Has that not been the U.S. foreign policy for the last sixty years?

Neal Elaykin should not sit on the Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission with his attitudes.

It also should be noted Elaykin chaired the recent 60th anniversary of Israel bash that was attended by Mayor Hieftje.

Protests should be communicated with Ann Arbor city officials regarding this most unfortunate appointment.

Interesting how people somehow regard a tax deduction as somehow free money. There was some chitchat at the RFP advisory committee meeting last night about how Dahlmann Apartments might take their offered $2.5 million gift to the city as a tax deduction. The inference was that it didn’t really mean much if it were also tax-deductible. Odd how ungenerous some are about others’ generosity.

No, the current symbolic check writing is supposed to benefit the city ["... mayor John Hieftje announced that he was writing a check for $1,273 as a contribution back to the city, ..."]

It was back in 2007 — when council considered whether to accept a recommendation from the LOCC to raise their pay — that the contribution to charity of their own choice was discussed. Those who wanted the pay increase to go through, worried about the possibility that those voting against the increase could play that as a political card in the future. Paraphrasing the “argument”: Look, you know this pay increase is going to pass, and you’re going to benefit from the pay increase when it does, so your vote against the pay increase is just symbolic and if you REALLY want to “vote” against it, then you should make a commitment to donating the extra pay to charity. But that was 2007.

There was an opportunity in early December 2009 (still an odd-numbered year) when Mayor Hieftje first floated the idea of the 3% wage cut — which he said would also also apply to the city council — to ask the LOCC to reconvene to make a determination lowering their pay. Of course, the LOCC need not have honored that request to reconvene, nor come to the conclusion that pay should be lowered.

Hmmm… and I’m sure those council members will then take it as a tax write off. So how much are they really giving back? Funny how they ask so much from everyone else, but then are unwilling to play by their own rules. What great politicians they’re shaping up to be!

And the cuts the fire fighters made “don’t close the budget gap”. So the FD (on of the smallest unions in the city) is supposed to take the full weight of the city councils mad spending? Wow… Way to stick it to the fire department city council. I’m sure they’re proud city employees right now willing to risk it all!

The thoroughness of your coverage continues to amaze. Thanks for being the paper of record for Ann Arbor government.