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| Should Flint File for Bankruptcy? |
| yes |
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69% |
[ 9 ] |
| no |
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30% |
[ 4 ] |
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| Total Votes : 13 |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Adam- Brian Starr is absolutely correct. I had a long conversation with a recently retired Genesee County individual. He informed me that our unfunded pension healthcare is far larger than I realized. Also Brown's unwillingness to solve the water crisis, the illegal street light assessment , the Genesee County Landbank brownfield plan, the tax abatements for 11 downtown businesses and other issues will all contribute to future insolvency.
We also discussed the relationships of new contractors having ties to the Republican Governor Snyder and the many conflicts of interest evolving. Flint is still over assessing homes as the home values are still declining. The city would have no money in tax revenues if the houses were properly assessed.
Every time a bond is issued to reduce the deficit, the city must use futere revenue sharing dollars to repay the bond.
Adam-you are right and Flint will eventually file bankruptcy. Brown only cares about reducing the deficit as that is his only task. He has no concerns about Flint being able to continue as a viable entity. |
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Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:06 pm |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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| I'm curious what our numbers are? What percent of our budget goes to pensions? What is our total deficit? How do our revenues versus expenses currently look? |
_________________
Adam
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Mysearchisover.com
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FB
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Jobs
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Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:13 pm |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:25 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The manner in which consumers cuts trees that endanger the lines damages the trees. There is some disease that is attacking the maple trees in the north end. I have seen large white beatles come from the damaged area of these trees. There are many dead trees in my area and in some other areas.
The city has great liability with these trees especially with the drought. In the past under similar weather conditions, a heavy rainstorm just had the trees falling over. I don't believe Brown kept any forestry people, just hired more contractual and appointees.
The city planted a number of these large rees over the sewer connections and that causes grief for many residents. The tree roots, especially in a drought choke out out the sewers and people have to have the sewer cleaners out often.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:12 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:43 am |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:26 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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quote:
Adam schreef:
I think we should either sell our trees or trim them. Another tornado like the beecher one would cause some horrific damage and possibly deaths in Flint with our overgrown trees.
D.C. area power outages after storm could last for days
MANY REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES IN FLINT BLOCKING STREETS AND CREATING HAZARDS LAST NIGHT IN THE STORM. |
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Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:40 am |
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brianstarr
F L I N T O I D
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| well im glad that someone finally agrees with me that this town is headed for a eventual bankruptcy and its going to be caused by lack of total overall revenue thats why i keep harping on the fact that its really not going to matter what type of businesses they put downtown because like i keep saying the citys too far gone money wise over all and in the words of daniel bryan yes yes yes flints going to have to eventually file for bankruptcy |
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Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:50 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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I saw a Flint crew trying to deal with a downed tree on fifth near Grand Traverse. They had the very old log loader.(didn't council authorize purchase of a new one?)
Meanwhile both east bound laanes of Welch by Seminole and Euclid were blocked by a downed tree that occurred last night.
Many of the old dead and nearly dead trees lost branches or went down. Someone needs to deal with why the maple trees are dying in large numbers. |
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Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:25 pm |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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"Someone needs to deal with why the maple trees are dying in large numbers."
Those maple trees along parkways (between sidewalk and street), many of them planted in the 1950s, have been dying because of shallow girdling roots strangling the life out of them. If you see tips of branches starting to die off, look at the base of the tree, you'll see the girdling root growing around the base of the tree like a snake. |
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Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:39 am |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:01 pm |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:02 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Adam- We may be closer to bankruptcy. Today's on line Journal shows Brown transferring the Flint Emploee retiremen (FERS) to the Michigan Employee retirement (MERS) |
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Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:11 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint emergency manager pushing controversial pension fund shift to state system
Published: Friday, July 06, 2012, 11:20 AM
By Kristin Longley | klongley1@mlive.com
FLINT, MI -- Flint's emergency manager is proposing to shift the city's locally controlled, nearly half-billion-dollar pension fund to a statewide system based in Lansing.
Emergency manager Michael Brown's administration estimates the Flint pension fund's move to Michigan's Municipal Employee Retirement System (MERS) could potentially save the cash-strapped city more than $1.5 million a year in administrative costs while improving service to the city's current and future retirees.
But the change is already being opposed by some retirees and questioned by union representatives who fear that losing local control could endanger their retirement funds and put the city's already unstable finances in further jeopardy.
The city's $460-million pension system is about 68 percent funded, according to the latest available valuation in June 2010.
Brown said transferring the local system to MERS was recommended by a legacy costs committee that Brown formed soon after taking over as Flint's state-appointed emergency manager on Dec. 1. The committee was chaired by Flint's former emergency financial manager Ed Kurtz, who led the city's first takeover in 2002-04.
"It would be good for the employees and good for the city in the long run," Brown said of the switch.
So far, transferring the system has failed to pass a deadlocked Flint Retirement Board, which voted 4-4 on the issue in May and June at meetings in which several members and alternates were absent.
Brown said the plan now is to bring the pension transfer proposal back to the retirement board for another vote.
Another meeting is scheduled for July 24, but could be called sooner.
City retiree Don Phillips said it doesn't make sense to transfer the pension system to Lansing, where he fears it will be harder for local members to air their grievances or closely follow their investments.
Such a transfer was proposed years ago, but was halted after retirees opposed it, said Phillips.
"Why transfer a half-billion dollars out of your control?" said Phillips, a former city pension board member who retired in 1985. "Why the city wants to push it to get rid of (local control of) the retirement system, I just don't know why they would do it."
Phillips has threatened legal action if the city moves ahead with the transfer.
There are several legal questions surrounding such a transfer, including whether MERS is funded enough to take on the pension system of a city under a state takeover.
