Who Answers the Most?

Which Candidate will provide the greatest percentage of responses to the to the YPSILANTI MAYORAL DEBATE QUESTIONS prior to August 7, 2006 @ 3:30pm?

On Income Tax

Will people on social security be expected to pay? What happens to the money we pay for property taxes? Why not a city sales tax? Have these questions been answered?

Thanks to all who came to the debate last night

The debate is over. In the eyes of Ypsilanti Mayoral Debate Committee, the Ypsilanti Mayoral Debate is a success.

• Read the article in today’s Ann Arbor News.
• Audio from the debate is now available in high and low bit-rate mp3 form and also as a multi-part suitable for burning to an audio cd. Find it at Sam’s Thoughts.

YMDC wants people to know that it will continue to post questions received via email. The primary is fast approaching, and there are many questions that the candidates need to read and think about their answers and solutions to.

We’ve posted the questions that YMDC asked during the first part of last night’s debate. Notice, as well, that there are several questions we wanted to ask, but given our 60-minute time limit for the first part, we were unable to get to these.

Also posted on the blog are most of the questions submitted by audience members at the debate. Questions written by audience members and asked of the mayoral candidates are categorized separately from those questions we simply didn’t have time to get to, but both are included in the blog.

We knew Ypsi was packed with concerned citizens, but we on YMDC found ourselves commenting often on the concern, insight, and passion contained within the submitted questions, as well as in the comments. There is no apathy in Ypsi. We learned much over the past month as we prepared for the debate, but if we learned one thing above all else, it is that the city of Ypsilanti is even more than we believed (no small feat, given how many of us believed in Ypsilanti quite a bit before the YMDC began meeting).

As you may have noticed, www.ypsivotes.com is not “ypsivotes2006″ dot com. It is, rather, a site that will stick around, although its future utilization–as well as its actual domain name–is uncertain at this point. The community gathered much positive momentum from last night’s debate. It already had momentum, but when over 275 citizens pack a ballroom because they are concerned about their city, the message to the mayoral candidates needs to be clear: Candidates Take Note: the questions asked, the concerns raised, and the voices that you’ve heard will not go away once you take office.

Thank you,

YMDC

Challenge You’re Best-Suited For

Which of the current challenges that Ypsilanti faces are you personally best suited to resolve? Why?

Mistakes

In recent years, you have all been involved in city leadership. During that time you have certainly made mistakes. What was your biggest mistake and how would you now handle it differently?

Improving DDA

How would you use the power of the mayor to improve the ability of DDA to bring about the revitalization of Downtown Ypsilanti?

Technology in City Government

How will you use technology to run City government more efficiently and  increase transparency?

Gays and Lesbians

The City Charter presently protects gays and lesbians from employment discrimination. Do you support this?

New and Existing Business

What concrete steps would you take to recruit and foster new and existing business?

City & EMU

The City and EMU are forever intertwined. Explain two important and new ways that you as Mayor would work with the University to ensure mutual prosperity.

Negative Perceptions of Ypsi

Name two major issues of negative perception of the city and describe what would you do to counter each perception?

What “Democrat” Means to You

Since you are running in the Democratic primary, please tell us what being a Democrat means to you. How will this affect your choices as Mayor?

Recreation and Bus Service

Given recent and planned budget cuts in such things as recreation and bus service, DESCRIBE two creative ways you would ensure vital  services are still provided.

Townships and County

How would you IMPROVE the CITY’S WORKING relationships with surrounding townships and county government?

Racially Divided City

What in your past experience qualifies you to deal with the problems that arise in a racially divided city?

Poverty in Ypsi

Roughly 1 in 4 Ypsilanti residents live below the poverty line.  Name two core issues facing these citizens and describe how you would address them.

Water Street

If elected, what will you do to make the Water Street project a success?

Fiscal Health

What is your plan TO ENSURE the CITY’S future fiscal health and avoid receivership?

City Income Tax

City income tax – is it a good idea or not? Why?

Why You?

Why do you think you are the best person to be our next mayor?

Longest Question(s) to Date

I have a couple of questions for all of you.

Are you all aware of the fact that our property taxes are at a milage rate MUCH, MUCH greater than our surrounding neighbors?
Are you aware that our property values are significantly LOWER than our surrounding neighbors.
Are you aware of  how many rotting, decaying, vacant properties there are in this community.
Are you also aware of all the vacant property parcels there are – the remains after the decay is over, demolished and cleared away.
Are you aware, that with the current tax rates, there is little or NO incentive for property rehabilitation, or restoration.

Are you also aware of the tremendous reductions is sales prices property owners are suffering in order to sell their properties? HUGE reductions.

Why are all of you AVOIDING THE ELEPHANT in the livingroom.
When are you going to address the issue of OUTRAGEOUS property tax rates.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ATTRACT NEW FAMILIES, NEW BUSINESSES, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE THE MONEY,TIME AND ENERGY TO ANIMATE THIS CITY…restore some of the glorious old homes, have their kids play and go to school here, when the Love Boutique is just around the corner, there is a liquor store at every bend, cars have been broken into more than once, vandalized, ONE HAS TO STORE ONES BICYCLES IN THE LIVINGROOM!!!
And for all this…you get to pay almost double the tax rate of other areas.

C’mon guys…will someone GET REAL and tell us HOW all this is going to change? and when?

Thanks in advance for your response

Pension Changes

Would you support the following pension changes:

Police = stays the same

Fire = stays the same

DPW = Eliminate the pension and offer a 5% contribution to their
individual 401k each year

Clerks / Secretaries = Eliminate the pension and offer a 5%
contribution to their individual 401k each year

Department Heads = Establish a vesting period which reflects their
tenure as department head

What Ain’t Broke

Some people will try to convince you that they can turn straw into gold. I believe you can renovate a 73 Chevy Vega but shoulld never call it a Cadillac.  No matter how hard you try.  It will still be a Chevy. Also, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Tell us very specificallly, what is not broken, and name two things that are right about Ypsilanti.

