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Steve Myers
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Public money, mayor's choice Williamson donates taxpayer dollars
FLINTTHE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITIONTuesday, July 31, 2007By Marjory Raymermraymer@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6325
FLINT - Mayor Don Williamson is giving away more than his own money.
The multimillionaire businessman is known for taking money out of his own pocket for those in need. But he also quietly gives away taxpayer dollars to churches, block clubs and others.
Williamson doled out more than $30,000 from city coffers in the past fiscal year, according to city records obtained by The Flint Journal through two Freedom of Information Act requests.
The money came from the mayor's expense account - a fund also used by previous city chief executives that is part of the budget of the mayor's office. A detailed look at Williamson's expenses from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, shows:
Williamson gave away a total of $10,000 just before two crucial elections.
Organizations in only some areas of the city benefited.
Churches received $9,300 in donations, including events such as "Taking Jesus to the Streets" and "community evangelism outreach."
"If we have a problem where poor people need something, we use that money," Williamson said. "I don't think you'll find too many people that disagree with that."
He said he uses the mayor's salary - valued at nearly $120,000 - to pay for the expense account. Williamson accepts only $1 a year and doesn't cash the check.
The expense account is budgeted separately from his salary.
"I don't take nothing here, but I do help the poor," he said.
Chekesha Welcome, 29, of Flint said she would prefer that taxpayer dollars are used for other purposes.
"I think the $30,000 really should have been invested in our policing, for the crime that's in our city. We got youth just dying," Welcome said.
City records on how the money was spent include invoices, memos from Williamson to the Finance Department, fliers for events seeking donations and occasional hand-scrawled notes initialed by Williamson ordering the donations.
Incumbent officeholders at all levels long have been accused of using their influence to steer money to allies or to curry votes, especially in election years.
It is common, but it must be done cautiously: Laws strictly forbid the use of taxpayer dollars for religious or campaign purposes.
The mayor's critics eye Williamson's expenses cynically.
"He uses it to buy votes," contended Kate Fields, an east-side community activist and frequent critic of the mayor.
Others say the money goes to good causes
Shirley Caver is president of the Ruth Street Block Club, which records show received two $500 donations . She said the money helped clean up garbage, mow vacant lots, even remove a tree growing on the tennis courts in a nearby park.
"We're just trying to make it look presentable over here," Caver said. "He gave us the money, so we used the money and put it back in the community."
The timing
Williamson's payments from his expense account increased considerably at election time.
One-third of Williamson's expense account charges - both in number and value - came in the weeks just before the August 2006 primary in which his wife, Patsy Lou, was a candidate for state Senate, and in February 2007, when his closest City Council ally, President Darryl Buchanan, successfully survived an attempted recall.
Patsy Lou Williamson lost her bid, but just before the election - from July 13 to Aug. 2, 2006 - there were 10 withdrawals from the expense account totaling $4,700.
At least one of them, $500 to the South Area Crime Watch on July 24, was delivered by Williamson personally at the group's meeting. The agenda showed Patsy Lou Williamson scheduled to be the guest speaker.
"The question could be raised: Is this a little extra incentive to vote for his wife - and for him?" said Mary Boyle, communications director for Common Cause, a government watchdog group based in Washington, D.C.
On Feb. 27, election day for Buchanan, a Williamson memo requested $500 checks for nine block clubs. Only two of the groups were in the 1st Ward, which is represented by Buchanan, but several others are in adjacent wards.
Williamson called the timing of the expense account donations a coincidence.
He said elections have "nothing whatsoever to do with what I do."
The north side
Williamson focused his contributions on Flint's north side, where the largest concentration of black residents live. When he was elected, he bucked the city's traditional racial divide, drawing heavy support from the black community.
Williamson's largest single beneficiary was the Flint branch of the NAACP. Williamson was a gold sponsor for the group's annual Freedom Fund Dinner by giving $3,000, 10 percent of the expense account.
More than half of the money - $18,180 - went to organizations in the 1st and 3rd Wards on the north side. They are represented by Buchanan and Councilman Kerry Nelson, another loyal Williamson ally.
