YPS. Unfortunately, our district failed to offer him the promotion he rightly deserved. I advocated for his advancement, in no small part because I knew that if we failed to offer him our top job, another district would be more than pleased to hire him away.

Last week, that day came. Richard was praised high and low for his accomplishments here in Ypsilanti. According to the Niles Star, the Vice President of the Niles teacher association said:

I’m sad to report I looked high and low, talked to teachers, para-pros, secretaries, and could not find one ounce of dirt on Mr. Weigel. The board would be very foolish not to offer Mr. Weigel a contract. He’s transparent, communicative and collaborative.

A principal from the Niles district added:

He’s a real go-getter and not afraid to cut programs that aren’t effective. I see his vision fitting with our district’s vision very nicely. I see him continuing what we’re doing and polishing up a few things.

Our loss will be Niles' gain. I wish Richard all the best in the next step of his career, and I thank him for his service to our district.

Guest blogger: Kendra Walters on the Clinton Global Initiative

2010-02-19T19:38:00.003-05:00

Kendra Walters is a self-proclaimed left wing blogger and supporter of former President Clinton. She asked me to post this for her, and I obliged:

An education is something that is beyond value. Having an education is not only needed for an individual to be a productive part of this society, but it’s of grave importance for the longevity and progress of this society. The right education can open doors for a child who otherwise would not have hope of advancing further in society. Global Warming, the economy, and defense of American often take much of the spotlight when it comes to talking about America’s greatest issues, and education can sometimes be pushed to the back burner. This is unacceptable not only from the aspect of the country’s present, but also for the country’s future.

Many government organizations have worked to find a solution to the dropout epidemic (over 7,000 students drop out every school day), but many have found dead ends to a problem that needs a solution. However, some organizations like the Clinton Global Initiative (an international aid and philanthropy organization started back in 2005 by former President Clinton and former Clinton personal aide Doug Band) are working with schools and have taken the steps to ensure that children not only stay in school, but that they are getting the education they both need and deserve.

Working with community schools, the CIG has developed a program that will work with students who have a high risk of dropping out. The program also involves graduation coaches who work with students to help mentor them to a degree. This not only shows that graduation coaches play a role in helping the student graduate and stay in school, but also helps to boost attendance, academic achievement, the student’s self-esteem while cutting down on dropout rates. The program will not only aid the student in achieving a degree, but will help them earn an education.

The experts speak on health care reform

2010-02-12T15:57:00.001-05:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

The Apparent Trap

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Getting an iPad?

2010-02-02T21:27:00.002-05:00

I might. Seems nifty.

So much for judges as umpires . . .

2010-01-23T13:31:00.009-05:00

Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them.

The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules.

But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game to see the umpire.

- Judge John Roberts, September 12, 2005

It seemed like a good analogy. The press sung his praises upon his unveiling of this apropos and wise analogy. It was smiles all around.

But there were also the naysayers. There were those that think many members of the Federalist Society say what they think others want to hear, yet when afforded an opportunity, do something else more in line with their agenda. At the time, these warnings were downplayed as the same old partisan bickering we hear over and over again when nominations are made to the United States Supreme Court.

He said a number of other very attractive things as he testified over the next several days. As reported by CNN:

[Roberts] acknowledged that upholding past cases ensured "predictability, stability and legitimacy."

Later in the hearing, Roberts told Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, he would judge any challenge to Roe according to the principle of stare decisis, latin for "stand by a decision," meaning courts are bound by previous decisions, or precedent.

Once issues are "settled," the idea is to prevent ongoing confusion and litigation over the meaning and impact of past cases -- except in extraordinary cases.

When Roberts was questioned by Senator Arlen Spector, the following exchange occured:

Spector: And I begin collaterally with the issue of stare decisis and the issue of precedence.

Black's Law Dictionary defines stare decisis as, Let the decision stand, to adhere to precedence and not unsettle things which are established.

Justice Scalia articulated, quote, The principal purpose of stare decisis is to protect reliance interest and further stability in the law. Justice Frankfurter articulated the principle, quote,

We recognize that stare decisis embodies an important social policy that represents an element of continuity in law and is rooted in the psychological need to satisfy reasonable expectations.