Consolidation of School Districts

As Mayor, would you be interested and trying to broker a consolidation of the 5 schools districts and bus services within the greater Ypsilanti area ? Do you feel this could have a positive effect on the financial condition of the schools and do you feel it would work?

Enticing Townships

Exactly HOW does each mayoral candidate plan to entice the TWP boards (specifically Superior and Ypsi) to actually join forces? It is all well and good to speak of “Regional Partnerships” but if they don’t want to play we can’t force them.

City Services

People are leaving the city and moving to areas out in the country where they do not have public services. Why does the city put so much emphasis on city services?

Unicameral Michigan

What do you think about a unicameral Michigan? Should we do away with the Senate?

Behind Closed Doors

Mr. Pierce commented that decisions had been made “behind closed doors” by the city. Which ones?

Staff Concerns

Ms. Richardson said we should aggressively pursue new business development for Ypsilanti. With what staff? There’s nobody there.

Why Not Yet

Mr. Pierce stated [that] regional cooperation would solve our budget problems. If that were true, wouldn’t it have already happened? (We don’t have a payroll dept. that costs us $800K.)

Republican? Y/N

Have you worked for the Republican party in the past; if so, how would you implement a Democratic doctrine to the city of Ypsilanti?

Assuring Us Regarding Big Business

Critics regard Democrats as being “tax and spend.” Within the party, through, many see that we have actually become beholden to “big business.” What assurance can you make that you won’t make decisions based on the “highest bidder,” i.e., a chain store moving into downtown?

Marketing, Regionalization, Water Street: blah blah

There have been many common answers provided by all candidates throughout recent weeks. We all agree on “marketing the city, regionalization, water street.” Please, each candidate, provide a couple of specific details on how you intend to use these issues to provide positive benefits to the city.

Why Stay in Ypsi

With high property taxes, high crime rates, and dwindling city services, why should residents stay in Ypsilanti?

Parks & Rec

With recent budget cuts and dwindling funds, how does the city plan to address the loss of the Parks and Recreation Department, particularly what will happen with Parkridge Rec Center?

Council

We need business experience on council, people with financial experience. Please share your specific experience in business and finances and how you believe it can help.

Economic Viability

As mayor, what, specifically, can you do in order to increase economic viability in the city?

Grocery Store (more)

A downtown grocery store needed. Citizens like myself without a car need help. The Water Street program stores would be too far away. I live at Towne Center 401 MIchigan. Ne need a near-by grocery store.

Generating Revenue

Approximately 1/3 of Ypsi is not generating revenue, including EMU/nonprofits and churches. How can the city generate more revenue?

Grocery Store

Citizens like me without a car need a downtown grocery store. Water Street is too far. What would you do to address this?

Govt. and Youth

What is your platform on youth and their involvement civically with Ypsi government?

Questions for Schreiber

Two questions for Paul Schreiber: (1a) Will you renounce the letter sent out from the Ypsi Campaign for Equality which told lies about Steve Pierce’s support for that campaign? (1b) Will you send out a retraction letter correcting these lies? If not, why? (2) Were the mayor’s letters paid for in any way by your campaign—be it a direct donation or an in-kind? Was any help provided by your campaign in getting these mailings out? If so, these letters had no indication that such help/donations were provided.

Racial Relations

Can you address racial relations in Ypsilanti? Do you believe such relations impact the city’s economy?

Attracting Families to Ypsi

I agree that improving Ypsilanti’s financial situation is important, but will doing so be sufficient to attract new families to the city? What role does crime play, and how can we prevent it?

Selecting Committees and Commissions

If elected, what criteria would you use in slection of members of commissions and committees?

City Management

Many city problems result from poor management and bad business. The new mayor will need to be both a good manager and also know their business. What from your personal experience will you bring to the table that prepares you to deal with these matters?

Heritage and Cultural

How can we market and capitalize on Ypsilanti’s unique heritage and culture?

Public Schools

What role do you see the public schools playing in your economic development plans?

Google

Google. How do we attract them, and if not them, their employees?

Buildings

Throughout downtown and W. Cross St. there are bsinesses – successful, struggling, and long-ago closed – in buildings that are in terrible condition or at least eyesores. What measures can be taken so property owners and/or tenants take care of what’s theirs?

DDAs

What should be the role of the Downtown and Depot Town Development Authorities? Should we cut them to save general revenue funds?

Gays and Lesbians

Where did you stand when the city was going through the fight over the city charter related to discrimination against gays and lesbians and where would you stand today if that issue came up again?

Managing the Role of Mayor

The city is facing financial and social challenges. How do you propose to maintain a full-time job and being a full-time manager? Is this even possible?

Racial Divide

I look around this room and see a disproportionately large white/caucasian audience, which I see as a problem. What would you do to help better “integrate” the city so that all ethnicities and races care about the city (and are equally cared for)?

Property Taxes

Ypsi has the highest property taxes in the state. Do you have a plan to make the city more appealing to prospective home purchasers and businesses?

Water Street

The Water Street redevelopment is back on track with a highly qualified developer. What will you do as mayor to help assure the success of this important project?

Nonprofits and Ypsi

Many nonprofits in the community have felt unwelcome by city leaders. How do you feel about the role of nonprofits in the future and success of our community?

Ypsi’s Youth

Young people in Ypsilanti are underutilized as valuable resources. (1) How would you, in your candidacy, address that? (2) How would you include the youth of this community in decisions that affect their everyday lives?

