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Diverse ticket

cans are good enough to show up in mass numbers at the polls and gladly catapult can- didates running on the Demo- cratic Party ticket to an array of offices, they must equally be good enough to be on the ticket.

There should be no hesi-

tation about choosing a can- didate of color. There are African Americans who are thoroughly qualified to be on any of the tickets this year. But the excuse some party of- ficials would like to give is that they can’t find any competent Black candidate who is elect- able. That is cynically playing reverse racism and strength- ening the notion in 2010 that a Black candidate cannot win in Michigan, giving affirmation to prejudice.

Well that kind of excuse is

a suspicious refrain that has always been the crutch that the party walks on when taking the Detroit vote for granted. Just as party bigwigs tire- lessly work behind the scenes in search of good candidates and even offering all kinds of incentives to pull in so-called individuals with sterling quali- ties to run, why can’t it do the same for an African American candidacy?

If the party is willing to bring

all of its resources and connections to bear when White can- didates are the focus, it should do the same for candidates (Afri- can Americans and other communities of color) who, in fact, form the base of the party.

I can hear some

ney general candidates, there is not much room left to dis- cuss the possibility of a can- didate of color. Not since the candidacy of Amos Williams, the African-American Vietnam War veteran and lawyer who was left to the political knack- ers after the party did little or nothing to help him raise money to fight Attorney Gen- eral Mike Cox.

Richard Bernstein and

David Leyton are duking it out for attorney general and Bern- stein, who hails from an influ- ential legal family, will most likely get the nomination.

After this Saturday’s po-

litical kumbaya gathering at Cobo, the party will come to- gether for another “all hail the king” event in August when it nominates the candidate for governor to challenge the Re- publican nominee.

Presently, House Speaker

Andy Dillon, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and State Repre- sentative Alma Wheeler Smith are in the run for governor.

Smith has no chance of

being the nominee even though she, like all the other candi- dates, has significant legisla- tive experience. But some be- lieve that she is not electable. However, that depends on who

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

From page A-1

sible case before Detroit con- stituents.

These elected officials,

without bargaining anything substantial for Detroit or any other communities of color within the party, readily and gladly come in droves to the community in an apparent at- tempt to save the legacy of the party. Of course, their refrain of the party that salvaged civil rights, votings rights and every other justice oriented demo- cratic proposal always hyp- notizes those who would dare raise Socratic irony about the party’s commitment to diver- sity. Worst of all, such a care- fully orchestrated campaign of doing the master’s bidding only serves to handicap the current demand for diversity.

Several African Americans

have been mentioned for lieu- tenant governor should the party wake up from its slum- ber and realize that it is over- due. Following are some of the names been mentioned:

Dennis Archer, former De-

troit mayor, brings a wealth of political as well as legal back- ground to that role. Archer is the first Black to head the 400,000-member American Bar Association.

“Democrats, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., have an opportunity this year to ‘make real the promises of democracy’ and offer a strong diverse ticket that can win.”

party officials who want to mask their reluctance into perpetual denial say we don’t understand how the process works because candidates have to raise money on their own. Therefore, an African- American candidate is less likely to be able to raise money.

Really? Yeah, right. We all know

for certain that such an expla- nation will not even pass the laugh test because it is fraught from the premise.

Candidates do have to raise

money on their own, but when the party openly declares and embraces a particular candi- date without hesitation about their electability, it goes to work to ensure that candidate wins. It leverages its political clout to get the purse strings open so that candidate can crisscross the state and make his/her case to voters.

So what is the excuse of the

Michigan Democratic Party and the high priests who call the shots?

This Saturday, April 17,

at Cobo Hall, the Democratic Party will hold its Endorse- ment Convention to declare support for the candidates for attorney general and secretary of state.

This endorsement conven-

tion is coming with height- ened interest among many in Detroit who are watching closely to see if the lone Afri- can American running for sec- retary of state, Janice Winfrey, Detroit City Clerk, will get the nomination instead of Wayne State University law professor Jocelyn Benson.

Both Winfrey and Benson

are qualified even though Benson has raised more money than Winfrey.