Justice Cardozo, in a similar vein, quote, No judicial system could do society's work if each issue had to be decided afresh in every case which raised it.

In our initial conversation, you talked about the stability and humility in the law.

Would you agree with those articulations of the principles of stare decisis, as you had contemplated them, as you said you looked for stability in the law?

Roberts: Yes, Mr. Chairman, I would. I would point out that the principle goes back even farther than Cardozo and Frankfurter. Hamilton, in Federalist No. 78, said that, To avoid an arbitrary discretion in the judges, they need to be bound down by rules and precedents.

So, even that far back, the founders appreciated the role of precedent in promoting evenhandedness, predictability, stability, adherence of integrity in the judicial process.

Clearly, on the basis of Roberts' testimony under oath before Congress, one could only conclude that he was firmly committed to upholding legal precedent for a great number of reasons, all of which are historically and substantively rooted in the longstanding jurisprudence of the United States of America, of which he is well aware and conversant.

This week, however, we learned the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court is no umpire. We learned that he is, in fact, a liar. Turns out he really was the wolf in sheep's clothing that many claimed he would be. We now know that when he charmed everyone with his baseball analogy, he neither believed in it, nor did he intend to conduct himself in accordance with the principle he used it to illustrate.

In Citizens United vs. FEC, a Supreme Court opinion released just last week, Roberts sided with a majority of conservative justices that tossed aside a century of legal precedent to allow for-profit corporations to donate directly to political candidates. This is a sea change in American jurisprudence, and it is entirely motivated by Justice Roberts' loyalty to his conservative agenda. To do this, the Supreme Court recognized for-profit corporations as having the same constitutional rights as American individuals. Bizarrely, the other "originalists" Scalia, Alito and Thomas joined in the opinion despite no evidence whatsoever that this result comported with the original intent of the Bill or Rights.

Justice Stevens calls out the conservative majority of the Court, specifically pointing out the disingenuity of the majority's opinion. According to Justice Stevens's dissent, which spans some 90 pages, "The conceit that corporations must be treated identically to natural persons in the political sphere is not only inaccurate but also inadequate to justify the Court’s disposition of this case." Justice Stevens continues:

The majority’s approach to corporate electioneering marks a dramatic break from our past.

. . . .

The Court today rejects a century of history when it treats the distinction between corporate and individual campaign spending as an invidious novelty born of Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, 494 U. S. 652 (1990). Relying largely on individual dissenting opinions, the majority blazes through our precedents, overruling or disavowing a body of case law . . . .

. . . .

In his landmark concurrence in Ashwander v. TVA, 297 U. S. 288, 346 (1936), Justice Brandeis stressed the importance of adhering to rules the Court has “developed . . . for its own governance” when deciding constitutional questions. Because departures from those rules always enhance the risk of error, I shall review the background of this case in some detail before explaining why the Court’s analysis rests on a faulty understanding of Austin and McConnell and of our campaign finance jurisprudence more generally. I regret the length of what follows, but the importance and novelty of the Court’s opinion require a full response.

. . . .

The Court’s ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation. The path it has taken to reach its outcome will, I fear, do damage to this institution.

Justice Stevens throws the issue of stare decisis squarely into the argument at hand, and arguably into the face of Chief Justice Roberts, who actually discussed the Planned Parenthood vs. Casey case during his confirmation hearings as an example of his support and respect for stare decisis.

The final principle of judicial process that the majority violates is the most transparent: stare decisis. I am not an absolutist when it comes to stare decisis, in the campaign finance area or in any other. No one is. But if this principle is to do any meaningful work in supporting the rule of law, it must at least demand a significant justification, beyond the preferences of five Justices, for overturning settled doctrine. “[A] decision to overrule should rest on some special reason over and above the belief that a prior case was wrongly decided.” Planned Parenthood of South-Eastern Pa. v. Casey, 505 U. S. 833, 864 (1992). No such justification exists in this case, and to the contrary there are powerful prudential reasons to keep faith with our precedents.

The Court’s central argument for why stare decisis ought to be trumped is that it does not like Austin. . . .

. . . .

Although the majority opinion spends several pages making these surprising arguments, it says almost nothing about the standard considerations we have used to determine stare decisis value, such as the antiquity of the precedent, the workability of its legal rule, and the reliance interests at stake.