EMU & City

You just heard the president of EMU say that he wanted to actively work with the city. What would be the first thing you would recommend?

Ypsilantians and Food

The ability of our community to access fresh, healthy, and affordable food is a real concern for many of our residents. How do you feel about allowing people to provide for their own food by allowing laying chickens (not roosters)?

Attract Business Downtown

How do you plan to attract businesses downtown? What do you feel about locally owned businesses vs. chains?

Going to the Debate Tonight?

Hello again,

YMDC would simply like to see, among those who visit the blog, by a show of comments to this post, who might be in attendance at tonight’s debate. No names necessary. Just a quick “I’ll be there” will suffice. Just for fun.

We’re hoping for a pretty good turnout, and we notice that there are quite a few people visiting the blog (there are many who will be in attendance who might not have much access to the blog, so this is a late-in-the-game straw poll of possible blog-reader debate attendees, if you will).

Therefore: (1) you’re reading the blog; (2) we assume because of this you care about your city; (3) we hope that this translates into attending tonight’s debate, from 7 to 9 p.m., in EMU’s McKenny Union.

Let others know, too. Bring friends and family. Let’s keep the citizen involvement in Ypsilanti and its future moving forward.

Remember, post a comment here. Even if you’re not much of a commenter, a simple three-word comment in this space is all we ask.

Thanks,
YMDC

Progressive?

Do you consider yourself a progressive candidate? If so, what progressive issues do you support for the betterment of Ypsilanti citizens?

Articulate 5-Year-Old Writes…

Dear candidates,

I am a 5 year old little girl that loves the outside and especially parks…..  I understand that there are other important things within a city besides parks and recreation that require the cities funds.  My question to all three of you is simple, “will the parks within Ypsilanti ever get the makeover they so badly need?”  Or will I have to continue to avoid the shards of glass that line their pathways?

On the Boulevard

Did you support the building of the downtown boulevard? Do you support the proposed Depot Town Boulevard?

Enticing Township Boards

Exactly HOW does each mayoral candidate plan to entice the TWP boards (specifically Superior and Ypsi) to actually join forces? It is all well and good to speak of “Regional Partnerships” but if they don’t want to play we can’t force them.

County Representation

As mayor, how would you ensure getting good representation at the county level?

Building Dept. Revision

Would you support a charter revision that revised the Building Department to include ordinance enforcement, inspections, zoning, planning & development and Historic District?

Parks & Rec Commish

Would you support a charter revision that created an elected and salaried ($55k) Parks @ Recreation Commissioner who was in charge of Parks, maintenance, parkridge, Recreational Park, Rutherford Pool, Farmers Market and Festivals with a $550,000.00 budget?

City’s Organizational Chart

Would you support a revision to the organizational chart for the City of Ypsilanti that put the City Manager and Mayor in second tier positions to the voters. The Mayor and City Manager would would be one tier above an elected Treasurer, elected City Clerk, elected City Council and and elected Parks & Recreation Commissioner. This tier would be followed by Neighborhood Association Presidents, Boards & Commissioner and the City Administrator. The tier below the City Adminstrator would include the Police Chief, Fire Chief, Public Works and the Building Department. The last tier would be individual residents

Treasurer Position to an Elected Position

The Ypsilanti Township Treasurer is an elected position. Would you support a charter amendment that converted the Ypsilanti City Treasurer from employee to an elected position?

Clerks’ Positions to Elected Positions

The Ypsilanti Township Clerk and the County Clerk are elected positions. Would you support a charter amendment that converted the ypsilanti City Clerk from employee to an elected position?

Street Improvement Bond

The residents of ypsilanti recently passed the street improvement bond, shortly afterwards, City Council voted to upgrade the water and sewage infrastructure to the tune of $15,000,000.00 without a vote of the people. Their reasoning was was that the roads were open and it would be advantageous to do this work at the same time. The idea was to reduce maintenance costs associated with an outdated system.

1.  Did the light bulb come on after the street bond program was passed or was it strategic. Citizens would not vote for both items at the same time?

2. Where did the savings in reduced water main break costs go? (to water street? ha ha)

3. We receive four water bill statements each year, my latest statement included a $56.00 surcharge for the watermain infrastrucure replacement. This is all on top of the road bond costs on my tax bill. Why did Council Members Swanson, Nickels, and Richardson additionally approve ordinance #1029 which increased our sewage rates and ordinance 1039 which increased our water rates?

48 Hours Until Debate

Hello,

Those of us on the committee planning the debate just wanted to thank all of you who are contributing these great questions. If there were a way, we’d ask them all on Thursday night. Unfortunately, the hour that we have allotted for the first part of the mayoral debate won’t make it possible for us to ask more than a dozen or so. (The first hour will be dedicated to these presubmitted questions. The following half hour will be dedicated to questions from the audience, as they are submitted on cards. The final half hour of the event has been set aside for those running for City Council and County Commissioner to introduce themselves.)

The good news, however, is that this site will not come down after the debate. We’re going to keep it up, and we’re going to keep accepting questions. What’s more, we’ll ask all three of our mayoral candidates to come to the site and leave their comments. Our hope is that they join us here and join in on the conversation.

Again, your participation is greatly appreciated. The questions are great, and our job of choosing which ones get asked is not going to be easy. Hopefully, however, we’ll be able to select ones that accurately reflect the concerns of the community, across all demographics.

- YMDC

After the Primary

If you fail to win the democratic primary, do you intend to continue campaigning as a write-in candidate?

Ypsilanti and the Blogosphere

In the past five years, Ypsilanti (like the rest of the world) has seen an increase in the number of online weblogs, or “Blogs” being kept by its citizens. Some of these sites have engaged in criticism against the city leadership, and with an increasing audience, are beginning to supplant the more traditional media formats.

