GM makes $2.2 billion investment in Detroit

Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks at press conference in Detroit | Photo courtesy of GM

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan were on hand with GM executives this morning to announce a $2.2 billion investment in the company's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. This plant will produce a variety of all-electric trucks and SUVs.

GM’s first all-electric truck will be a pickup with production scheduled to begin in late 2021. This will be followed soon after by the Cruise Origin, a shared, electric, self-driving vehicle unveiled by Cruise in San Francisco last week. Detroit-Hamtramck will be GM’s first fully-dedicated electric vehicle assembly plant.

“Through this investment, GM is taking a big step forward in making our vision of an all-electric future a reality,” said Mark Reuss, GM president, during a press event at the plant with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other local and state officials. “Our electric pickup will be the first of multiple electric truck variants we will build at Detroit-Hamtramck over the next few years.”

When the plant is fully operational, this investment will create more than 2,200 good-paying U.S. manufacturing jobs. GM will also invest an additional $800 million in supplier tooling and other projects related to the launch of the new electric trucks.

Since the fall of 2018, GM has committed to invest more than $2.5 billion in Michigan to bring electric vehicles to market through investments at Orion assembly, GM battery lab in Warren, Brownstown and today’s announced direct investment in Detroit-Hamtramck. 

The plant’s paint and body shops and general assembly area will receive comprehensive upgrades, including new machines, conveyors, controls and tooling.

GM’s joint venture with LG Chem – which is investing $2.3 billion to manufacture battery cells in Lordstown, Ohio – will supply battery cells for the electric vehicles manufactured at Detroit-Hamtramck.

A key driver behind GM’s decision to make the commitment to Detroit-Hamtramck was the support this project received from the state of Michigan.

“The support from the state of Michigan was a key element in making this investment possible,” added Reuss. “This investment helps ensure that Michigan will remain at the epicenter of the global automotive industry as we continue our journey to an electrified future.”

Detroit-Hamtramck currently operates on one shift of production and builds the Cadillac CT6 and the Chevrolet Impala. Approximately 900 people are employed at the plant. As previously confirmed, the plant will be idled for several months beginning at the end of February as the renovations begin.

The plant has built more than 4 million vehicles since opening in 1985. Hourly employees at Detroit-Hamtramck are represented by UAW Local 22.

Detroit offers help for residents who can't pay their property taxes

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit joined other community leaders yesterday in announcing help for low-income residents who are having problems paying their property taxes. The full video from this event is embedded above this post.

Homeowners in Detroit who cannot pay their property taxes for financial reasons may be able to reduce - or even eliminate - their current year’s property tax obligation through what is called the Homeowners Property Tax Assistance Program. Those applying to this program must meet certain financial requirements. This includes both the family’s household income as well as their total assets.

Depending on one’s income, Detroiters may qualify to be exempt from 25%, 50% or even 100% of the normal property taxes on their home. The income guidelines for 2020 are listed below.

Mayor Duggan celebrates the Stategic Neighborhood Initiative

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit recently commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Stategic Neighborhoods Initiative. This is a public-private partnership to improve some of the neighborhoods in our city, such as Warrendale.
This initiative got a large boost recently. The Ralph C. Wilson Foundation announced a $10 million grant to support the neighborhoods in Detroit. Those funds will go towards citywide development of our ten targetedneighborhoods on streetscapes, commercial corridors, and parks.

"We are improving neighborhoods in Detroit for Detroiters," Duggan commented.
They and our other corporate partners have already made an incredible impact, and it is my hope that others will join us in continuing our mission of creating a stronger Detroit for everyone. Mayor Duggan's team posted a video of his remarks about the Stategic Neighborhoods Initiative to his Facebook page.

I have embedded this video above. I encourage everyone to take a moment to watch it.

Mayor Duggan holds annual meeting with Detroiters

On November 19 of this year, Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit held his annual meeting with the residents of District 7. This, of course, is the area that includes the Warrendale and adjacent neighborhoods in our city.

