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?