What are your personal opinions regarding this new technology by which many citizens are getting their information? Can it be considered journalism? Is it a benefit or detriment to the way the city government conducts its business?

Do you, yourself, read any local blogs?

I Want My Ypsi TV

Cable companies offer local municipalities an opportunity to have a free channel for their use, such as is done in Ann Arbor; this content can include school events, government meetings, and public access shows where local citizens can produce the contents themselves.

Considering that we no longer have any locally owned media venues, following the sale of the Ypsilanti Courier to a national company, would you support obtaining such a channel for Ypsilanti?

Marijuana and Ypsi

Ann Arbor has partially decriminalized Marijuana Possession, in an effort to allow police to concentrate on more serious crimes.

Would you support a similar proposal in Ypsilanti? Why, or why not?

Littering Fines and Public Property Trash

What are the current laws involving littering in the city? Do you think they are being enforced? Should the fines be higher?

What other suggestions would you make regarding the amount of trash on public property in Ypsilanti?

If Income Tax is Inevitable…

Let’s assume, for the moment, that an income tax is inevitable. Given this, do you feel that it would be appropriate for it to include a minimum income clause, so that poorer citizens below a certain level wouldn’t be burdened by it?

What income, for a single person, do you think would be an appropriate level to set that cutoff point at?

Additionally, would the remainder of the tax be flat – i.e., 1%  for everyone – or would it be staggered more like the federal system, raising that percentage rate based on income?

Bike Lanes

What would each candidate do to further include bike lanes on major roads? (Besides the 1/2 mile stretch on Packard?)

Senior Center Funding

When do you see funding coming to the Senior Center from the City? How would this be obtained?

Income Tax (yay/nay)

Where do you stand on the income tax issue?  Are you for our against and why?

Income Tax

How will we fund the current level of city services without an income tax?

Transparency

Do you believe some policies in the city are being made behind closed doors?

Planning Dept.

Would you suggest changes to the planning department in the City?

Keeping Business

What plans do you have to maintain the current businesses in town?

Sheriff’s Dept. and YPD

Has there been a definitive analysis showing the costs to the city of
merging the YPD with the Washtenaw Co. Sheriff’s Dept? If there was a
savings, would you consider this merger?

City Office Hospitality

Why are city offices and services so unfriendly to residents? What would
you do about it?

Tree Trimming

Are you in favor of establishing a street-tree trimming policy for the city
similar to A2?

Planners Numbers

How many planners does the city need given the current conditions?

Vacant Buildings

What would you do to fix the vacant buildings in Ypsilanti?

Thomsen Building

If you were mayor, what would you do about the Thomsen building?

LGBT Needs in Ypsi

Do you think the needs of the LGBT minority have been met? If so, how so? If not, how would you meet them?

AATA

Will you support the people of the city by keeping AATA running?

Disabled & Elderly

Do you plan to include programs for the disabled and elderly in the city?

Ypsi Public Schools

What is your vision of the Ypsi public schools and what role do you think you can play there?

Grass Cutting & DPW

Why is the city figuring in park maintenance, such as the cutting of grass, into the park rental fee. Isn’t this part of what DPW is supposed to do on a regular basis?

Public Works Cuts

Given the cuts to police and fire, would you consider cuts in public works?

Worst Neighborhood

What’s the worse neighborhood: west willow or the southside?

Residency Requirement

The current administration unanimoulsy voted to eliminate the residency requirement for city employees. The residency requirement did not require employees to live in the city which is in violation of state law. However, the elimintated residency requirement did change the travel distance of key employees from 25 miles to the distance that an employee is willing to travel. Our new DDA director could live in Ohio and or Canada. What are your thoughts on the residency requiremnets for cty employees?

Hierarchy of Needs

Referencing Maslov’s Hierarchy of needs and societies basic needs, where do things like the Historic District Commission and a streetsweeper fit into your priorities?

City Council & Audience Comments

The current administration does not print comments made by Ypsilanti residents during audience participation at City Council, will you change this?

Following YMDC Rules

Ypsilanti residents are alotted three minutes during audience participation at a City Council meeting. During the debate at the Senior Center, several candidates took it upon themselves to modify the format of the debate by going back to previously asked questions. This was somewhat ironic as one of the most flagrant rule breakers happened to be an incumbent City Councilman.

1. Will you follow the rules as published by the YMDC?
2. How would you modify audience participation?

More Google, Google Housing

A lot of news recently has been focused on Google’s plans to establish an office in Ann Arbor. When those plans go through, much has been said about the area attracting much new high-tech development, perhaps making Ann Arbor still more expensive in relation to Ypsilanti.

First of all, what do you think of these developments, and secondly, what would you do to attract both new Google workers looking for affordable housing and new technology firms looking for inexpensive rents to choose Ypsilanti?

A Community Divided

Ypsilanti is in many ways a community divided: North and South, East and West, town and gown. Historically it has been difficult to integrate EMU students into the larger community. Although most EMU students are commuters, many of these “commuters” live less than a mile from campus. How could the City and the University work together to promote greater integration and involvement between EMU Students and the community as a whole?

Schreiber and YCFE

Why has candidate Paul Schreiber refused to distance himself from the controversial Campaign for Equality letterhead mailing? It has now been documented that the YCFE letter is indeed inaccurate and illegitimately smears Pierce and his campaign.

http://www.trustygetto.com/2006/07/so-my-curiosity-got-better-of-me.html

Yet, the Schreiber site still carries the letter with its inaccuracies on the old letterhead for the disbanded organization, signed as if the YCFE were still active.