Thee mayor's annual meeting with residents, by the way, is required by the City Charter, Mayor Duggan is required to have a scheduled community-wide meeting with residents in each of the Detroit's seven City Council districts at least once each year.

While the City Charter does not specify a particular day or time for these meetings, Mayor Duggan has traditionally held these meetings in the fall each year since he assumed office in January 2014. He normally begins these meetings with a short presentation. After that, each and every Detroit resident is invited to ask him any question that he or she wants.

Senior members of his administration are generally present as well. This enables them to add additional details and to resolve problems that residents bring to him.

Councilman Gabe Leland, who represents District 7 on the Detroit City Council, also attended this meeting. He also spoke at it and addressed concerns raised by local residents.

Video from this meeting is embedded above.

Ribbon cutting at Minock Whitlock Park this Saturday

Ribbon cutting - Stock illustration courtesy of Needpix.com

After months of construction and preparation, it is finally time for the Warrendale neighborhood to join together and celebrate the new Minock-Whitlock Park (6548 Minock St.) with an official ribbon cutting celebration. We will have one this Saturday, October 26. Several Detroit dignitaries are expected to be on hand for this event that starts at 2 p.m. at the park.

The Minock Whitlock Park is a series of three lots in our Detroit neighborhood that were previously vacant and a blight to the community. With thousands of volunteer hours and funding from several different sources, this land has been transformed into a pocket park that is complete with a playscape for local children.

This transformation was spearheaded by Barb and Joe Mattney who also led the In Memory Community Garden (6551 Minock St.), which is directly across Minock Street from the playground, and the In Memory Of Orchard (6700 Auburn St.), which are nearby. They were not alone in their efforts to bring this park to life. Building it was a community effort that numerous community members took part in.

Everyone in Detroit is invited to attend the ribbon cutting this Saturday. Children, in particular, are invited to wear their favorite Halloween costumes to the park.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, there will be cider and donuts as well as a pumpkin patch at the In Memory Of Community Garden. Again, everyone in Detroit is invited to attend this as well. It will be a celebration of dreams and sweat that made this happen for our neighborhood.

The park is located at the northeast corner of Minock and Whitlock Streets; hence its name. It will be open from dawn to dusk every day throughout the foreseeable future. There is no charge to use this park and the public is welcome.

Detroit introduces a plan to cut the number of home foreclosures

An Anmerican Home - Stock photo by Pexels

Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans, Mayor Mike Duggan, and Wayne County Treasurer Eric Sabree called on the Michigan Legislature to implement a sweeping new approach to assist tens of thousands of Detroiters and Wayne County residents who owe back property taxes avoid foreclosure. The plan builds on steps the City and County have already taken to reduce occupied home foreclosures by 94% since 2015.

Michigan State Representative Wendall Byrd (D-3) has introduced legislation that will facilitate this proposal. They call this proposal to minimize foreclosures Pay As You Stay or PAYS. This proposal aims to reduce tax foreclosure for Detroit homeowners who live in poverty and who are struggling to make payments.

According to data from the City of Detroit, this plan would help approximately 31,000 homeowners stay in their homes by dramatically reducing the amount they owe on their back taxes and lowering their monthly payments.

This payment plan is available to all those eligible for the poverty tax and disabled veteran exemptions. It will remove interest, penalties, and fees so only back taxes or 10% of taxable value is owed whichever is less. This will include any past due balance on the City of Detroit’s solid waste fees.

Pay As You Stay is a simple, three-part plan:

1. Once you enroll, all interest, penalties and fees would be eliminated;
2. To reduce an undue burden on homeowners, the balance due would be limited to back taxes only or 10% of a home’s taxable value – whichever is less; and
3. The remaining balance would be paid back over three years at zero percent interest.

Homeowners who qualify for a full or partial Property Tax Exemption and enroll in future years would be eligible for the program. To be PTE-eligible, a household with 1 person could not make more than $19,303 per year; a household with 4 people could not make more than $28,671.

