| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
|
| How can people so quickly forget? Let the record show. As it is in the record! It was the Former City Council that figured out there was a problem! When the Mayor was handed the City, it WAS NOT IN FINACIAL TROUBLE!!! HE DID NOTHING!! TO BRING IT OUT OF TROUBLE!!! ITWAS THE FORMER COUNCIL, THIER BUDGET, THAT WAS ADOPTED AND USED BY MR. KURTZ. THE DON DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! Except figure out ways to fine citizens for being victims of CRIME in this city! Which has become a cash cow for the city. What other city in the USA FINES THEIR CITIZENS for getting their cars stolen. Then do nothing to find the people that stole the car, and make them pay the City Fines! Where are you guys getting your information??? No wonder Flint can’t get any better. When people don’t pay attention to what is happening, and repeat things they dreamed up and claim them as facts. |
|
|
Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:25 pm |
|
|
Ehren Gonzales
Guest
|
Come on Ted. You make it sound like the previous council would have this city looking like the perfect paradise if they were running the city. With jobs galore, zero crime, zero blight and a fifty million dollar surplus. Maybe you are living in Pleasantville, but you know they were part of the problem. So give credit where it is due, but also hold them accountable for decisions they made to that lead to many of the problems we are dealing with today. Remember many on the council at the time had been there for quite awhile through three mayors and one financial manager. But, they had relationship problems with each mayor and the financial manager. The common thread: council was consistent for the most part.
You say it was the past council's budget that led to us getting out of the financial trouble. I disagee. But if you do make that arguement then remember it was the previous council that approved the budgets in the past that got us into the trouble in the first place. Accountability lies square on the council if this is your arguement.
They created many city hardships as well, i.e., voting to pay themselves back pay of over $250,000 as their first action when the state takeover was removed. That was totally ridiculous. Only one had the common sense to not accept the back pay (Murphy). Remember the city losing $1.4M in federal HUD funding because the council and the Mayor could not agree on how to use the money. Remember the lawsuit to save their money: paid out of city dollars.
To bring this city back everyone must work together to make it happen. It seems at times the city is too divided to let this happen. But I for one will keep trying.
Ehren |
|
|
|
Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:11 am |
|
|
flintteach9
Guest
|
| Flint will not recover until the future decides to educate themselves and those who have taken that path decide to stay local and give back. It ain't happening folks ! I see it each and every year. The best of the best that Flint has to offer are leaving and NOT coming back. Flint will be left with the vile that you now see walking and ruling the streets. |
|
|
|
Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:34 am |
|
|
Adam
Guest
|
| I thought Stanley left us with a rather lardge budget deficit. We currently have a balanced budget if I'm not mistaken. |
|
|
|
Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:05 pm |
|
|
Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
Come on Ted. You make it sound like the previous council would have this city looking like the perfect paradise if they were running the city. With jobs galore, zero crime, zero blight and a fifty million dollar surplus. Maybe you are living in Pleasantville, but you know they were part of the problem. So give credit where it is due, but also hold them accountable for decisions they made to that lead to many of the problems we are dealing with today.
Absolutely. I give credit where credit is due! I do not assume or pretend that if we had the Old Council that I’d be able to drive down Saginaw street and catch every stop light GREEN. Not is not even close to what I'm saying. This council just as the last council. Only approves and bases its decisions on the figures and numbers given by the Mayor and his administration. When I talk about the Budget they approved that was accepted and put forth to Mr. Kurtz This was done. With the correct numbers available because there was no Mayor. They Fixed it. Not Kurtz Not Don, just as I believe if the situation where the same now. This Council Using the correct figures would step up to the plate also. Only judging on how everything the Don wants the Don Gets. I’m lacking in the faith to accept that if certain council members knew that was something that illegal being done. They wouldn’t say a word.
quote:
Remember many on the council at the time had been there for quite awhile through three mayors and one financial manager. But, they had relationship problems with each mayor and the financial manager. The common thread: council was consistent for the most part.