Vision

This whole city is gonna ride herd on our new mayor, council, Water Street, Downtown and Tax issues. Beyond THOSE realities, where does Ypsilanti go from here? What’s your VISION for the City and your priorities for getting us there?

Budget

A $1,000,000.00 certificate of deposit will generate approximately $25,000.00 in revenue every six months at 5%. What happens to this money and is it included in the $13.5m budget? How much money does the city generate from certificates of deposit?

Zoning

In discussions involving zoning and density, the terms “Students” and “Renters” are used almost interchangably.

In reality, there are thousands of non-students in Ypsilanti who rent, including families with children.

Do you feel that the movement towards reduced-density zoning of the city is, in actuality, an effort to geographically marginalize the lower classes?

Chidester a Drug & Prostitution Haven

Why do you allow Chidester to be a haven for drugs and prostitution?

Your Mayoral Office Compared to Farmer’s

How will your mayorship be different than the present one?

Employment, Education, & Recreation

How will you increase access to jobs, education, and recreation for residents?

Neighborhood Cleanliness

Many yards are messy and have rubbish to be picked up. How will you encourage clean and neat neighborhoods?

Ypsi Schools

What will you do to keep our schools going and make sure special education is not forgotten for both slow and bright?

Bus Service (encore redux)

How will you provide a continuation of bus service?

Bus Service (encore)

Earlier this year, there was the possibility of AATA bus service being reduced and then eventually discontinued in the City of Ypsilanti. As mayor, what will you do to ensure this doesn’t become an issue again, and to make sure bus service is maintained as-is in the long term?

Drug Activity in Neighborhoods

What can you do to reduce the drug activity around the neighborhood?

Revitalizing Downtown

What is your vision of how to create a revitalized downtown?

City Budget & Cost-Cutting

There has been much talk regarding cutting various parts of the city’s budget, always with the clarification that essential services (notably fire and police) must be maintained.

Within the fire and police departments, however, has there been enough cost-cutting in your opinion? How would you suggest, for example, reducing the very large (approximately one-third of the city’s budget) amount of money allotted to the police department?

Ypsi City Chickens

A recent proposal to permit chickens in Ypsilanti was turned down by city council. Do you agree with their decision? Why, or why not?

City Management

Many believe that the problems facing Ypsilanti are the result of poor management. Wouldn’t it be logical, therefore, to suggest that what we really need isn’t a new mayor or city council, but a new city manager?

Earth-Friendly Campaign Lit

I am an avid recycler. Why are Steve Pierce’s brochures printed on clay-based paper? It is hard to recycle and not earth friendly.

Beekeeping in Ypsi

Counties in Michigan allow small-scale beekeeping (honeybees) in rural, residential, and urban areas. Wayne, Jackson, Monroe, and Oakland counties, for example, allow beekeeping (I could not find any that ban hives). Cities that allow beekeeping include Detroit, Troy, Canton, Manchester, Rochester Hills, Livonia, Inkster, Plymouth, Belleville (in fact I could not find any city other than Ypsilanti that specifically bans them). Ann Arbor specifically states an entitlement of up to 2 hives per property.

Bees are necessary pollinators for both vegetable gardens and flower gardens, and wild bees are already in the area.

Could we revisit Ypsilanti’s decision to ban beekeeping and allow hobby hives to be present in the city?

Solvency

I just read the city manager’s 3-year solvency plan. The outlook is pretty grim. How do you plan to deal with this? What is your economic plan for the city?

(Current) Mayoral Endorsement

Based upon the current problems in the City of Ypsilanti, does the endorsement of current Mayor Cheryl Farmer facilitate or hinder candidate Schreiber’s electability?

Policing and Fire Dept

Ypsilanti has a volunteer community policing program, Redford Township has volunteer police officers. Would you support a volunteer fire department? We are 4.2 square miles and the help of other departments is not too far away?

Basic Services & Homeowner Taxes

The City receives $13.5 million in revenue. We need $4.6m (Police), $2.4m (Fire), $2m (Public Works), $1m (Building Department), and $1.5m for Administration to provide basic services. Would you support a basic-services form of government with an annual cost of $11.5m and a TWO MILLION DOLLAR CUT IN HOMEOWNER TAXES?

To Market You Go

Where do you purchase your groceries?

Steve Pierce & the DDAs…

…for or against?

Nondiscrimination Ordinance

If you were mayor in 1998 and/or 2000, how would you have voted on the inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance for our city?

Handling A Mistake Differently

You’ve all been involved in local leadership over the past several years in one form or another. During that time, you undoubtedly made mistakes. What was your biggest mistake, and, if you hade it to do over again, how would you have handled the situation differently?

Employees and Your Business

I’d like each of the candidates to describe how many employees they have supervised and in what capacity. This is relevant to the role of the mayor in both setting policy and seeing that it is followed. If any candidate has created jobs through private business, where are those employees and have those workers reported to the candidate? Has any candidate had employees of public organizations report to them, and if so, in what capacity?

Campaign $, Landlords, & Yard Signs

How much money have you spent on your campaign for mayor, and who are your main campaign funders? Have you gotten campaign funds from landlords?

I ask this question of all the candidates, but I specifically wonder about Mr. Pierce’s financial supporters, since so very many of his campaign signs are in the yards of landlord-owned properties rented to students.

Leave A Message

In the last decade, experience has shown that automated, prerecorded messages to be telephoned to voters before an election are both highly annoying to most voters, and yet rather effective. What do you think of the use of such impersonal campaign methods here in Ypsilanti? Why has your campaign used, or not used, this method?

Bedroom Community

Is Ypsilanti a “Bedroom Community” of Ann Arbor? Will it be, someday? Would that be good or bad, in your opinion?