“Since 2015, we’ve been able to reduce the number of occupied foreclosures by 94%, but far too many Detroiters still are at risk of foreclosure,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Pay As You Stay would help more than 31,000 Detroit homeowners stay in their homes by eliminating interest, penalties and fees and making payment plans affordable for those who need them.”

Detroit City Council Member Janee Ayers added in a statement on Facebook, “Our city can only thrive if we work with our most vulnerable residents who have stayed here through the hardest times.”

More information about this Pay As You Stay proposal is available on the City of Detroit's website.

The Warrendale Detriot Blog will continue to follow this story as it develops and the PAYS legislation moves throught the Michigan Hosue of Representatives.

Bridging Neighborhoods brings its 20th homeowner to Warrendale

It was a bright sunny day when neighors, dignataries, and TV cameras joined together to welcome the 20th Bridging Neighborhoods familty to Warrendale. Mayor Mike Duggan and Council Member Gabe Leland, who represents Warrendale and the surrounding neighborhoods in Detroit, were both on hand for this event.

I wrote about the Bridging Neighborhoods program back in December of last year. The program is a simple yet powerful idea.

Homeowners who are impacted by the new Gordie Howe International Bridge in Del Ray to move to more stable neighborhoods in Detroit like Warrendale. Those who participate trade their existing home for a completely renovated, energy-efficient one in a better neighborhood. The City even provides them with a stipend to cover their moving expenses.

Detroiters who partiicipate in the Bridging Neighbors program benefit from a better home in a better neighborhood. Residents in neighborhoods like Warrendale because it means that a few previously vacant homes are renovated and occupied by a new owner.

The city as a whole benefits because greater population density in the neighborhoods makes it easier to attract new residents and businesses. A more dense population also makes it easier for the local government to provide city services to all who need them.

I'm glad that this program is continuing. I join many others in welcoming these Detroiters to Warrendale.

What is next for Detroit's incinerator?

Earlier this afternoon, Mayor Mike Duggan announced that the City of Detroit would close incinerator, which has been controversial throughout its 33-year history. According to published news reports, today will be its last day of operation. The City is expected to transfer its solid waste contract to another vendor.

Mayor Duggan stated that this will not result in any additional costs to the taxpayers of Detroit.

Multiple news outlets have reported on this announcement that Detroit is closing its controversial incinerator. One can read this story here, here, and in dozens of other media outlets.

The one thing that has not been made clear as of yet is the burning question: what will happen to this site next?

(And yes, I did just drop a quip about a burning question into a blog post about an incinerator.)

The short answer is that we do not know at this time exactly what will happen at this site. Mayor Duggan stated in a post on Twitter, "As far as future use of this site, it is my strong preference that this site never again be used as a waste incinerator." The mayor went on to add that the City of Detroit, "will be pursuing our legal options to make sure this remains the case."

Since there doesn't seem to be a clear plan as to what should be done with this land after today, I would like to offer an idea for everyone to consider.

First, bulldoze the entire complex. I'm normally one for saving and reusing buildings in Detroit. The incinerator, however, is a memory that I believe Detroit would be better without.

Once the land is properly cleared, I believe that strip clubs across the city should be incentivized to close in the neighborhoods, convert their current location into a sports bar or something, and move the adult entertainment to where the incinerator sits now.

For more than 30 years, I have heard one elected official in Detroit talk about how they would love to pick up all of the strip clubs in our neighborhoods and move them to a separate area away from everything. With the closing of the incinerator, I believe that Detroiters finally have a chance to do precisely this thing.

Screen grab of the area immediately around the incinerator - Google Maps

While the stench from the incinerator has traveled to residential areas miles away, there aren't any homes currently around the site itself. This coupled with its proximity to the expressways makes this land a perfect location to move strip clubs in Detroit to.

Visual and other barriers can be erected rather easily to isolate these strip clubs from the rest of Detroit. They can do their thing and it won't bother anyone in the surrounding neighborhoods.

There are, of course, many details to work out on this one. What kind of incentive should we use to encourage the strip clubs to relocate, is the most obvious detail. However, I don't think any of these challenges are insurmountable.