There is a difference between working with a Mayor, Being a Check and Balance, and just plain being obstructive. From everything I've seen and had dealing with the Mayor. He was the one being Obstructive. It was not the council. Amazing how all these people supported him, then all of a sudden they were puke on the rug. They were being the Check as they are supposed to be. Not the rubber stamp this council appears to be.
quote:
You say it was the past council's budget that led to us getting out of the financial trouble. I disagree. But if you do make that argument then remember it was the previous council that approved the budgets in the past that got us into the trouble in the first place. Accountability lies square on the council if this is your argument.
Again See Above! It can happen to you guys just as easily as it happened to them! As it is written in the charter. You cannot just go in and ask for information. You MUST Go through the Mayors office. If that is the only information your allowed to have. What decision will you make? Your going to make the best decision off the information you have. That’s why I don’t agree with many of the decisions you’ve all made. I understand that you didn’t have all the information. Or it was based on what you believed to be the best information. I will always fall back on a bad decision is still bad. But, don’t continue to beat up on those who made the decision. Go for the one that provided the information.
quote:
They created many city hardships as well, i.e., voting to pay themselves back pay of over $250,000 as their first action when the state takeover was removed. That was totally ridiculous. Only one had the common sense to not accept the back pay (Murphy)..... Remember the lawsuit to save their money: paid out of city dollars.
They all deserved their back pay! It was rightfully SO! Ever heard of the Whistle Blowers Law. It obviously doesn't apply to elected officials. They Blew the whistle. They took it to the State! The State finally stepped in. Then, retaliated against them by cutting their pay! So much for the Whistle Blowers Law! Why was that ridiculous? If Ford went Bankrupt and the Judge decided you were to work without pay, or just a dollar a day? How long would you remain? Then to top it off. Peggy Cook was one of the council that asked for and received her back pay. Right Fully SO! POLITICS POLITICS POLITICS!!! Then the Mayor makes her City Administrator. Rewards her for doing the same thing everyone else on the Council Did. He gives her a high paying position in City government, that she isn't qualified for. Hmmm Seems a bit fishy to me.
quote:
Remember the city losing $1.4M in federal HUD funding because the council and the Mayor could not agree on how to use the money.
I remember Clearly! It was already approved, where the funds were going to be spent. The process had already been followed. Public input and council approval had already been made. Then, the mayor decides he didn't want the money to go where everybody had already worked and followed procedure to spend the money had agreed upon. That wasn't good enough for the Mayor. He wanted to bring more poverty stricken people, without jobs, with no hope of finding a job here. TO FLINT. Spend this money that was already gone through the proper process, following HUD guidelines to be spent. In order to do the mayors proposal, we would have eventually have had to pay the monies back. It never followed any of the guidelines r process that has been laid out in HUD guidelines.
So are you saying you would have voted to bring 80 impoverished families to Flint, that didn’t have jobs, where we had no jobs for them?
If flint had a thriving economy, if unemployment was so low a job at McDonalds meant a livable wage. (in some parts of the USA McDonalds people make more than I do, just taking orders). I would have been for bringing those people here also. And I’ll bet, the former council would have opted that way also. Even held special meetings to make sure the Process was followed correctly. Since The Mayor has contempt for any rules of laws that require him to be held accountable to the People of Flint. What I seen was they were attempting to be reasonable with an unreasonable Mayor. Hmmm Are you going to seriously argue the Mayor has been reasonable?
THEN to top it off. The Mayor sues the people that didn't do the projects because they didn't receive the money that they were supposed to from the 1.4 million? Hmm what was the outcome of that? The Mayor Lost, City LOST! Another of the failing lawsuits of the Mayor! How many failed lawsuits is that for the Mayor since he’s been in office. You guys seem so quick to blame the former council for the Mayor’s lack of cooperation. That’s what kills me.
quote:
To bring this city back everyone must work together to make it happen. It seems at times the city is too divided to let this happen. But I for one will keep trying.
SO we place the foundation of moving forward in Lies and deceitfulness? That is not the foundation I want to build and bring the city to the level it should be. I'm sure you've heard the Story of Wise man you built his house upon a Rock and the foolish man that built it on the Sand? Basically if an argument is built upon falsehoods. It will eventually fall apart. Don't you think it a bit unethical that during the Campaign that the Mayor support only opponents of previous Council members, Calling all of the Thieves for "stealing the citizens’ money" Which BTW Mr. Freeman was not even a council person during that time! Who was also a BIG supporter of Don Williamson! And Don calls him a thief for stealing the city’s money! That’s reasonable?