Ypsi Housing Commission & Schreiber

During the Normal Park debate, Mayoral candidate Schreiber stated that he has been a member of the Ypsilanti Housing Commission for the past eleven years and president for the past 3 years. Subesquent infighting between the Ypsilanti Housing Commission and City Council resulted in the HUD sale of Parkridge to an absentee slumlord. As the Housing Commission and City Council pulled their resources to fight each other, HUD negotiations were in progress. Ultimately, City Council voted unamiously to strip the Housing Commission of it’s authority to enter into agreements associated with Parkridge as the ink was drying on the HUD sale. Can Paul Schrieber really work for what is in the best interests of the city?

Declaration Time

Why did Steve Pierce wait until June 2, 2006, to declare himself a Democratic candidate with the Washtenaw County Clerk (verifiable online)?

Pierce’s Yard Signs

Why is there such a striking similarity between Steve Pierce’s yard signs and other Republican yard signs and why is there no party affiliation on the signs? Is this code for him being a Republican as he has stated he was repeatedly before June 2006?

Small Businesses

Our Ypsilanti small businesses have two major disadvantages. 1. competition of the big corporations 2. the perception that our down town and cross street areas are unsafe.

What would your administration do to make people feel safer in the Yypsilanti area, including downtown and West Cross? What can you do to make people want to go shop downtown or on West Cross instead of driving towards Ann Arbor?

Future of Ypsi & EMU

The future of Ypsilanti is closely linked to that of EMU, and vice
versa. What is your assessment of the choices made by top EMU
administrators in last 5 or 6 years? To what extent have they
helpled, or harmed, the city?

Less than a week to go…

YMDC posts the questions in the order in which they are emailed to us. Regarding posts from drop boxes around the city, we collect them as we have time (we’re an all-volunteer organization!). Please continue to visit the blog, because we have plans to get more questions from the drop boxes around town up on the blog by the end of the weekend – if not then, for sure by next Monday or Tuesday.

A few other things:

- Those of us on the YMDC encourage all visitors to the blog who have concerns about any of the issues to please comment on that question. We want to hear from all visitors. While we know that some visitors have more to say than others, what every citizen in Ypsi has to say about these questions is valid and important. In fact, as the YMDC considers which questions to choose for the debate, we will be taking the comments on questions into account, as well.

- We’ve said it before, but it doesn’t hurt to chuck it onto yet another post: While YMDC hopes for questions that can be posed to all three candidates, and while these will be the kinds of questions asked at the debate, we realize that there are significant questions that need to be asked of each candidate. YMDC does not plan to remove those questions from the list of questions we receive. Where we draw the line, however, is with clearly confrontational, accusatory statements. The committee reserves the right not to post such items.

Thanks for all of your participation in making this debate a success! We’re excited.

YMDC

Absentee Landlords

Many properties in Ypsilanti are owned by absentee landlords, who are anticipating future profits which may never come, and thus are, in the meantime, charging excessively high rents, asking astronomical prices for selling the property, or simply letting the buildings fall apart.

What steps would you take to prevent this behavior, and, for example, enable local small business owners to begin filling the many empty storefronts on Michigan Avenue?

Preserving Ypsi’s Cultural History

Over the past year, the city of Ypsilanti has decided to sell the building housing the historical archives, will no longer be allowing the Historical Society to occupy its museum rent-free, and has cut the amount of financial assistance it gives to that group.

Do you agree with these decisions? Do you think a city should be financially responsible for preserving its cultural history?

Keeping EMU Fac/Staff as City Residents

What creative ideas do you have for encouraging EMU faculty and staff to buy homes in Ypsilanti? How can the city do this? What can EMU do?

Drug Dealers, Prostitutes, and Panhandlers (oh my)

Many residents are concerned about the number of drug dealers, prostitutes, and panhandlers in the city.
How would you solve these problems?

Hire Local / Work Local

As mayor, what steps would you take to encourage local businesses to hire locally? Related to that, how would you go about encouraging Ypsi residents to work locally?

Sexual Orientation & Discrimination

Do you believe that our city charter should include “sexual orientation” among its list of things one can’t be discriminated against?

Party Affiliation — Pierce

Why did Steve Pierce wait until June 2 to declare his party affiliation? Was he forced to by the elections commission? And why don’t his signs say Democrat? Or his Web site? Or his campaign materials?

Worst Roads in Ypsi

Please tell me how you plan to find the funds to fix the disasters known as Mansfield St (south of Washtenaw), College Place and River St. (north of Forest). These are the three worst roads in Ypsi and need to be fixed now!

Technology in City Government

How will you use technology to run city government more efficiently, increase transparency, etc?

Attracting Google

What have you done to attract Google to downtown Ypsilanti? If the answer is “nothing,” why not?

Republican Past?

Steve, rumor has it that you have been a Republican in the past. Is this true and if so why the change?

Your Property / Your Financial Stake in Ypsi

What property and financial stakes do you have in Ypsilanti?

Diversity in Hiring and Promoting

What experience do you have in creating policies and procedures that ensure fair and diverse hiring and promotions?

Diversity

What does ‘diversity’ mean and look like to you?

Parking Meters

Would you consider lowering the parking ‘fine’ to two or three dollars for expired meters?

Entertainment for Youth and Family

I would like to know if there can be more activities for the children and the whole family – for example, 50-cent or one dollar movies, golf and games, or something like Chuck E. Cheese or Little Caesar’s playland – and more entertainment for the children and your family something to do in the downtown area.

City Charter

How do you feel about the City Charter being changed and becoming one Ypsilanti with Ypsilanti Twp. and Superior Twp.?

Asthma and Ypsi

Why does Ypsilanti have one of the highest rates of asthma in the state and what are you going to do about it?

Developing Downtown

How will you foster development in Ypsi’s downtown?