And it would be nice to see an idea that has been kicked around for decades finally happen.

Duggan to deliver State of the City address this evening

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit - File photo

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit will deliver his annual State of the City address this evening at 7 p.m. I look forward to him discussing important topics to our community such as city services, crime and police response times, economic development, as well as our neighborhoods.

The State of the City address will be live-streamed on DetroitMI.gov and the City of Detroit's Facebook page. It will also be carried on live on television and radio.

For those who use Twitter, I will be live tweeting from home during Mayor Duggan's speech. My Twitter handle is @fnemecek.

District meeting set for February 26

There will be a community-wide meeting for District 7, which includes the Warrendale neighborhood and the parts of Detroit that are near it. This meeting will happen from 6 - 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26 at the Adam Butzel Recreation Complex (10500 Lyndon).

Representatives from Mayor Mike Duggan's office will host this meeting. Their focus for the evening will be on navigating through the different levels of state, county, and city government.

Residents of the 7th District in Detroit are invited to this meeting. RSVPs are appreciated, though. Please reach out to Mona Ali, district manager for our area, by emailing AliM [at] detroitmi [dot] gov.

Bridging the Del Ray and Warrendale neighborhoods

As plans were being finalized for the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario were being finalized, it became increasingly clear that life was going to become complicated for residents of the Delray neighborhood in southwest Detroit. Many of them were going to lose homes that had been in their family for generations to eminent domain. Still more residents would soon find their neighborhood congested with even more traffic and noise.
Rather than risk losing thousands of residents, Mayor Mike Duggan and his team stepped in with an innovative offer. Residents affected by the Gordie Howe International Bridge would be offered an opportunity to trade their home in Delray for another home in Warrendale or one of the other more stable neighborhoods in Detroit. This initiative became known as the Bridging Neighborhoods program.
I had a chance to sit down with Rico Razo, deputy director of the Bridging Neighborhoods program, to talk this initiative and how it fits into Mayor Duggan's overall plans to revitalize Detroit and her neighborhoods.
This home swap initiative has five key benefits for Detroit and her neighborhoods.

1. Bridging Neighborhoods enables the city to retain long-time residents in her existing neighborhoods.
2. Former Delray residents coming into Warrendale and other neighborhoods means as many as 600 currently vacant and blighted homes in Detroit's neighborhoods will be renovated and occupied by families who own their home and have a vested interest in the long-term health of their new neighborhood.
3. Besides enabling Delray residents to escape the noise and pollution that will be inherent with the Gordie Howe International Bridge, these residents receive a fully renovated home that is up to code and energy efficient.
4. Businesses in Warrendale and other neighborhoods gain thousands of new potential customers, which would enable them to expand and to hire new employees for the community. The addition of these new residents will also make it easier for new businesses to open and thrive in Detroit's neighborhoods.
5. It will increase the population density in Detroit's neighborhoods, which will, in turn, enable the City of Detroit to deliver services more efficiently.

I would add that addressing the five issues above will better enable Detroiters to solve many of the other problems that still plague our community. All of this fits into Mayor Duggan's long-term plan to revitalize neighborhoods and to fulfill his campaign promise that every neighborhood has a future.
The City of Detroit produced the short video that is embedded above. As an aside, one can see Rico Razo welcoming a family to their new home at the 50-second mark on this video.

Mayor Duggan to meet with the neighborhood

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit - File Photo

The City of Detroit recently announced that Mayor Mike Duggan will have his annual District 7 Community Meeting on Monday, August 20. This event will start at 7 p.m. at the Straight Gate International Church (10100 Grand River Ave.) and is expected to conclude at 8:30 p.m.

This meeting is an opportunity for residents, business owners, and other interested parties in Warrendale and the surrounding neighborhoods to bring any questions or concerns they might have directly to Mayor Duggan in a public setting. Representatives from the various City departments will also be on hand.

The annual meeting is required by the Charter for the City of Detroit, which mandates that the Mayor hold at least one of these meetings each year in each of the seven City Council districts.

