news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Prime Politics

All The Politics That Matter to You

Bouchard believes he’s the best choice for governor

By Patrick Keating CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard be-

lieves he’s the best person to be Michigan’s next governor because of his previous experi- ence as a state senator from 1990 to 1999, and his 11 years as sheriff.

“In 1991, when John Engler was in his first

term, I was a leader in the senate when we did a lot of tough structural reforms,” said Bouchard, a Republican, who was floor leader when he left the senate. “We cut $1 billion out of the budget without raising taxes and reformed education so we could deliver more money into a lot of the districts that were really hurting.”

He feels that more than any other candidate,

he understands what he’s getting into. He also said he doesn’t have “become gover-

nor” on his “bucket list.” Rather, he loves his job, but as he looked at the field as it devel- oped, he didn’t see any other candidate whom he believed had the experience to sit down the first day and to know what to do, how to do it, and would be willing to do it.

“Not to knock on the other candidates, it’s

just different skill sets, different experiences,” he said, adding that having been a leader in the senate, he knows how to move things.

As governor,

Mike Bouchard

Bouchard would also help mend the political divisive- ness that seems to be the norm these days, by building an environment where relation- ships across the aisle and between the executive and legislative branch-

es can begin. He’d spend a great deal of time with legislators from both parties and both houses, and build a friendship first. Citing his own experiences in the senate, he said once

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and his running mate, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, hope to be the next governor and lt. governor.

such friendships are established, there may be disagreements over issues, but there isn’t name calling and metaphorical rock throwing, because the individuals involved know each other as people, first.

As sheriff, Bouchard oversees more than

1,200 employees. “I understand what it is to be a CEO of gov-

ernment,” he said, adding that his department has a three-year rolling budget.

“We’re in balance three years from now, so

I’ve been a fiscal steward that’s been effective in these tough times,” he said. “Oakland County is the only county in the state of Michigan that has AAA bond rating, that’s got a stable out- look. And I’m one-third of the county budget.”

He also said he’s owned and operated small

businesses, and knows what it’s like to sign both the front and back of checks.

“That is the key to bringing Michigan and De- troit back — having businesses start up again,” Bouchard said. “Small businesses.”

He called the boarded up and papered over

shop windows along Woodward “prime real estate” and said Detroit can once again be the vibrant town it was — if we make the tough de- cisions on both the state and local levels and if we allow businesses to grow, and create an en- vironment where they can make money again.

“Making money and a profit is a good thing,

because people can reinvest it and grow a busi- ness,” he said.

Bouchard’s top goal would be jobs. He’d

have a “relentless focus” on that. He wants to stem the exodus of families and young people from the state. Moreover, doesn’t want his own children to feel they have no choice but to leave to find good jobs.

He said he’s willing to do whatever is neces-

sary to change that, even if it means being a one-term governor.

He draws the line at raising taxes, however.

He believes that’s not the answer and that rais- ing taxes would only take more from people who have less. He said that rather than raise taxes, the best way to increase revenue is to bring more business to the state, and to gener- ate more volume of business.

“A lot of businesses make their money

based on volume, not based on price points (or) based on percentages,” he said. “So instead of making 5 percent, you make 2 percent, but you make it on a whole lot more people.”

He said if Michigan brings businesses back

to the state, we’ll generate money, and — more importantly — jobs.

Another goal is to focus on the priorities

and to then focus our resources on making the most of what he have. As an example, he said he wanted an aviation unit as sheriff, but rather than ask the taxpayers to pay for it, he “found” the money by competitively bidding the feeding of inmates at the county jail.

“I saved $1.6 million every year on food,”

he said. “If the state did the same thing they would save, on the conservative side, $40 mil- lion every year.”

He said the state could also save money

by renting closed rest stops to entrepreneurs — for, say, $100,000 per year. They’d re-open them as gas stations, restaurants or other such businesses, and those converted rest stops would go from liabilities on a balance sheet to assets.