. . . .

We have recognized that “[s]tare decisis has special force when legislators or citizens ‘have acted in reliance on a previous decision, for in this instance overruling the decision would dislodge settled rights and expectations or require an extensive legislative response.’” Hubbard v. United States, 514 U. S. 695, 714 (1995) (quoting Hilton v. South Carolina Public Railways Comm’n, 502 U. S. 197, 202 (1991)). Stare decisis protects not only personal rights involving property or contract but also the ability of the elected branches to shape their laws in an effective and coherent fashion. Today’s decision takes away a power that we have long permitted these branches to exercise. State legislatures have relied on their authority to regulate corporate electioneering, confirmed in Austin, for more than a century. The Federal Congress has relied on this authority for a comparable stretch of time, and it specifically relied on Austin throughout the years it spent developing and debating BCRA. The total record it compiled was 100,000 pages long. Pulling out the rug beneath Congress after affirming the constitutionality of §203 six years ago shows great disrespect for a coequal branch. [Emphasis added].

. . . .

In the end, the Court’s rejection of Austin and McConnell comes down to nothing more than its disagreement with their results. Virtually every one of its arguments was made and rejected in those cases, and the majority opinion is essentially an amalgamation of resuscitated dissents. The only relevant thing that has changed since Austin and McConnell is the composition of this Court. [Emphasis added].

Justice Stevens concludes:

Today’s decision is backwards in many senses. It elevates the majority’s agenda over the litigants’ submissions, facial attacks over as-applied claims, broad constitutional theories over narrow statutory grounds, individual dissenting opinions over precedential holdings, assertion over tradition, absolutism over empiricism, rhetoric over reality. Our colleagues have arrived at the conclusion that Austin must be overruled and that §203 is facially unconstitutional only after mischaracterizing both the reach and rationale of those authorities, and after bypassing or ignoring rules of judicial restraint used to cabin the Court’s lawmaking power. Their conclusion that the societal interest in avoiding corruption and the appearance of corruption does not provide an adequate justification for regulating corporate expenditures on candidate elections relies on an incorrect description of that interest, along with a failure to acknowledge the relevance of established facts and the considered judgments of state and federal legislatures over many decades.

In a democratic society, the longstanding consensus on the need to limit corporate campaign spending should outweigh the wooden application of judge-made rules. The majority’s rejection of this principle “elevate[s] corporations to a level of deference which has not been seen at least since the days when substantive due process was regularly used to invalidate regulatory legislation thought to unfairly impinge upon established economic interests.” Bellotti, 435 U. S., at 817, n. 13 (White, J., dissenting). At bottom, the Court’s opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the American people, who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self government since the founding, and who have fought against the distinctive corrupting potential of corporate electioneering since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. It is a strange time to repudiate that common sense. While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this Court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics.

This opinion and outcome is judicial activism at its worst. Stevens is spot-on in his criticism of his fellow Justices. The only credible justification for overturning a century of precedent is that the makeup of the Supreme Court has changed with the additions of Roberts and Alito, and that these conservatives pretend to respect precedent while champing at the bit waiting for a chance to overturn precedent with which they disagree.

Roberts is no umpire. He's more like a scam artist hiding in a smoke-filled back room trying to push a counterfeit of the rulebook to help out his team. No doubt the Roberts Court will be remembered better for its majority's intellectual dishonesty and agenda-promoting judicial activism than for its adherence to the rue of law.

Class Acts: Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh

2010-01-14T20:20:00.031-05:00

Pat Robertson showed today what a true class act he can be. As Rachel Maddow points out, he's apparently not content blaming 9-11 on the ACLU, hurricane Katrina on gays and Ariel Sharon's stroke on the Israeli peace process. He's now outdone even his own preposterous self by blaming the Haitian earthquake on a 200-year-old pact with the devil.

Not to stand by idly whilst Robertson pushes what I like to call "The Hate Agenda," Rush Limbaugh chimed in with his own unique perspective. Limbaugh's tone always seems to be on the edge of old white male racial hysteria, and his arguments (though delivered with fervor) reminisce of fingernails scratching a chalkboard. This one is typically bizarre, but then again, my IQ is north of 65, so I'm obviously not a member of his target audience. You can listen to his screed here, but as you probably have guessed by now, there's no real reason to. He accuses President Obama of exploiting the Haitian humanitarian crisis by holding a press conference and offering aid. He further explains that there is no reason to donate to Haiti, as that's what our income taxes are for.