"I don't pay attention to where a block club is located. We work with them 4 billion percent," Williamson said. "The block clubs are the eyes and the ears of the community. You have to help these people."
Caver said she got the Ruth Street Block Club's money by going to weekly meetings of block club presidents, which also are attended by the mayor or a representative, and letting him know what the club needed.
She wishes more block clubs did likewise.
"We appreciate everything the mayor does for us. We do want him to do for the other block clubs and things," Caver said. "If people use the money like I know we did, then I think it will really, really do great things for the city."
In all, 20 block clubs shared in $15,250, about half of the funds in the mayor's expense account.
Block clubs that did not receive money "never notified me" that they needed any cash, Williamson said.
Church vs. state
Churches were the only other group to benefit significantly by donations from the mayor's expense account.
Nine churches split $9,300, including three that got $1,000 checks.
Williamson said all of the money he gave to area churches went to help the poor and came on top of his own personal donations.
"Governments can give to religious organizations, but rules have to be followed," said Hal Downs, president of the Michigan chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
Public money cannot be used for religious purposes because of the separation of church and state.
City records of the financial gifts usually included details on what the money would be used for - for example, buying hot dogs or Halloween candy, paying for senior programs or giving away coats.
But not always.
The only explanation for a $1,000 check to the House of Prayer on Carpenter Road on Feb. 22 was "contribution." House of Prayer is in Buchanan's ward, and the donation came less than a week before the failed recall attempt.
Downs called some donations unacceptable because the churches were "clearly proselytizing."
Records show Williamson funded a planned street ministry called "Taking Jesus to the Street," as well as a "Back to School Soul Winning Extravaganza."
City paperwork said one donation was for "community outreach," although the church's flier called it "community evangelism outreach," city records showed.
Leaders of churches that received a contribution from Williamson's expense account could not be reached for comment Monday.
'I give it to them'
In all, Williamson spent $31,210 from his expense account, slightly more than the $30,000 budgeted. However, as mayor, he can move money within accounts at his discretion.
His expense account wasn't the only place Williamson tapped taxpayer dollars.
In memos, he ordered another $1,400 given to four block clubs from the city administrator's expense account.
City Council members also give away taxpayer money, using ward accounts of $3,000 yearly that each gets. So do Genesee County commissioners, who get $2,000 a year to dole out.
They, too, gave money to churches and for special recognition at community events, a Journal investigation found in April.
Williamson said he uses the money to benefit the community instead of on travel or personal perks as mayor. It is unclear how past mayors used funds in their expense accounts.
"The people that call me and say they need something," Williamson said. "I use my salary for those things. ... I could take it and put it in my pocket. (Instead) I give it to them."
http://www.mlive.com/news/flintjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-45/1185889888206790.xml&coll=5&thispage=1 |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:08 am |
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Bossman
F L I N T O I D
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| Finally someone is making all this stuff public. This guy has been robbing the City blind every since he got elected. Buying votes.....dispicable. |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:56 pm |
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Dave Starr
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1. Does the Charter put any restrictions on how expense accounts may be used?
2. Will the Journal also document how each Councilperson used their expense accounts?
3. Why did the Journal wait until 8 days before the primary to print this? Why didn't they print it sooner?
4. Are the Mayor's opponents simply angry that Don's not part of the Good Ol' Boys Politics as Usual bunch?
5. Who was the last mayor that cared about individual citizens and neighborhoods? |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:59 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Bossman schreef:
Finally someone is making all this stuff public. This guy has been robbing the City blind every since he got elected. Buying votes.....dispicable.
Some call it buying votes.
Others call it helping neighborhoods and ordinary folks. |
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I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:01 pm |
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Steve Myers
Site Admin
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quote:
Dave Starr schreef:
1. Does the Charter put any restrictions on how expense accounts may be used?
2. Will the Journal also document how each Councilperson used their expense accounts?
3. Why did the Journal wait until 8 days before the primary to print this? Why didn't they print it sooner?
4. Are the Mayor's opponents simply angry that Don's not part of the Good Ol' Boys Politics as Usual bunch?
5. Who was the last mayor that cared about individual citizens and neighborhoods?
Dave Starr, I try to stay out of the happenings on the website as much as possible , but you are right, this is ridiculous and to add insult to injury the Journal quotes a head monkey of C-FAG.