He said it costs the state about $12 million

per year to operate the C. 81 rest stops. Bouchard chose Secretary of State Terri

Lynn Land as his running mate several months ago. He said she helps him not only on the campaign trail, but also by the fact that she’s got experiencing in running a large department successfully.

“She’ll transition immediately from a cam-

paign partner to a governing partner,” he said. Bouchard’s website is www.Bouchardfor-

governor.com.

Trouble with property taxes? Let’s talk

By Wayne County Treasurer Raymond J. Wojtowicz

As part of our expanded effort to educate

and reach out to Wayne County residents about property tax issues during these extraordinari- ly tough economic times, I am asking taxpay- ers who are experiencing difficulty trying to pay their delinquent property taxes for 2007 and earlier years to make every effort to contact our office. It is not too late but time is running out. March 31 is the deadline to make payments or payment arrangements on your 2007 delin- quent property taxes. At least give us a chance to help you keep your property.

The theme of this year’s outreach campaign

is “Let’s Talk,” which simply means we don’t want delinquent taxpayers to panic, or to stick their heads in the sand and hope this all goes away. The best way for them to prevent losing their property to tax foreclosure is to come in

Raymond Wojtowicz

‘Overcoming the Politics of Identity: The Black and Jewish Experience in Metro Detroit’ symposium set for April 2

The University of Michigan

- Dearborn Office of Multicul- tural Affairs has announced that it will host a symposium featuring distinguished com- munity leaders on the histori- cal role of Blacks and Jews in the evolution of Southeast Michigan — their common struggles, their survival and achievements, and their con- temporary collaborations.

The forum will be held April

2 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., in the 1500 Social Science Building on the campus of the univer- sity.

The symposium, free and

open to the public, will feature Arthur Horwitz, publisher of the Detroit Jewish News; Shir- ley Stancato, president of New Detroit Inc,; Robert Bury, pres- ident of the Detroit Historical Society; and Dr. Karl Gregory, distinguished professor emer- itus, Oakland University.

The event, dubbed “Over-

coming the Politics of Iden- tity: The Black and Jewish Experience in Metro Detroit,” will be moderated by Bankole Thompson, senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle, who will kick off the conversation by engaging the leaders on the similarities and challenges against racism faced by Jews and Blacks.

The symposium is pre-

sented by the university’s “Issues in Diversity and Social Change” lecture series, led by the university’s institutional equity officer, Eric Boling.

Karl Gregory Robert Bury

bthompson@michronicle.com

Arthur Horwitz Shirley Stancato

and see us. Maybe there’s something we can do. We can’t guarantee that everyone who comes to see us will be able to save their property. How- ever, we will do all that we can to advise you of your options.

In November 2007, the first year the state-

mandated listing of delinquent parcels was placed in three consecutive Sunday editions of the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, the total number of delinquent parcels listed was 18,110. Several news reports expressed shock and dismay that the problem was so serious. One year later, in November 2008, the total number of delinquent Wayne County parcels listed came to 21,269 — an increase of 17 18 percent. In last year’s Sunday supplement list- ing, there were more than 23,000 delinquent properties listed.

As a means of meeting this challenge I have launched a massive educational/informational

campaign designed to alert delinquent taxpay- ers to the options we have available to help them resolve their property tax issues. Those with delinquent 2007 taxes can apply for a sub- stantial hardship extension, which would grant them up to an additional year to pay off those taxes. The other option is to sign a payment agreement which requires the taxpayer to pay 20 percent of the delinquency by the end of March, another 20 percent by the end of May, another 20 percent by the end of August, and the remaining balance by the end of 2010. More information about these two programs can be found on our website at www.treasurer.wayne- county.com or by calling our Taxpayer Assis- tance Department at (313) 224-6105.

It’s never too late to help us help you. So

before you decide to throw up your hands in de- spair, first take a deep breath. Now let’s talk.