So unless the party proves

me wrong, Benson will be the Democratic Party nominee for secretary of state on Satur- day.

It is important to note that

the onus is not on Benson to prove that she is committed to diversity because her sup- porters say her track record of working in civil and voting rights speaks for itself. The burden of proof is on the party, not her.

Winfrey’s supporters right-

ly believe she should get the nomination because of her experience manning the larg- est election department in the state.

But unfortunately, the

Benson candidacy stands to be a victim of the Demo- cratic Party’s unwillingness to accept diversity within its inner ranks. Her candidacy could potentially be seen as a pun on the chessboard of Democratic Party politics and as a result be misconstrued to some. She could be viewed as a member of the party cabal and the favorite of the chief priests who gather in the po- litical temple to decide who moves to what position.

Benson should not allow

this perception to prevail be- cause it will squander all the work she did campaigning for secretary of state.

On the question of the attor-

you talk to and what her state outreach has been.

There is an outcry for an Af-

rican American on the guber- natorial ticket as lieutenant governor. Michigan has never had an African-American lieu- tenant governor and the party of “diversity” is being chal- lenged now to make that a re- ality.

If Detroit, which votes 90

percent Democratic, the larg- est Democratic constituency in the state, is that significant to the foundation of the party’s existence, there should be no pause for a candidate of color on the gubernatorial ticket as second-in-command.

Democrats should show

that they are bigger than the Tea Party movement and do what is required of them to present a diverse ticket and send a message to those who want to shift — all the way back to the 1950s.

An all-White ticket on a

party platform that sings the mantra of diverse commu- nities is an affront to those very communities who work tirelessly to get the votes for the party. It shows something deeper that perhaps we are yet to explore.

Does the party, in fact, be-

lieve in an inherent diverse political message that reso- nates with the communities that make up the very essence of the party?

Does the party believe in

the distinctive attributes of various political voices?

Does the party believe in

the eminence of democratic multiplicity?

Or does this party want to

continue an oligarcy system where the minority rules at the expense of the majority?

Democrats, in the words

of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., have an opportunity this year to “make real the promises of democracy” and offer a strong diverse ticket that can win.

This move does not re-

quire a surgical operation for it to happen. And those Black elected officials who are always happy to be paraded by the party to serve as a buffer to any demands for diversity owe Detroit better represen- tation and advocacy this time around.

Too often in a rush to vin-

dicate itself from its sins and transgressions against Black voters, the Democratic Party applys

the laughable but

cunningly disturbing method of dispatching certain Black elected officials as ambassa- dors to plead their indefen-

Harvey Hollins, Wayne State University vice presi- dent of Government Affairs, who served in a top managerial ca- pacity with the state’s AARP, will bring a résumé of education to the ticket.

Freman Hendrix,

chair of the Detroit City Charter Com- mission and former deputy mayor, knows

Detroit politics inside out and is now at the helm of an insti- tution that would guide this city’s future for many years to come.

Faye Nelson, CEO of the

Detroit Riverfront Conservan- cy, is a development czar with a background that stretches to Wayne State University and other entities and is on the board of a major corporation (Compuware). She brings an impressive mix to the ticket.

Jeffery Collins, who for-

merly served as a judge before managing the Eastern District as a presidential appointee, has an interesting record that would have people watching closely.

Reginald Turner, State

Board of Education member who heads Detroit’s Board of Ethics, brings a political and legal framework to the ticket.

Linda Forte, senior vice

president at Comerica Bank, brings an extensive business and community development experience.

Carmen Harlan, WDIV

anchor and a fixture in Detroit television for decades, comes with a stellar and practical ex- perience in media coverage of the people’s business at a time when media is now enter- ing government with more fre- quency, such as newly-elected Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh.

If all these individuals can

pass the vetting process, they should be considered.

Diversity happens when

Detroit demands it, not when elected officials are going around in an opium-fashion tour to cool off constituents with historical narratives of what the party did in the past while their present condition remains dismal.