What I love most is when Maddow calls Robertson the "unintended consequences of the First Amendment." I say ditto for Limbaugh.

If you have little interest in listening to these two jackasses, just go to DoctorsWithoutBorders.org or RedCross.org and donate to the relief effort.

With Cherry out, Smith shoots to the front of the pack

2010-01-05T19:37:00.002-05:00

Now that frontrunner John Cherry has dropped out of the race for Michigan governor, Alma Wheeler Smith, our local state representative, has shot to the front of the Democratic pack of candidates.

You can read Smith's reaction to Cherry's withdrawal here.

Changing from a big bank to a local bank

2009-12-30T10:43:00.007-05:00

A long time ago, in what seems like a galaxy far, far away, I commenced a banking relationship with a local bank called Standard Federal. At the time my then employer worked out a pretty good for employees if they switched over. I liked the bank, liked the service, and liked that fact that it had a long history in Southeastern Michigan.

Sometime thereafter, Standard Federal was re-branded to become LaSalle Bank, and in 2007, Bank of America bought LaSalle Corporation and took over its banks. I didn't think about it in terms of anything other than a name change until the financial crash, reports of financial shenanigans and wrongdoing at Bank of America, and my own experience with an obnoxious and annoying BofA employee.

Meredith and I no longer have the level of comfort patronizing BofA than we did before these things happened. I love the online bill paying system, but that is not enough of a reason to continue to patronize a large national bank that exhibits little appreciation for ethical and moral business practices, and at times shows contempt for its customers. We are now thinking of switching over to a local bank.

The question is, which one? What local/regional bank do you use? Why? Let us know who you think we should switch to in the comment section of this post.

Puttin' up the Christmas Tree

2009-12-18T23:06:00.006-05:00

Michigan Workplace Smoking Ban Passes

2009-12-11T07:59:00.002-05:00

Both the Michigan House and Senate passed a workplace smoking ban. Governor Granholm has pledged to sign the bill.

The exemptions are reasonable, the floors of the casinos, cigar bars, and specialty tobacco shops. People can still smoke in their cars and home offices.

Lansing City Council to work on Freedom of Information Policy behind closed doors

2009-11-24T12:33:00.004-05:00

You can read all about it here.

I'm not sure what's funnier, the argument that the group working on transparency issues should not meet in public or be subject to the open Meetings Act, that the group is creating a "legal opinion" just because the lawyer is there, or that a public official will have trouble candidly expressing his or her views in an open meeting. If you can't candidly express your views on transparency in an open meeting, perhaps you should reconsider serving as a public official.

So we are left to wonder whose idea it was to eliminate transparency in the process of reworking the policy on transparancy. I think I see where this may be going. Irony so thick, you slice through it with a knife.

I mean this in the nicest possible way

2009-11-03T21:50:00.003-05:00

I found the cutest note on my daughter's dresser this evening:

Vote FOR the millage TODAY

2009-11-03T06:55:00.003-05:00

It's November 3, 2009. This means today is the day to vote on millage. See below for the many reasons explaining why you should vote YES on this millage.

Tally of contributors to anti-millage campaigns: 1

2009-10-26T21:57:00.006-04:00

Yep, you read that right. The campaign finance statements were due last Friday, and it looks like the anti-millage campaigns have come up with no more than a single source of funding: McKinley Associates, Inc.

Part of what makes this so significant is that McKinley Associates has a substantial financial interest in defeating any millage (not just a school millage), as it holds substantial amounts of rental properties and real estate. There were two contributions from McKinley, one for $50,000 and a second for $25,000. You can view the financial statements here and here.

McKinley has much to gain by stopping a millage. By stopping the millage, McKinley's taxes will be less than if the millage passes. Moreover, $75,000 is pocket change to McKinley, representing less than .003 of its annual revenue of $237.2 Million, on a real estate portfolio worth $2.4 Billion. If your household were to generate a grand total of $50,000 this year, donating a comparable amount would be $150, less than an average car payment. Not exactly a bank-breaker.

