The following note is going to be given to City Council members today as they receive information from the Financial Advisory Board and the work they are doing on "City Employment Terms". A draft copy of the CET presentation was obtained during the 'secret' FAB meeting on July 12 at 1:30pm. Please note the concessions in the document.
This special meeting of the Council of the Whole will be held at 1:30pm today, July 16. Click here for a print ready PDF of this update which we encourage being distributed. Pass along a copy to those persons you care about and whom care about Detroit.
This special meeting of the Council of the Whole will be held at 1:30pm today, July 16. Click here for a print ready PDF of this update which we encourage being distributed. Pass along a copy to those persons you care about and whom care about Detroit.
Open letter to: Mayor Dave Bing, Detroit City Council, and citizens
With the move to bring suit against Ms. Krystal Crittendon for her efforts to protect the City from an illegal takeover, the Mayor and the Governor have shown their determination to dismantle the City of Detroit as we have known it and redesign it for the wealthy, the banks and the corporations. The City Council was elected to serve the interests of the majority population of Detroit; however, our rights are being ignored. The Council has the authority and ethical responsibility to hold City departments and all providers of services to the City accountable. Council Members have the power to ensure that the law will be upheld. They can stop the corruption and lawlessness that we have seen from the Mayor and the Governor.
We demand that the City Council take actions to halt the illegal takeover and war against the people of Detroit. This war has escalated and is being carried out on every front:
We appeal to our fellow citizens to stand up and resist this oppressive takeover! Make your voices heard! Show up at City Council meetings on Tuesdays! Show up at the demonstrations! We are the change makers that we are waiting for!
With the move to bring suit against Ms. Krystal Crittendon for her efforts to protect the City from an illegal takeover, the Mayor and the Governor have shown their determination to dismantle the City of Detroit as we have known it and redesign it for the wealthy, the banks and the corporations. The City Council was elected to serve the interests of the majority population of Detroit; however, our rights are being ignored. The Council has the authority and ethical responsibility to hold City departments and all providers of services to the City accountable. Council Members have the power to ensure that the law will be upheld. They can stop the corruption and lawlessness that we have seen from the Mayor and the Governor.
We demand that the City Council take actions to halt the illegal takeover and war against the people of Detroit. This war has escalated and is being carried out on every front:
Suppression and Denial of Voting Rights
The conspiracy of Republicans and the Governor will result in keeping the repeal of Public Act 4 off the ballot for the November election. This act usurps our rights to elect the government officials who will represent us, taking away the rights guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution.Union Busting and Disregard of Workers' Rights
Agreements previously made through negotiations with unions are being disregarded, in outright rejection of the principle of collective bargaining. Retirement benefits/pensions, cost of living adjustments, health coverage, sick leave, furlough days and many other provisions that were won by workers over generations of struggle and sacrifice will be cut drastically or eliminated by the plan to be presented to Council on July 16, 2012, as the "City Employment Terms."Education
This week Roy Roberts will present an action plan for the schools that will decimate DPS and ensure that our children will be undereducated and unable to achieve the fulfilling lives they deserve. It is possible that these ruthless strategies will culminate in closure of all the public schools, passing the school system to private companies, supporting the growth of wealth for the rich on the backs of our children.Housing and Razing of Neighborhoods
Instead of taking actions to secure the people's homes against foreclosure, the City is involved in placing millions of dollars with companies to carry out massive demolition projects. These contracts are awarded overwhelmingly to individuals and companies outside the City of Detroit. These plans worsen the problems of homelessness, reduce the availability of affordable housing, and weaken the stability of remaining neighborhoods and families.Department of Human Services Elimination
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is being dismantled, with plans to turn a federally funded program over to a private entity. Citizens are experiencing cutbacks and the end of services essential to their health, safety and wellbeing - especially seniors and single heads-of-household, which struggle to keep up with utilities, food, and other basic needs.Transportation
Under the direction of a private contractor, the Detroit Transportation System (DDOT) is now in total disarray. Workers earning basic wages have lost their jobs and have no hope for rehire. DDOT is fraught with - cutbacks, schedule reductions, and elimination of major routes. Many bus riders desperate for basic wage jobs have lost their employment due to a lack of reliable and affordable transit options.Public Lighting and Utilities
The city and state governments intend to pass a bill that will allow proper street lighting for selected sections of the City, while other sections are left in the dark. Though the citizens are required to pay increased taxes for infrastructure needs such as public lighting, these services remain shamefully inadequate. With the high cost of utilities, citizens are unable to keep up payments and suffer shutoffs to their services, sometimes resulting in death.Land Usage
The city is rezoning residential land parcels to be available for corporate farming so that massive tracts of land can be allocated to agribusinesses, like Hantz Farms. At the same time Detroiters are being pushed out of their homes through predatory lending practices, foreclosures and evictions, while city officials harass community farmers who are trying to establish food security, strong neighborhoods, and Safe Streets.Public Safety and Security
At a time when crime, victimization, fires, and other emergencies are soaring cuts to fire, law enforcement, and EMS are made. Grants and other special relief funds are not sought, dismissed, or accepted. This means residential and business communities exist under a veil of fear and a lack of public trust.Militarization, Harassment & Criminalization of Citizens
The City has agreed to a multi-jurisdictional task force of law enforcement agencies that will escalate the harassment, brutalization and criminalization of Detroit citizens. Ultimately this will lead to increased incarceration of young African Americans. Increased criminalization of our youth feeds the prison pipeline and private profit.We appeal to our fellow citizens to stand up and resist this oppressive takeover! Make your voices heard! Show up at City Council meetings on Tuesdays! Show up at the demonstrations! We are the change makers that we are waiting for!
Free Detroit - No Consent holds weekly meetings on Thursdays at 6pm. Please call 313-444-0061 to get location information.
We are urging the public to file ethics complaints. We have crafted a version of the Ethics Complaint form with our findings within. We would like to work with you and please assist us in assembling a large number of complaints turned in to the Board of Ethics. The next scheduled meeting is July 27 at 3pm. Details can be found on the Calendar page of the website. Note: You can view the calendar in agenda mode using a button at top right of the display. This may make for an easier to read, and print format.
We are urging the public to file ethics complaints. We have crafted a version of the Ethics Complaint form with our findings within. We would like to work with you and please assist us in assembling a large number of complaints turned in to the Board of Ethics. The next scheduled meeting is July 27 at 3pm. Details can be found on the Calendar page of the website. Note: You can view the calendar in agenda mode using a button at top right of the display. This may make for an easier to read, and print format.
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