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?

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?

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?