Clearly, McKinley considers its interest in its own bottom line to be more important and worthy than the interests of families with schoolchildren. In trying to save on its property taxes, it harms the very communities in which it owns property. Worse yet, these campaign contributions come from revenue generated at least in part by the rent charged by McKinley. I hardly think that is what its renters had in mind when they handed over their rent payments. This, in my view, is greed at its worst.

A second group opposing the millage received no contributions and spent no money. The third group didn't bother to file any statements.

Conversely, the two pro-millage groups generated just over $43,000 from well over 350 contributions, the vast majority of them from individuals living in this area. Most of the contributions were in the $20 - $300 range. You can view their statements here and here. You will find my contribution among the pro-millage supporters.

It is truly wonderful to see so many grass roots, individual contributions from people who know what this millage means to our communities and to our schools. With a state legislature in gridlock and greed controlling the agenda at the state level, this may be the last chance in a long time to give a much needed boost to our schools.

Get out and vote in favor of the millage on November 3, 2009!

Fall leaves

2009-10-25T17:54:00.002-04:00

The view from our yard today was stunning. Here are a few pictures, although they don't do justice to how beautiful things really looked.

Vote YES on Proposal I on November 3

2009-10-18T12:18:00.005-04:00

What is the Regional Enhancement Millage?

This millage is designed to help fund current operations for Ypsilanti Public Schools and the other nine public school districts in Washtenaw County. The funding generated from this millage will only be used for existing programs, not to add new ones. Without this support, the schools face serious staff and service reductions.

Why a millage?

We need good schools, and our schools are in trouble. State funding of schools has not kept pace with inflation for years and YPS has reduced expenditures annually. The current economic downturn threatens to decimate our public school districts.

With the state’s unstable funding, Ypsilanti faces a six million dollar shortfall for the current school year and the 2010-11 school year looks even more bleak. Our neighboring districts face similar shortfalls.

Why is this important?

Investment in our children. Our children need the best preparation possible for the jobs of the future, no matter what they do after high school. The economy is changing, and our schools need the resources to get our kids ready.

The money stays here. Every penny raised by this millage would stay in the county and go directly to teaching the children in the ten districts of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District: Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Lincoln, Manchester, Milan, Saline, Whitmore Lake, Willow Run and Ypsilanti. The state government has not been able to fund our schools adequately; it’s time to take the fate of our schools back into our own hands. That’s why our school leaders have carefully and thoughtfully chosen to address this problem locally by seeking this millage—100% of which will be distributed to our local school districts.

Why do we need to act now?

“School funding is heading toward a crisis point…” – The Ann Arbor News editorial May 31, 2009. Most districts are facing severe shortfalls in next year’s budget—some in the millions of dollars. The Ann Arbor News editorial goes on to say that staff cuts and one-time stimulus money are part of the solution. But, more state cuts in the district's per-pupil funding—which makes up the bulk of the schools’ revenue—are projected for next school year.

Boost for our community. This millage is a long term investment in our community. Industry and businesses are attracted to areas with strong schools and a ready, educated work force. People want to live in communities with good schools, not schools that are always in a funding crisis. Strong schools make our neighborhoods and communities nice places to live.

What has Ypsilanti Public Schools done to reduce costs?

Ypsilanti Public Schools has over 150 years of experience educating children and this tradition has been challenged with the recent cuts in state funding. Schools aren’t in trouble because they are overspending. YPS has cut 17 million from its budget over the past five years. The per-pupil funding from the state has decreased 9% since 1994, after inflation. We’ve lost many of the programs that have made our schools unique. Here are some of the ways we’ve already altered educational programs and facilities:

Eliminated drama and Spanish classes in elementary schools
Closed two schools
Sold Fletcher School to EMU
Reduced staffing in Music, Art and Physical Education
Increased class sizes
Restructured the middle school program, taking away coordinated teaching and teaming and an elective period
Eliminated one liaison officer
Reduced secretarial staffing at YHS
Reduced maintenance staffing
Reduced noon supervisors by 50%
Line item budgets were reduced significantly

How much funding would each district receive?

According to the School Code, the ISD shall distribute 100% of the revenue to its constituent school districts based on the number of students in each district according to the most recent audited pupil count. Using the audited September 2008 pupil count, the annual distribution of enhancement millage revenue is listed to the right.