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:19 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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| Surely, Your not implying that this current mayor actually gives a shit about the residents of the City of Flint. He has done way way too much to prove he doesn't give a rat's ass about any of us common folk. He has created his own good ole boy network. Old or New neither benifits the community as a whole! |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:06 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Steve Myers schreef:
Dave Starr, I try to stay out of the happenings on the website as much as possible , but you are right, this is ridiculous and to add insult to injury the Journal quotes a head monkey of C-FAG.
Actually I believe your partially correct. This is OLD NEWS!!! This stuff should have been reported on months ago! Not wait until now to report on it.
While the article is right on. It's rather shoddy reporting to wait until now to do so.
As for reporting on city council. Yes they did report on council members in the past and yes it was just before election time! So maybe that's the only time they consider that news! |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:41 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Lets be fair and balanced here folks, the city council also has money they can donate to groups. About 4 years ago, Mark Horrigan gave my neighborhood $500.00 out of his account. ( which those accounts are set up to do exactly that ).
Also, to be fair and balanced other Mayors in the past have always donated and given money to different groups and non profits. Why are people even talking about this now? Whats the problem? This has always been policy and in other years with other mayors the amount has been even more.
Sounds like people just trying to dig up negative stuff during the campaign to me.
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:00 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
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For over 10 years now that I know of Mayors and City Council people have had accounts where they can donate monies to different groups and non profits. What is the point of the story?
quote:
Dave Starr schreef:
1. Does the Charter put any restrictions on how expense accounts may be used?
2. Will the Journal also document how each Councilperson used their expense accounts?
3. Why did the Journal wait until 8 days before the primary to print this? Why didn't they print it sooner?
4. Are the Mayor's opponents simply angry that Don's not part of the Good Ol' Boys Politics as Usual bunch?
5. Who was the last mayor that cared about individual citizens and neighborhoods?
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:01 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Lets be fair and balanced here folks, the city council also has money they can donate to groups. About 4 years ago, Mark Horrigan gave my neighborhood $500.00 out of his account. ( which those accounts are set up to do exactly that ).
Also, to be fair and balanced other Mayors in the past have always donated and given money to different groups and non profits. Why are people even talking about this now? Whats the problem? This has always been policy and in other years with other mayors the amount has been even more.
Sounds like people just trying to dig up negative stuff during the campaign to me.
I could also see it that way!
Good Point |
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Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:49 am |
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Ryan Eashoo
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I am not sticking up for him, nor am I taking sides. However, lets be fair and balanced here.
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:12 pm |
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Adam
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quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
I am not sticking up for him, nor am I taking sides. However, lets be fair and balanced here.
Aren't you supposed to be on his side? |
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Adam
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Mysearchisover.com
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FB
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Jobs
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Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:15 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
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Well he is my uncle Don, so i guess yeah I should be!
quote:
Adam schreef:
quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
I am not sticking up for him, nor am I taking sides. However, lets be fair and balanced here.
Aren't you supposed to be on his side?
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:03 pm |
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FlintWorker67
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Ryan and the mayor are close friends!
quote:
Adam schreef:
quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
I am not sticking up for him, nor am I taking sides. However, lets be fair and balanced here.
Aren't you supposed to be on his side?
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City of Flint Employee Who is pissed off and tired of the decline of our City! |
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Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:30 pm |
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Biggie9
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I know I am "Johnny-come-lately" on this issue, as I have been out of town.
It is unclear to me as to whether the Donald has broken any regulations/rules/laws. The article seems to imply that there is something with the [or any mayor I suppose] mayor giving money away because it is tax-payer money to these groups, some of which may not be qualified charities.
Well, if there are no regulations on the expense/office-holder accounts; it seems to me perfectly legitimate. Maybe not the best choice from a image stand-point. If there are restrictions on the funds uses, then he should be held accountable. But as has been pointed out, the council has a fund for each member to use as they see fit.
So where's the beef? As long as the don isn't claiming the donations on his income tax, it sounds like he is not doing anything illegal. |
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Biggie |
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Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:17 pm |
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