Comments on: Grand Pulls Petitions for Ward 3 Council

By: Jack Eaton

Jack Eaton — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:02:40 +0000

The dotcom is reporting that Joan Lowenstein is supporting Julie Grand's candidacy. [link] (scroll down near the end of the article). I guess that means Ms. Grand will have the youth vote. [link]

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:04:07 +0000

Thanks, John, but readers should be clear that I had nothing to do with inventing “Water Hill”. That was Paul Tinkerhess.

Enjoy.

By: John Floyd

John Floyd — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:20:05 +0000

Vivienne,

Your phrase, “Council Party”, like the neighborhood description “Water Hill”, become an instant part of our local vocabulary. I think of you (and thank you!) every time I use it, or see it.

Next time you create a phrase, put a copyright on it, and you can collect royalties!

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:32:13 +0000

A note of what may be obvious to all reading the story – the fact that no one has filed for Jane Lumm’s seat is only significant in terms of a possible opponent. She herself has many months to file again as an Independent, since the current filing period obtains only to the partisan primary in August.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:30:33 +0000

I am rather old-fashioned about these things, apparently. It is my belief that running against an incumbent of your own party should only be supported by a disagreement with votes or positions that person has taken, or by a belief that change in vision and agenda (which you should be able to spell out) is necessary.

I don’t generally find sympathy with the explanation that you’ve concluded it would be a good step for your personal goals.

But perhaps the comments about “style” can be read as an agenda in that it seems to indicate a factional allegiance. As the inventor of the phrase “Council Party”, I think I can read the message well enough.

By: John Floyd

John Floyd — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:36:23 +0000

Reluctance to state a platform does not mean that a candidate HAS no platform: it only means that they are afraid that the public might learn of it before the election. When a Heftiej appointee states that they are not “issue-driven”, the subtext has generally been “I am only driven by issues/positions that cannot withstand the light of day”.

Around here, “consensus-building leadership style, with an emphasis on finding common ground” seems to be code for “I’ll support the Council Party against all comers, including my own constituents. Anyone who disagrees with any stand I take will be branded ‘Extreme’ or ‘Confrontational, in an attempt to keep un-approved ideas and positions off the table, and to stifle any debate or dissent”.

The Council Party has managed to give “Consensus” a bad connotation.

By: Mark Koroi

Mark Koroi — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:43:17 +0000

Interesting that Marcia Higgins apparently is making another run to retain her Fourth Ward City Council seat.

I cannot recall any Democratic primary opponent she has had.

She won the seat initially as a Republican. She beat Larry Kestenbaum at one point in a close race. In 2003 she won with about 52% of the overall vote as a Republican in the general election against a Libertarian, Green Party, and independent candidate. In 2005 she narrowly defeated, as a Democrat, Ann Arbor GOP leader Jim Hood,Jr. with about 50.7% of the November vote. She had no opposition in 2007; she defeated Hatim Elhady, an independent in 2009, and garnered 55% of the general election vote against Repblican Eric Scheie in 2011.

In order to defeat Higgins, a Democratic primary opponent will likely have to file.

Could Dicken Woods’ Jack Eaton be planning a run for the seat now held by Higgins?