No Corridor in Depot Town

The Ann Arbor to Detroit corridor transit study does not include a stop in Depot Town. How will you work to make it stop in Ypsi and not Willow Run?

Ann Arbor / Ypsi Bus Service

Why are low-income workers who work in Ann Arbor (U-M, etc.) having to worry about whether the buses are going to be running?

City/Township/County Future Intertwined

More than ever, the future of the surrounding townships and the county are intertwined with the future of Ypsi City. Can you name any specific initiatives that would reinforce this, inside and outside the city?

Free Speech / Graphic Images

Ypsilanti is a community that believes in free speech, but recent displays of graphic images portraying abortioin have been troubling. Where do you stand on the issue of public display of graphic images portraying violence against others, pornography, or mutilation?

Democratic Tenure

How long have you been a Democrat and what involvement have you had that demonstrates this political viewpoint and for how long?

City & Township

How realistic is the idea of combining the city and the township and why have we not had serious conversations around the issue? Would you like to see this happen?

Sidewalk Broken Glass

I live in the Riverside Neighborhood, where broken glass is everpresent on the sidewalks. This may seem trivial, but I pay taxes and it bothers me. What do you propose?

Ypsi’s Image

Ypsilanti is perceived by surrounding communities as a low-income, mostly rental community that is unattractive for new homebuyers and businesses. What are your plans for changing these perceptions and how do you plan to encourage more young families to buy homes in Ypsilanti?

Public Transportation

How will you ensure that public transportation is available (and increased) in the future?

Improving Public Transport

How will Ypsi work with Ann Arbor, major employers, and the AATA to improve public transport? (Outside grants?)

Perception of “Bad Schools”

If you were to become mayor, how would you fight the perception that Ypsi has bad schools? Since most people leave the area because of the schools, how would you stop the flow of our tax base?

Police Union Endorsement

Steve Pierce wrote an email to Mayor Farmer saying the city could save $180,000 easily by cutting the AATA bus contract. Emails from Pierce also say Ypsilanti police officers shouldn’t consider overtime an “entitlement” and supports eight-hour shifts.

How did he get the Police Union endorsement with that opinion?

YMDC note: Question-writer wrote “more to follow” at the end of this question.

City Management

Are our city offices top-heavy with management?

Car Shows and Cruise Nights

As an auto enthusiast, I would like to ask all the candidates what they feel about car shows and cruise nights and the associated revenues they bring to the merchants of Depot Town. Also, what about all the fees and charges the city imposes to put on these events?

Tax Base

What would you do to increase our tax base?

The 70s and 80s

What plan do you have to bring Ypsilanti back to its wonderful days of the 70s and 80s–when living here was safe and citizens were strolling downtown–when stores were doing wonderful business?

Public Schools

What are your plans to help improve our public school system and increase enrollment? Do you agree that charter schools in our city is one cause of this problem?

Bringing Business Back

Would you please address your plan to bring business back to our city? What’s your plan to make Ypsilanti a place where folks want to open a business?

Bus Service

What will you do to maintain bus service for our community?

Frog Island

I would love to be able to use the stage at Frog Island to produce free theater during the warm nights and afternoons of spring/summer/fall–Get the local community and student population involved. Could this be possible?

City Income Tax

What are your true feelings on the city income tax?

Joined Cooperation (Townships)

How do you fel about a joined cooperation agreement with Superior Township or some other township?

Township Combined

Would the city ever combine the township under your control?

Quality of Life

Why are we making cuts in quality-of-life issues?

Ypsi/Ypsi Township Merge?

What do you think about Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township merging?

Michigan Ave

Why can’t the boulevard on Michigan Avenue be removed, since it is a safety concern? (emergency vehicles can’t get through)

DDA

Would you ever get rid of the DDAs? Would that save the city money?

Your Forte

Which of the current challenges that Ypsilanti faces are you best suited personally to resolve? Why?

Record on Combatting Racism

What have you done in your past work to combat racism in the city of Ypsilanti?

Walkability

What have you done in the past to increase “walkability” and ensure that Ypsilanti’s small-town infrastructure is preserved for the future?

Democratic Party

How will you increase the profile of the Democratic Party in Ypsilanti? Why is being a Democrat important?

Hip-silanti

How will you ensure that as Ypsilanti grows and becomes more “hip” that it doesn’t become a cookie-cutter town like Ann Arbor? Is growth worth selling out to national chains, in your opinion?

Racially Divided

Do you believe the city of Ypsi is racially stratified/divisive? If so, how would you remedy it?

Gentrification

Is gentrification a problem for Ypsilanti, due to skyrocketing real-estate prices and sprawl? What have you done to educate yourself about gentrification in other cities?

Infrastructure/Business Climate

How exactly do you plan to improve the infrastructure/business climate downtown?

Sustainability

What have you done to increase sustainability (green energy; carshare; etc.) in Ypsilanti? Will you join Ann Arbor in its plan for sustainability?

Fighting Against Racism

In the light of the recent death by suffocation of a black motorist in West Willow, and the racial segregation of our city, what plans do you have to fight against racism?

City Pool

What are you planning on doing with the city pool?

Party Affiliation

Why did Steve Pierce wait until June 2 to declare his party affiliation? Was he forced to by the elections commission? And why don’t his signs say Democrat? Or his Web site? Or his campaign materials?*

* YMDC posts the questions in the order in which they are emailed to us. Please see the note on the YMDC Debate Questions page.

Our Educational Systems

On his website Steve Pierce says, “Our educational systems are our most valuable assets in attracting and keeping homeowners and businesses in the community.” I would like to hear Steve expand on what he means by this, and I would like to hear what other candidates have to say about the relationship between the city and the schools. Perceptions about the schools affect property values, property taxes, interest in moving to the community, and the diversity of people in the community. Schools ability to teach are also deeply affected by the amount and kind of stewardship and involvement they receive from the community. How would each of the candidates work with school administrators, school board members, and community groups to support the schools in Ypsilanti?