Anyone with any questions or concerns about our local government is invited to attend this meeting.

Mayor Duggan to meet with community

Mayor Mike Duggan - Press photo

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit will hold a community meeting near the Warrendale neighborhood. This meeting will happen at Kadesh Baptist Church (20361 Plymouth Rd.), which is approximately a mile north of Warrendale. This meeting will happen on Tuesday, November 28 at 7 p.m. and is expected to adjourn at approximately 8:30 p.m.

This community meeting is an opportunity for residents and other community stakeholders to bring their concerns directly to the Mayor. These meetings happen once each year in each of the seven City Council districts and are mandated by Detroit's City Charter.

Free parking is available at the church. The venue is also conveniently along both the Evergreen and Plymouth Road bus routes.

Insurance reform defeated. What next?

Interior of the Michigan Capitol Building - Photo by Frank Nemecek

The State House of Representatives shot down a bill yesterday that would have lowered auto insurance rates throughout Michigan and in Detroit in particular. The reform bill was defeated by a vote of 45-63, in a sharp rebuke to Mayor Mike Duggan in lobbied strongly for it.

I have argued for years, on this blog and elsewhere, that finding a way to lower auto insurance rates in Detroit was crucial to this city's recovery. We simply cannot continue with so many residents being forced to drive illegally because they cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars for auto insurance nor can we continue to operate where a large portion of our residents live elsewhere on paper in order to get a somewhat normal rate on their insurance.

I give Mayor Duggan an enormous amount of credit for trying repeatedly to get some type of relief from the Michigan Legislature. Others have spent decades trying to get such relief and our mayor has gotten closer to success than any of them.

Still, after suffering under oppressive insurance rates for decades, I believe that it is time to try something different - even if that something might sound unorthodox at first.

It has become apparent that after decades of trying to reform insurance rates, Detroiters must reluctantly accept the fact that - in all likelihood - the Michigan Legislature will never allow auto insurance reform to happen. I could spend hours going over the various reasons why one group or another is steadfastly opposed to change. The bottom line, though, is that Detroiters need reform and Lansing is not going to allow that to happen.

Our only remaining option, therefore, is to bring about reform in a way that Lansing cannot easily interfere with. It is time, I believe, for the City of Detroit to set up its own insurance company - an insurance company that would be set up to deliver more affordable coverage to Detroiters.

It will not be easy or cheap for the City of Detroit to set up its own insurance company. There a multitude of licensing requirements to starting such a company, not the least of which is having an initial pool of cash on hand to pay any claims that might come about during the early days of the company's operations.

I will not sugar the size of those upfront costs. It will likely cost millions of dollars upfront to get such a new insurance company operating for Detroiters.

Instead, I will simply point out the following:

• It took $416 million in 2016 dollars to build Comerica Park with much of that cost being born by Detroit's taxpayers;
• Ford Field had a construction price tag of $666 million in 2016 dollars with Detroit's taxpayers paying much of that cost;
• Taxpayers also spent $279 million to renovate Cobo Center in 2010; and
• More recently, the Little Caesars Arena was built at a cost of $826.9 million with Detroit's taxpayers covering a healthy portion of that cost.

While I do not mean to disparage the value of these project, I do mean to point out that Detroiters found a way to come with approximately $2.2 billion to cover their costs.

$2.2 billion.

Let there be no mistake, the City of Detroit could establish its own insurance company - one that would provide quality auto insurance to Detroiters at much more reasonable rates than we currently see - for far, far less than $2.2 billion.

Detroiters found a way to get it done for each of these projects, It's time to do it again and establish our own insurance company.

All 5 endorsed candidates move on to November

The primary election was this past Tuesday across Detroit and the rest of Michigan. It narrowed the field from dozens of contenders to the top two candidates who will move on to the general election in November for the offices of mayor of Detroit, members of the city council, and city clerk.

This blog made a total of five endorsements for these important offices in Detroit. I am thrilled that all five candidates have made it past the primary and will move on to the general election, which is set for Tuesday, November 7.