How much will the millage cost?

Two mills represent a tax of varying size depending on the taxable value of a primary home. On a primary home with a taxable value of $50,000, for example, a two mill increase in property taxes is $100/year. The following chart shows the cost of the additional millage for this and other taxable values for two mills.

Depending on your individual income tax circumstances, the additional property tax paid may be eligible as a federal income tax deduction and/or for the MI Property Tax Credit. Renters do not pay this tax at all.

______________________

Voter information: All registered voters who live in the school districts of Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Lincoln, Manchester, Milan, Saline, Whitmore Lake, Willow Run and Ypsilanti can vote on the proposal. Register to vote by October 5, 2009 – http://michigan.gov/sos.

All the above information came from a flier that was paid for by the Friends of Education Committee P.O. Box 157, Dexter, MI 48130 Larry Cobler, Treasurer. To donate to the campaign, write your check to: Friends of Education, and mail to above address. To donate online, or to learn more visit www.washtenawfriends.org. For a yard sign, email amydoyle@ypsi.com.

To download the flyer, click here.

Political songs and videos

2009-10-14T18:50:00.002-04:00

Obama Girl doing a duet with the Prez:

T-Pain addresses health care by singing a duet with Obama:

Music video for nerds like me

2009-10-03T20:45:00.000-04:00

This is kind of clever:

I hope Carl Sagan isn't rolling over in his grave . . . .

KISS Alive 35 at Cobo Hall

2009-09-26T11:40:00.003-04:00

Last evening, after being stuck all day in Flint in a very long and uneventful deposition, I picked up Sam and George and headed toward Northville to pick up Crazy Dave. We all had plans to attend the KISS concert at Cobo Hall.

When we got to Crazy Dave's house, Dave was still getting ready. We hung out with his dad, who is in town for a couple of weeks, until Dave came downstairs to depart. Much to our surprise, when ready, Crazy Dave entered the room with his face painted to look like Gene Simmons!

OK, that's not really true, but it sure would have been hilarious!

We drove down to Cobo Hall. As we were parking, legions of KISS fans were exiting their cars or tailgating, and a significant percentage of the crowd had KISS face paint on. This had the feel of a true phenomenon. There were more painted faces than you'd expect to see at a Green Bay Packers playoff game!

As we approached Cobo, the concentration of painted and dressed up fans increased. There were Gene Simmons look-alikes with winged jackets, spiked boots and teased hair. The crowd was a riot.

We arrived just after Buckcherry took the stage. They performed all the favorites, from "Lit Up" to "Next 2 You" to "Everything" and "Sorry." They finished their set with "Crazy Bitch" which brought the house down.

KISS was up next. There were several kids right in front of us who loved the concert. And I don't mean that they were "kids" to a 42-year-old. They were actually kids, probably in either elementary school or middle school. They and their parents were having a blast! Although there were less kids than at a Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana concert, there were far more than I've ever seen at any rock concert before. I guess if I loved it when I was 9, so must many other 9-year-olds.

KISS did pretty much all of their notable songs. The only one I think they missed was Beth. There was spitting fire during "Hotter Than Hell." There was splitting blood during the bass solo. There were guitar solos with sparks coming out of the guitar. There was a drum solo on a circular riser. There was flying over the stage and over the crowd. There were pyrotechnics. There were numerous video screens. It was exceptionally loud. It was everything a KISS fan could possibly expect, and then some.

I'll leave you with the KISS party all night anthem, in moving picture form:

Our Elected Representatives in Lansing Should Hang Their Heads in Shame

2009-09-23T21:39:00.005-04:00

Today, a Michigan State House and Senate Conference Committee voted to reduce per student funding to our public school districts by $218 per child. Intermediate School Districts will have their funding reduced by 44%.

Taxpaying citizens of Michigan should not put up with this bullshit. First thing in the morning, I will be calling my elected officials. If we can't provide the public schools with the tools they need to educate our children, then we are doomed as a state. These cuts are completely unacceptable, and elected officials who support this nonsense ought to resign. These officials have been elected to solve these problems, not balance the budget on the backs of our children. If they don't have the dignity to recognize that they are out of their league by voting in favor of these cuts, then they ought to be recalled.