Watch senior editor

Bankole Thompson’s weekly show, “Center Stage,” on WADL TV 38 at 1 p.m. This Saturday’s program, April 17, will feature an in-depth exclu- sive interview with Michigan Lieutenant Governor John Cherry focusing on why he dropped out of the race, his assessment of the Granholm administration, the state of the Democratic Party and the current gubernatorial cam- paign. Bankole Thompson, whose coverage of the histor- ic 2008 presidential campaign included a series of sit-down interviews with candidate Barack Obama, is the author of the forthcoming book on President Obama and Black America. E-mail bthompson@ michronicle.com.

The Power of a Woman’s Voice in the Community Awards, presented by The American Association of University Women of Detroit

Honorees: Front row (from left): Saunteel Jenkins, Councilwoman, city of Detroit; Hon. Brenda L. Lawrence, Mayor, city of Southfield; Yvette Bing, first lady, City of Detroit; Simone Lightfoot, trustee, Ann Arbor Board of Education; Vickie Thomas, reporter, WWJ Radio.Second row (from left): Denise “Dody” Johnson, d irector of marketing and public relations and producer, WADL TV-38; Cheryl Hudson, president/CEO, Ntouch Communications Group; Denise Williams Mal- lett, vice president, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, University of Detroit Mercy; Kimberlydawn Wisdom, surgeon general, State of Michigan/vice president, Henry Ford Health System; Rochelle Riley, columnist , Detroit Free Press; Janie Jones, director, Public Affairs & Community Relations, AAUW Detroit.Third row (from left): Karen Dumas, group executive, Communications, City of Detroit; Anne Doyle, councilwoman, City of Auburn Hills & President, Anne Doyle Strategies; Hank Hubbard, president Communicating Arts Credit Union; Shanelle Jackson, Michigan state representative, District 9; Nicolette McClure, candidate for U.S. Con- gress, District 2; Hon. Lynne A. Pierce, Wayne County Circuit eudge, Juvenile & Family Di- vision; Ed Deeb, president, Michigan Business and Professional Assn., Michigan Food and Beverage Assn., Detroit Assn. of Grocery Manufacturers’ Representatives, Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation, Metro Detroit Youth Day, Eastern Market Area Merchants. — Kennettee

Lamar/Annistique Photography

Detroit ready to use $74 million in recovery bonds for major business investments

The Economic Development

Corporation of the City of De- troit (EDC) is ready to accept applications for the use of $74 million in bond financing for new or existing businesses in the city. Congress granted the authority to states and munic- ipalities to issue tax exempt Recovery Zone Facility Bonds when it passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“These bonds are a new and powerful tool to attract private

investment and create new jobs in Detroit,” said George W. Jackson, Jr., President and CEO of Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, which will administer the bond pro- gram for the EDC. “They are very valuable for medium to large-scale projects that can transform the economic land- scape here.

We don’t have many restric-

tions on the kinds of compa- nies that can apply, but this form of funding is a good fit

for facilities that build on De- troit’s creative talent, manu- facturing experience and re- search capacity.”

Art Papapanos, DEGC Vice

President, Board Administra- tion said the bonds are similar to the $462 million of private activity bonds the EDC has issued in the past to support major expansion of industrial and commercial projects, in- cluding the Greater Detroit Re- source Recovery Facility, the

three Detroit casinos and the 36th District Court Building.

“In February 2010, the De-

troit City Council designated the entire city as a Recovery Zone, which allows eligible projects to apply for bond funding anywhere within the city limits,” said Papapanos. “The process for applying for the bonds is an open one. This is an excellent funding opportunity for any company that has the financial strength

April 14-20, 2010 Page A-4

matters to everyone The 2010 Census

By James Tate

In a time where truth and

transparency is what people desire most, I believe that the organizers behind the U.S. Census should be a bit more forthcoming to residents. In- stead of the bland envelopes that the U.S. Census uses to mail out census forms, imag- ine if they read, “Congratu- lations! You have just been awarded $10,000 by the feder- al government! Please fill out the form and return responses to these 10 questions about where you live and how many people live in your home in order to receive your money.”

