Tag Archives: Benton Harbor

Do Michiganders have a right to local representation?

By Mark | February 15, 2012

Yesterday, I posted something here about the Emergency Financial Manager of Benton Harbor’s efforts to sell a community radio station for the paltry sum of $5,000. I saw the story as an illustration of the fact that, when it came right down to it, these Lansing-appointed replacements for our local elected officials didn’t really have […]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Michigan, Politics, Rants | Also tagged Emergency Financial Manager, Emergency Financial Manager’s Act, false dilemma, financial martial law, Richard Murphy, Rick Snyder | 23 Comments

Michigan continues to dismantle valuable community infrastructure, shift tax burden to working class, in order to pay for tax breaks for business owners

By Mark | February 13, 2012

As you may have read on Eclectablog a few days ago, Joseph Harris, the Emergency Financial Manager installed by the Governor’s office to oversee the dismantling/privatization of Benton Harbor, recently put the City’s small, in-house radio station up for sale on Ebay. Well, Rachel Maddow just picked up on the story. Here’s her report. Visit […]

Posted in Media, Michigan, Politics | Also tagged community assets, Earned Income Tax Credit, Ebay, Eclectablog, Emergency Financial Manager, Emergency Financial Manager’s Act, Homestead Property Tax Credit, Joseph Harris, Michigan Business Tax, pensions, privatization, Rick Snyder, shifting the tax burden to the working class, tax policy, Tax Time Bomb, taxing the poor, threats to Democracy, WBHC | 29 Comments

How are things in Ypsi likely to change, if the city income tax doesn’t pass?

By Mark | January 26, 2012

Our last few posts about the proposed city income tax have not only initiated a lot of good, substantive conversations, but they’ve also led to quite a few more questions. Case in point… a couple of days ago, I received the following note from a reader of this site named Erika. Hi Mark, thanks for […]

Posted in Ypsilanti | Also tagged Act 51, Brian Robb, budget cuts, building inspection, business friendly, city employees, city planning, city services, code violations, DPW, economic development, Erika Nelson, Frank Daniels, Garden City, general fund, Grove Road, Headlee, Huron River Drive, income tax, LED street lights, local income tax, Michael Bodary, millage, ordinance enforcement, parking tickets, parks, Paul Schreiber, Pete Murdock, Pontiac, property values, Proposition A, public safety, recycling, Richard Murphy, road maintenance, street lights, Valentine Vodka, Waste Management, Water Street, Water Street debt reduction millage, Ypsilanti Building Department, Ypsilanti City Council | 110 Comments

Detroit moves one step closer to state takeover

By Mark | January 10, 2012

It’s looking like today may mark the beginning of the end for Detroit’s Mayor and City Council. According to numerous sources, the closed-door meetings on the take-over of the City have begun. The following comes from the Detroit Free Press. …A 10-member team appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder is trying to determine if a financial […]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Detroit, Michigan, Politics | Also tagged Abraham Kane, animation, Chris Prynoski, Dave Bing, Disney, Ecorse, EFM, Emergency Financial Manager, Flint, John Conyers, Mike Chilton, Motorcity, Pontiac, race, Rick Snyder, Robocop, The Burners, the Emergency Financial Manager Act, union busting, vote oppression, voter suppression, Wendell Anthony | 13 Comments

Autocratic for the People… Stephen Colbert takes aim at Rick Snyder’s Emergency Financial Manager legislation

By Mark | May 11, 2011

The Colbert ReportTags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive Remember how I was asking for the President to install an Emergency Financial Manager in place of our Governor? Well, Colbert is doing me one better. He’s suggesting that we just hand over our entire nation to an Emergency Financial Manager – someone […]