Public Act 4 says the receiving system, in this case MERS, has to be at least 80 percent funded. MERS is funded at about 76 percent as of 2010, according to information given to the retirement board.
"If it ever comes about, it's going to go to court," Phillips said of any transfer.
More than 800 municipalities are part of the MERS statewide system. Flint would be the largest if it joins, a title currently held by Ingham County.
Brown said MERS can provide better service because it has a large customer service team. City officials have said MERS investments also outperformed the Flint system from 2007-2011.
The pension system transfer would be the latest significant change in a series of decisions Brown has made regarding retirees and their benefits since he took office. In addition to the city's projected $25 million deficit, it also has growing legacy costs but fewer active employees contributing to the pension system.
Brown implemented a prescription medication change requiring use of generics that is currently being challenged in court. And, all employee groups are now being required to increase their pension contribution rates substantially to 9.5 percent to 12 percent of their salaries, depending on the group.
Meanwhile, Brown also imposed changes to the board membership, removing board member Scott Kincaid and board alternate Sheldon Neeley, both of whom are city council members and were absent for the meetings in March, April, May and June.
Brown added council members Joshua Freeman and Bryant Nolden.
When Brown was asked if he made the change in order to get the vote he wanted, Brown said "I felt a change was necessary there. I made it. I have the power to do that."
Kincaid said he's not necessarily opposed to a pension transfer to MERS.
The city system has had troubles over the years, including lawsuits from retirees over calculation mistakes, officials said.
Kincaid said he's more concerned about how the shift would affect the city's required annual contribution.
That question has also been raised by the city's largest employee union, AFSCME, which is wary of the pension shift. A representative of the union recently sent a letter to the retirement board, urging officials to take caution against making "any rash decisions."
"At first blush, a number of important and unanswered questions have given 'cause for pause' and much concern to our members," reads the letter from AFSCME Council 25 Secretary-Treasurer Lawrence Roehrig.
The city of Flint's annual contribution is based on a 30-year actuarial assumption, whereas MERS is based on 25 years and has a goal of eventually moving to 20 years.
That change would increase the city's required annual contribution, which could put more stress on the city's already strained general fund, which pays for city services like police and fire.
Flint Finance Director Jerry Ambrose said MERS is aware of the potential impact such a change would have on the city, "and has indicated their willingness to work with the city to minimize that impact by not instituting an immediate change in the actuarial assumption."
In a letter to the pension board, Ambrose said the emergency manager's legacy costs committee concluded that they can see "no value in the City managing a pension system plan that can be done better and less expensively by MERS."
Brown said he wants to improve the system for retirees, especially in light of errors that had been made in the past that cost the city in lawsuits.
"Those are issues we really want to do away with in the future," he said. "We want to really make sure we're doing best by the employees."
Still, stakeholders want to make sure all their questions are answered before a decision is made.
"(Our members) must be assured that our investments are safe, and that we participate fully in having our questions answered before you vote in favor of any changes to FERS," Roehrig's letter says. "As trustees you have a solemn obligation to ensure that the pension plan remains viable." |
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Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:31 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Storm damage leaves Flint residents trapped at dead end; Some blame layoffs for delay
Published: Thursday, July 05, 2012, 12:04 PM Updated: Thursday, July 05, 2012, 1:46 PM
By Kristin Longley | klongley1@mlive.com
Kristin Longley | MLive.comA fallen tree across Nolen Drive in Flint left some residents trapped on a dead end street this morning following an overnight storm that caused a significant amount of debris throughout the city.
FLINT, MI -- Some Flint residents are trapped this morning after the overnight storm caused a tree to snap and fall across a dead end street.
The residents of at least 10 houses on Nolen Drive in the Mott Park neighborhood were still stuck as of 10 a.m. this morning, leaving some questioning how long it would take before the debris was cleared.
The city's two forestry workers were among more than 100 employees who were laid off last month under the Flint emergency manager's budget cuts amid a projected $25 million deficit, and forestry work is now done through private contractors.
Rather than wait it out, Nolen Drive resident Theron Wiggins took matters into his own hands with a chainsaw
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"I want to clear a path for the mail and for emergency services," he said.
Neighbors in the area said they contacted the forestry department today and were told the employees had been laid off. Consumers Energy put them on a list of requests for debris and tree removal, they said.
Parks Director Pat Gerace said the number of calls this morning regarding fallen trees is "outrageous."
"They're working as quickly and as efficiently as they can right now," Gerace said of the contractors.
Flint City Councilman Sheldon Neeley said the situation shows layoffs have led to a decreased level of service for Flint residents. In the past, the forestry department would have been dispatched immediately to high-priority calls first, he said.
He said using contractors to subsidize city workers is fine, but the forestry department shouldn't have been eliminated.
"Having an internal forestry department, we can be proactive and reactive," Neeley said. "We can proactively take down trees before they fall on property and we can automatically have a team to dispatch in these types of emergency situations.
"The citizens pay for the service and the service is somewhat hindered if we don't have a team to respond."
Gerace disagreed that the layoffs are causing a delay in tree removal.
"I only had two people in forestry," Gerace said. "I still have the same amount of calls coming in and being worked on."
Howard Croft, the city's director of infrastructure and development, said it's a balancing act to take of emergency situations like this one while also dealing with the city's financial emergency.
"Certainly we're going to address emergencies," he said. "We're going to take care of it, but then we also have to make cuts." |
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Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:56 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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We had a big tree limb down here that blocked the entire street. Traffic Engineering came by & put saw horses around it. Later, they came by with a back hoe & pushed it out of most of the street. The next day, a contractor came by, cut it up & shredded all of it.
Oh, yeah, we got our power back on this afternoon. |
_________________
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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Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:03 pm |
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