Let's try lead by example. The city has rules called the Charter and Ordinances. How can the city on one hand remove peoples cars from their yards for violating City Ordinance (zoning) then store them in an area the is in violation of City Ordinance? You cannot have it both ways! Especially when it would be so simple for the Mayor to have the area REZONED!?! Or would it? or How about fining people for getting their cars stolen in Flint? Another one of his brilliant ideas to keep Flint in the Black. Just wonderful. take advantage of citizens misfortune. The Good news for me is. That with just under three percent of the city population having to be subjected to getting their cars stolen. Maybe as it continues to grow, and the Police refuse to even attempt to find out who is stealing cars in flint because the City is making big bucks at it. Eventually someone like yourself, who has some authority will get hit also. But, I’m sure your just going go down and get your car and Pay your fines and leave the Impound thrilled to death that your car getting stolen is a great benefit to the people of the City of Flint. What will really get your goat is when you figure out that you can visually see evidence and fingerprints that are obviously the ones of the thieves that stole your car. LOL I just don't see how any reasonable person would think this is a good idea? I guess everyone in Local government has the same attitude as our Police. If you don't like the crime in Flint, MOVE! If you don't like being fined for getting your car stolen here, MOVE. Fees, Fines, Taxes, Levies, semantics. They are all the same thing. Turning a profit of victims of poor policing is not the foundation I believe Flint should be looking for to rebuild it's image. Clearly violating State and city election laws and rules, violating state laws is not what I would consider a foundation for rebuilding Flint. That's not the example or image Flint leaders should be promoting. Just the Fact that they Mayor used Dealer Vehicles with dealer plates is enough of a violation for me. It shows a disrespect and disdain for the laws of the State. I do not have a problem with Don using as many of his own vehicles he wants. That’s not the issue. The issue is the use of vehicles with Dealer Plates. It is clearly a violation of the Law. It shows his continued lack of respect for the Law! While I appreciate his Kick Ass Take names attitude. He still has to follow the rules just like everyone else. TO thumb his nose up at the law disturbs me greatly.
On a side note and along the same lines. Why is it political to ask that our elected leaders follow the same laws everyone else has to? You are attempting to make it political. I didn't! The problem is too many people including you, seem to feel that the rules don't have to apply to certain people. If they are caught and the people complain. Then it’s obviously political. I don't care if it is Don, Coleman, Stanley. If any of them were doing the same thing. I'd be right were I'm at now. (Maybe not, because it was this mayor that influenced my support and involvement in the first place. So maybe I would have remained as the majority of Flint and just hopped on the Don Band Wagon and ignored his stupidity) The reason, I am getting so involved Is. I believed Cousin DON. I took what he was saying to heart, wanted to get involved. I believed in accountability. He was saying all the right things. But, so far, I figured out real quick. Within the First year. that he had no intention of tackling the real problems that would bring this city back. CRIME! Fix it! and everything else will turn around. Ignore it. (As has been the case) and the only thing that will change. Is Criminals will have better streets to drive on as they steal your car! For the record. By the time Mr. Freeman was elected the first time around. I had already been formulating my opinion of the Mayor. Based on the Mayor’s actions. I didn’t vote for him the first time around. Because, he had the support of the mayor who had lied to me and the rest of the City about how he was going to hold people accountable. So I wasn’t a fan of Mr. Freeman. Until after, I watched as he learned the ropes, and came to the same conclusions I had already come to.
For me this has nothing to do with being political. To me it is a right or wrong type issue. Ethical or Unethical, Truth or Lie. I’ll always stand for the truth and what is the right thing to do, no matter how much people attempt to smear it. It is apparent, that whether it’s right or wrong. That’s not the Mayor’s concern. It is whether he wants it or not. He has screwed the people, Screwed the former council, and if you don’t watch it. He will screw you also. i don't understand, your a smart guy. you have and can see it all around you. don't think for a minute he won't. |
|
|
|
Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:11 pm |
|
|
Guest 7
Guest
|
Don Williamson is cleaning up this City. People are seeing results.