Gay Bar or Starbuck’s?

Would you rather have a successful, locally-owned gay bar on Michigan Avenue or a Starbuck’s?

Cool City

What makes a city a “cool city” in your opinion?

Housing Trends

Ypsilanti is home to many of the area’s more vulnerable residents, but regional housing trends and some city policies seem to be aimed at bringing hip “young professionals” and family homeowners into Ypsilanti. Where do you see the balance between maintaining a home for our current residents and attracting these more fiscally desirable residents?

Relationship b/t Ypsi & Ypsi Township

The city’s relationship to Ypsilanti Township often seems to be rocky, or simply nonexistent. How would you forge a more mutually beneficial relationship between the two?

Downzoning

The West Cross neighborhood was recently downzoned (rezoned for lower density) to encourage single-family residences to replace multi-unit rentals. Do you see any downsides to this, in terms of reducing the number of customers for area businesses, reducing the city’s population as a whole, or otherwise?

Regional Trends & Policies

Local governments are strongly affected by regional trends and policies, and the mayor often serves as a spokesperson and advocate for the city to outside entities. What policies do you expect to champion at the county, state, and national levels?

Essential Services

With the city continually facing budget pressures, all candidates have pledged to “preserve essential city services”. What do you consider to be “essential”, and how do you see that prioritization being made?

Government’s Function

What is your understanding of the role of government in society in general, and the role of local government, in specific?

Preserving Bus Service

At the June 12 CHENA meeting mayoral interviews, Paul Schreiber stated that he is in favor of preserving bus service. At the May elections at the Senior Center, KYR founder Laura Bien met Paul Schreiber leaving the center after voting. After a chat, she asked him to sign her petition to preserve bus service. He refused. If Paul Schreiber wants to preserve bus service, why did he refuse to sign a petition to preserve bus service?

Water Street’s Success

Ypsilanti set out to redevelop the Water Street parcel six years ago, after 30 years of dreaming. It’s going to be a wonderful new neighborhood and will help the Downtown and Depot Town business districts thrive. Money has been spent to acquire and clean up the land, and there’s a new developer who actually has the skills and the capacity to make it happen. The only thing that could prevent it from being a huge success would be to not build it, because we have to build it in order to pay off the debt incurred to get this far. If elected, what will you do to help Water Street succeed?

Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

How does a DDA work? Are you supportive of or opposed to the concept of a DDA, and why? (Ypsilanti is the only city in the state that has two, and if one goes away we will never get it back.)

EMU’s Tax Exemption (2)

Based upon a Public Act that was established during the infancy of the automobile, property belonging to Eastern Michigan University and used for educational purposes is exempt from taxes. Parking lots, resturants, stores, and parking structures located on University property are not used for educational purposes (they generate profits). What will you do to rectify this injustice to the people of Ypsilanti?

EMU’s Tax Exemption (1)

Based upon a Public Act that was established during the infancy of the automobile, property belonging to Eastern Michigan University and used for educational purposes is exempt from taxes. To date EMU boasts extended campuses in Livonia, Jackson, Traverse City, Flint, Detroit and Monroe. How does this benefit (Ypsilanti) the host community?

Fixing the System

As mayor, you will be additionally challenged by a charter that did not contain the checks and balances necessary to prevent the Water Street Debacle. A charter that will allow key emergency personnel to live out of state and a charter that puts DDA Development ahead of basic services. The system is broken and must be fixed if you are to succeed. What are your plans to fix the system? How will you create a checks and balances system that will prevent future Water Street Development disasters?

Ypsi / EMU Disconnect

Currently there is a disconnect between the city of Ypsilanti and Eastern Michigan University. What is your plan to help bridge this gap and develop a strong relationship with the university, especially with students?

Supporting A City Income Tax

Do you support a city income tax? Why or why not?

Dedicated Transit Millage

Do you advocate that there be a dedicated transit millage in the City of Ypsilanti?

Moratorium on Festivals

I’ve heard that there’s a moratorium on new festivals and other large events within the city limits. Do you agree with that?

Downtown Grocery Store

Is there anything that we can do to lure a grocery store downtown?

Google

I’ve read that Google has said that they are building a facility in S.E. Michigan and that they want to be in a downtown area. The consensus seems to be that they’re talking about Ann Arbor. However, according to what I’ve read, they claim to still be deciding between three places. My question is, is it possible that one of those three places is Ypsilanti? And, if so, what are we doing to bring them here?

Welcome to the Blog

The YMDC will post your submitted mayoral debate questions on this blog.

About the Ypsilanti Mayoral Debate:
Eastern Michigan University’s McKenny Union hosts the debate on Thursday, July 27, 2006. The event starts promptly at 7 p.m. will run until 9 p.m.

The first 60 minutes of the debate will be devoted to candidate answers to questions submitted to the YMDC. Ypsilanti city residents and interested parties are encouraged to submit questions.

The debate’s next 30 minutes will contain questions submitted in writing at the event itself.

For the final 30 minutes there will be two-minute addresses by candidates running for other city races (city council and county commission).

Questions that concern ward-specific issues will be chosen as will issues concerning the City in general.

A sampling of debate questions received will be posted through this website in a blog format. We welcome your comments on the questions. The YMDC will not inform the candidates of the actual questions to be used in the debate, however.

Each candidate will be asked to answer all questions asked, and will be given a maximum of three minutes to respond to each question. The moderator is given the authority to keep time and to gently inform candidates when their answer-time has expired.