POW! ENDORSES MIKE ANGLIN
July, 2007
BY CHARLES LEWIS,
Mike Anglin is a person full of energy, compassion, and conviction. He has pledged himself to preserve and enhance the integrity and viability of Ann Arbor’s neighborhoods and communities. He believes in affordable housing, in promoting local business, and in protecting our historic buildings and natural environment. He deplores extravagant spending and backroom politics.
In his own words, “I am running to represent the 5th Ward on City Council because I am concerned about the direction our city is taking. Based on my conversations at the doors of over 500 5th Ward voters, I believe that most agree that the current city council has taken actions that threaten our quality of life and are making living in Ann Arbor less affordable.” As examples of what is at stake in this election, Mr. Anglin offers the following:
“Despite the recently passed millage to support parks maintenance, parks are less well maintained and fees for residents to use them have increased. In the recently passed budget, even less money was allocated to parks than last year.”
“The Council has been approving large, tall, and environmentally unfriendly projects, often in residential neighborhoods. Fortunately, because of effective neighborhood opposition, Avery House, a massive 5-story project on Sunset Road overlooking Bluff Park, was rejected by Council after staff and the Planning Commission had approved it. The new A2D2 planning guidelines emphasize streamlining development approvals. This development-driven process will make it even more difficult for neighborhood residents to respond.”
“Council has been encumbering the city with future debts and obligations that could cut into services for residents. For example, the city is moving closer to approving the sale of bonds for $33.2 million to be paid to the developers of Broadway Village at Lower Town. The bonds would be paid off from tax receipts over 30 years. While the city gambles on the future value of this development to pay off the bonds, none of the taxes will be used to support ordinary city services; instead, we will bear that expense as taxpayers.”
“While Council offers free parking and other incentives for downtown developers, our water, sewer, and stormwater fees are going up to support the increased service to downtown high-rise buildings. Yet, all taxes from new construction downtown are spent by the Downtown Development Authority on more support for downtown developers, including outright subsidies, while we bear the expense as tax payers for the services to all these new buildings.”
“Council recently approved a $1 million contract for design of a new city hall, without stating how we will find the money to build it. The sale of city property to developers is one possibility.”
People like Mr. Anglin remind us that politics need not degenerate into a series of mutually beneficial transactions between power elites. His kind of politics stresses citizen participation, genuine public debate, thoughtful long-term planning, transparent decision making, and leadership which is both responsive and inspired. His presence would be a welcome change on the City Council. POW! endorses Mike Anglin for council in the Fifth Ward.
About the author:
Charles Lewis is a political activist and realtor in Ann Arbor.