New Garbage Trucks.
More Streets being paved.
More Cops on the streets.
The re birth of Downtown Flint.
5-15 Houses a week being torn down by the city. ( not to mention Land Bank tearing houses down too)
Parks being cleaned up, re opened.
The city is back in the black ( no pun intended) there is no huge deficet.
People are workin together, black and white. All 9 wards.
The race card is hardly ever thrown out no more. |
|
|
|
Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:32 pm |
|
|
Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
|
New Garbage Trucks Cost well over 120,000 more paid for these than it should have cost.
Can't argue with the Streets being paved. this is definitely the most street work I've ever seen in Flint. Only I wonder about the logic behind borrowing from sewer fund to cover costs. I am thrilled it's getting done.
More Cops??? Big deal. How about More doing their jobs. Crime up 30 percent in just two years! It was following a 10 year trend of going down. Why did it all of a sudden jump under the Mayor's lack of leadership? Hmmm Personally, I’d rather have police doing their jobs and crime going down. Rather than my street paved. But that's just me. See with lower crime will come Jobs, economic development, rising home values, lower insurance rates. Maybe then I could catch all green lights on Saginaw.
Downtown rebirth? Hmmm I've believe that when I see it! We've heard that at least once every three years. I still don't see people clambering to go downtown to work or play or spend time.
I'm thrilled also with all the houses being torn down. It's not fast enough, but it's moving in the right direction. On the other hand. Why does he fight so hard to keep houses from being built in the City? Hmmm Maple village, Eastside, etc??
Parks,, now there is an interesting topic. The Pie Lady directing Parks employees repainting the Parks? Hmmm Seems fishy to me. I'm waiting to find out how many other parks have been repainted lately and what color they were painted. I'll have to get back to you on this one.
City in the Black. Hmmm How hard is it to balance a check book when your using the correct information and numbers. The Budget that brought us out of the takeover wasn't even his. It really wasn't even the appointed Manager's. But, It's great we are acting responsibly for the most part. I'm not thrilled with Paying more for goods and services from outside the City Contractors, when in the City contractors have the exact same quality product and services. I think that is completely wrong. But, we aren't in the Red yet. But we haven't received the bill on the 200 plaintiffs over the sewer litigation yet either. Isn't it wonderful we could have settled for under 330 thousand but get to pay 1.5 Million? Or maybe paying 120,000 for a paper boy or another 120,000 for violating the Contract with Police officers is only a small pot. I mean what's a quarter a million when he only receives a dollar for the doing such a fine job.
And granted, i don't see the race card being played as white person. but, I’m disgusted with the attitude of many of his white supporters as to the reasoning behind why they supported him. And in those peoples eyes he can do no wrong. I am not impressed with the amount of Black people he has working for him. But he sure knows how to show up at Senior Centers had hand out his pocket change. |
|
|
|
Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:30 pm |
|
|
wantajobCallpatsy
Guest
|
the city isnt exactly affirmative action friendly you say?
out of the last 12 permanent positions filled at the water treatment plant, all 12 have been white(not counting the Indian that has come and quit). and, the last permanent position filled was with the son of patsy lou's wealthy friend.
also, currently there are over 5 open positions just not being offered to the public... |
|
|
|
Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:40 am |
|
|
Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
|
| Actually what I'm saying is. That Considering Flint is Majority of black poeple living here. Wouldn't it make sense that the Majority of City Employees and Contractors would be black? Why would a Majority need special incentives (ie affirmative action). Now, we know this desn't happen. But why doesn't it? |
|
|
|
Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:32 am |
|
|
Adam Ford
F L I N T O I D
|
| I have heard Flint contracts employees from outside the city instead of hiring from within like they could at the Parks department. When you hire contractors from outside of Flint you are likely to be hiring white people. Although this hurts mostly black people as Flint is mostly black there are obviously white people in Flint that also don't get hired. Our police also live outside of Flint. That's a good way to get less black officers and raise racial tension. I really don't understand why our police can't be Flint citizens and live inside Flint and pay Flint property taxes. Not only our we doing anti-affirmative action we our supporting other cities at the expense of Flint. |
|
|
|
Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:11 pm |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Open chat