Education 911: Top education

leaders outline long-term plan to revamp DPS

By Minehaha Forman

Robert Bobb wants a revo-

lution. The Detroit Public Schools emergency financial manager’s dark suits and steadfast manner may not be (what one would expect from) a leader of a revolution, but he is at the forefront of a massive and controversial metamor- phosis of DPS.

“Let’s create an education-

al revolution,” Bobb proposed in front of more than 300 lead- ers in business, education, government and community at the Michigan Chronicle’s Pancakes & Politics forum at the Detroit Athletic Club last Friday.

The breakfast discussion

was titled “Education 911: The Conversation Continues” and featured three of the region’s education heavyweights: Wayne State University Presi- dent Dr. Jay Noren, Wayne County Community College District Chancellor Dr. Curtis Ivery, and Robert Bobb.

The DPS system’s $219

million budget deficit and plummeting enrollment has triggered the shutdown of 64 schools over the past three years and 44 are slated to be shuttered in June. Meanwhile, the pink slips keep fluttering down.

Adding to the urgency,

Detroit’s public education system has become the na- tional poster child of public education reform. “We are in the center of the solution for the entire country,” Noren noted at the forum.

Wayne State’s front man

said it would take years to achieve the goals that are set for the district paired with community-wide commitment

but he’s optimistic that mile- stones will be reached. “I’m encouraged by leaders of DPS and the mayor’s interest in the schools,” he told the alert au- dience.

Amidst clouds of misin-

formation and uncertainty, this timely forum provided a unique and refreshing venue for chief educational archi- tects to engage in a dialogue surrounding core issues, ex- amine solutions, and outline ambitious goals for the next five years.

What Bobb calls “a road-

map for the future” of DPS is a comprehensive five-year plan that predicts close collabora- tion between K-12 programs and local colleges and univer- sities, a “radical” change in the way school districts are funded, a gigantic leap in grad- uation rates, a commitment to academic rigor with a focus on math and science, and an aggressive plan to eliminate factors that impede children’s ability to learn starting at home in the womb.

There’s no quick fix and

WCCCD Chancellor Ivery be- lieves much of the solution lies in the culture of the com- munity rather than its in- stitutions. “Culture trumps organization,” he said in his speech. But he stressed the importance of education in this transitory time between the reign of the auto industry and the uncertain. “Those with an education will weather the economic storm,” he said.

Bobb, who gets as much

criticism as he does praise, said he appreciated the oppor- tunity to be a part of the Pan- cakes & Politics panel.

“It (the event) represents a

cross section of the Detroit community.

Information

shared at this event reaches hundreds of other people,” Bobb told the Michigan Chron- icle. “I am able to connect with individual intellects and share ideas. It’s also a learning expe- rience.”

“We have the desire,” Bobb

confidently told the attentive crowd, “What we have to do is not let anyone tell us that our kids can’t succeed. We need a revolution. We can take this to another level.”

Pancakes & Politics is a

four-part discussion series that offers a platform for the Metro Detroit region’s most prominent leaders to speak, network, and share informa- tion. Deeloped by the Michigan Chronicle and its parent com- pany, Real Times Media, the next forum will be held April 16 and will center on Busi- ness Leaders for Michigan, the private, non-profit execu- tive leadership organization dedicated to making Michigan a “Top Ten” state for job and economic growth.

The series is moderated by

Carol Cain, host of “Michigan Matters” on WWJ-TV. Title sponsors include Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, Strategic Staffing Solutions, PNC, UHY LLP, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, HAP, and St. John Health System. Corporate contributors are Bank of America, MGM Grand Detroit, Compuware, Fifth Third Bank, Wayne State Uni- versity, Quicken Loans, and Detroit Rescue Mission Minis- tries. Media partners are WWJ- TV, WWJ Newsradio 950 and Crain’s Detroit Business.

March 24-30, 2010

Page A-3 Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36