I will also be calling Governor Granholm in the morning to tell her she must veto this budget. I hope you will join me in putting a stop to the nonsense that masquerades as our state government.

UPDATE: Ypsilanti Schools will lose over $800,000 if this budget is approved. We are talking about a retroactive decrease in funding after the start of the school year that will very likely mean reductions to existing programs and layoffs of teachers. Our school district's budget was due prior the start of the fiscal year (July 1, 2009). These cuts are now being made two months after our schools had to put together a budget (with a deficit reduction plan) based on another $800,000 the state thought we would get. This whole state-imposed process is nonsense, and it needs to be changed. Our children deserve better than this.

Public Service Announcement on Public Option

2009-09-22T10:25:00.001-04:00

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Uncle Cracker bests U2

2009-09-19T11:12:00.006-04:00

Maybe hell froze over. Perhaps pigs began to fly. I am entirely unable to explain it. Then again, I never thought Palin would retire before McCain.

I downloaded Uncle Kracker's new record, Happy Hour, and it is fantastic. Lot's of energy, an abundance of soul, and superior production. Mind you, it's probably won't qualify as high art, but it is a great package of pop tunes.

Among my faves on the record are Smile, a good love song, kind of sweet. Livin' the Dream is a cover of a Whitesnake song from the 80s, with some excellent auto-tune vocals. It is much funkier than I ever thought any Whitesnake song could be.

Corner Bar is a lament on the sorry state of Detroit and the economy. Part of the chorus rings true:

Sell me up, sell me down, I'll be sold out sitting here hanging around
Take my house, take my car, but you can't take my seat at the corner bar

Hot Mess and Hey, Hey, Hey exhibit great guitar work and catchy hooks. My only complaint is that it would have been a great summer record if it had been release back in May or June.

When compared to the record I last reviewed, of U2's No Line on the Horizon, Uncle Kracker definitely put together a better record, in my opinion. Sorry Bob, I know you thought that was an instant classic. I beg to differ. Meredith is checking the pre-nup right now to see if she is obligated to listen to Uncle Kracker, and if I can even play it in the house when she is present.

Rep. Joe Wilson: I expect better behavior from my children

2009-09-10T08:21:00.020-04:00

Republican Representative Joe Wilson let his "emotions get the best of" him during President Obama's most recent speech, calling him a liar. I feel his pain. I vividly recall the same thing happening to me. I spent the remainder of the day in detention, in an ugly, faded yellow room. It was next to my homeroom from which I could hear my classmates interacting with and learning from our teacher, Mr. Bozarth. They were clearly having a better time than I was. I was imprisoned for the day with a mean, pinched-faced old lady who wouldn't let me read a book.

Obviously Rep. Wilson did not get the quality public education and upbringing I got. If he had, he would have learned as a child the difference between appropriate and inappropriate public behavior. He would have learned that when people disagree with you, calling them liars tends to be viewed as childish and immature. He would have learned that there are places where proper decorum is to be observed, such as in a courtroom, in the United States House of Representatives, and, for that matter, in a movie theater, where hollering "Fire!" in the absence of one is frowned upon.

The push for better health care has touched a nerve among those satisfied with the status quo, the selfish and the greedy. Clearly, they aren't content debating proposals on the merits. Instead we hear ridiculous accusations of socialism, preposterous stories about death panels, and aggressive labeling of anyone who disagrees as a liar. The government will be able to access your bank account, they say. Illegal immigrants will be entitled to health insurance, they screech.

I wish I could say that I'm outraged, but what I really feel is depressed. This "debate" (if you can call it that), is sad and pathetic. Our country is facing a lot of challenges, and huge swaths of U.S. citizens seem to be embarrassingly ignorant, many of them intentionally so. To them, poverty, disease and climate change are not enemies. Fellow Americans who work toward making America better are. Instead of trying to learn, contribute to and influence the debate, they promulgate falsehoods and work themselves into a frenzy over their own bullshit.

Nowhere has this been exemplified more than by a sitting U.S. Congressman falsely calling our President a liar before millions of people across the entire world. And we wonder why our standing as leader of the free world has eroded.

UPDATE: More from Keith Olbermann at MSNBC:

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