Okay, maybe the wording

should not be that sensation- alistic, but it would certainly be attention-grabbing and most importantly, it would be truthful.

The 2010 Census is here

and many people in our com- munity do not realize what their participation means to our city. For every census form that is returned, Detroit receives about $1 thousand per person from the federal government every year, for the next ten years.

As we continue to face

the many challenges of the nation’s economic downturn, it’s clear that job losses, lay- offs and home foreclosures can make it difficult to obtain an accurate census count. Unfortunately, there have al- ready been reports predicting an undercount for the city of Detroit. This could mean that we would miss out on our fair share of the $400 million in federal funds available as a result of census population

Hartford

dealers and the community are all tied together.”

In addition to the ride and

drive, special GM vehicle dis- count cards, refreshments, and car seat check-ups for children will be available. GM car seat safety experts will be on hand to demonstrate the proper way to install car seats and answer questions.

“This is a wonderful oppor-

tunity to do something really special for Hartford church members (and the communi- ty), something that has never been done at a church in De- troit,” said Rev. Dr. Charles G. Adams, pastor of Hartford Me- morial Baptist Church. “This

is directly related to the viabil- ity of the community we serve. Minority suppliers help to provide jobs and financial se- curity for thousands of people in metropolitan Detroit. This ride and drive event is a tre- mendous opportunity to work in partnership with GM, its mi- nority suppliers and dealers.”

Known for his commit-

ment to the community, Rev. Adams’ vision is reflected in his efforts to revitalize the community. Under his inno- vative leadership, Hartford has purchased commercial real estate along Seven Mile Road, supporting the establishment of well-known restaurants,

James Tate

calculations. Ten years ago, several

thousand city residents went uncounted, costing the city millions of dollars in potential funding. Those lost dollars represent missed opportuni- ties that could have been used to support a wide range of nec- essary social programs and in- frastructure projects.

For Detroit, the importance

of an accurate count in the 2010 Census can’t be overem- phasized. If we fail to count everyone, we will miss out on dollars needed to combat many of the quality of life issues that Detroiters face every day. We cannot let this happen.

Not only will a drop in popu-

lation mean a loss of potential funding, it could also reduce the number of Congress mem- bers who fight on our behalf. So it’s not just about the money, it’s also about power. We cannot let that happen either.

A major concern about the

census for many throughout the years has been loss of privacy and fear that census information would be used against them by other govern- mental agencies.

Nothing could be further

from the truth. U.S. Census information is protected under law and those respon- sible for collecting and record- ing census data are sworn not to share information with any other agency or department under penalty of fine and/or imprisonment.

Compared to the 2000 more

lengthy survey, this year’s census form has been reduced to just ten short, simple ques- tions. Once you receive your form, take ten minutes to answer the questions, place the form in the self-addressed stamped envelope and mail it back. You will have not only performed your civic duty in helping improve your city, but your involvement will provide a lasting effect over the next ten years.

As a newly elected official

and resident of a city that I love, I am calling on you to tell everyone you know about the 2010 Census and the impor- tance of their participation.

The power to change lives

and help build Detroit’s future is in our hands.

Let’s stand up and be

counted!

James Tate, former spokes-

person for the Detroit Police Department, is one of the new members elected to the De- troit City Council.

From page A-1

such as McDonald’s, Long John Silver’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken and others. A Kmart was built on church property, employing hundreds of local residents. Home Depot now occupies the property and continues to provide employ- ment and tax revenue for the city and state. Moreover, Hart- ford has established the Head Start Agency and a tutoring program. This is yet another way to give back to the com- munity.

For more information about

the Hartford Memorial Bap- tist Church 2010 Ride & Drive event, please call (248) 723- 3263.

to bring fresh ideas and new energy into Detroit.”

Projects funded by Recov-

ery Zone Facility Bonds must create new jobs or have some other related public purpose, and they generally cannot be used to move jobs from one city to another within Michi- gan. The sale of the bonds must close by the end of this year. Other project require- ments are spelled out in law and explained in documents available at DEGC. 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