Congratulations and best wishes, therefore, go out to:

• Mike Duggan for Mayor of Detroit;
• Gabe Leland for City Council (District 7);
• Brenda Jones for City Council (at-large);
• Janee Ayers for City Council (at-large); and
• Garlin Gilchrist for City Clerk.

I wish each of these candidates the best of luck as we move forward the election season in Detroit.

My endorsements for Detroit's primary

There will be a primary election this coming Tuesday. During this contest, Detroiters will narrow the field for candidates who hope to serve as Mayor or City Clerk of Detroit and who will represent us on the City Council. The full list of candidates for each office is available on Ballotpedia or the City of Detroit's official website.

After much study, I am pleased to present my endorsements for these offices.

Mayor Mike Duggan - File photo

I am pleased to endorse Mike Duggan for re-election as Mayor of Detroit. He has done an excellent job of guiding Detroit out of bankruptcy. During his first term in office, we have seen a dramatic improvement in response times for police, fire, and emergency medical services.

There has also been a tremendous - almost mind-blowing - change in the corporate culture within Detroit City government. When I was president of Warrendale Community Organization during the Kwame Kilpatrick era, the WCO wanted information about police response times and other issues, we were routinely told that this information simply wasn't available.

Today, most of this information is readily available on the City of Detroit's website. This, I believe, is an important departure from the decades of failure that preceded Mayor Duggan's tenure. It shows that - even though there is still work that needs to be done - we have an executive team that is transparent in its dealings and accountable to the residents, businesses, and visitors who make Detroit one of the greatest cities in the world.

I am also pleased to make three important endorsements for the City Council.

Gabe Leland and I at the AIA Detroit Awards

Gabe Leland has represented Warrendale and the other neighborhoods that make up the 7th District admirably during his first term of office. As chair of the council's planning and economic development committee, he shepherded much of the work on the District Detroit project through the council and made sure that there were jobs and other benefits for residents.

His impact on the District Detroit project is particularly important, in my opinion. For decades, one project after another has moved forward downtown with far more benefits for developers than residents. The fact that residents are on track to get a healthy portion of the construction jobs and the more than 1,100 permanent jobs associated with it is impressive.

As one looks beyond our district representation, I am also thrilled to endorse Brenda Jones and Janee L. Ayers to continue representing all Detroiters as at-large members of the City Council. Both of these women have shown a strong, level-headed leadership that I believe has been a tremendous asset to all Detroiters. They have also been passionate about connecting with Detroiters throughout their tenure.

Brenda Jones at a Warrendale Community Organization meeting
Photo by Frank Nemecek

Brenda Jones is a veteran on the City Council, having represented Detroiters since 2005. Janee Ayers is a relative newcomer, having joined the Council in 2015 following the resignation of Saunteel Jenkins.

I especially like the combination of Jones and Ayers as at-large members. Jones brings a tremendous amount of experience with more than a decade on the Council and her previous role as president of the Communications Workers of America, Local 4004. Ayers brings a tremendous amount of energy to her work as she is the only member of the Council to serve on four different committees and she does it while still being an active and vibrant member of our community.

Again, I believe that the combination of Jones and Ayers is a dynamic duo that benefits all Detroiters.

Garlin Gilchrist, II - File photo

Finally, it is my pleasure to endorse Garlin Gilchrist, II to be the next City Clerk for Detroit. He has served with Mayor Duggan as his Director of Innovation & Emerging Technology. In this capacity, he worked to make the information that Detroiters needs about their local government readily available through social media and other technologies.

During his tenure, he implemented a technology solution to make sure city fire hydrants are regularly inspected and repaired. He also enabled anonymous police tips via cell phones and championed the Improve Detroit app which is used extensively in the Warrendale neighborhood.

As our next City Clerk, he is committed to improving the flow of information so that all Detroiters understand what is happening our government. He has also released a plan to help make voting effortless in Detroit.

I am proud of these endorsements.

• Mike Duggan for Mayor Detroit;
• Gabe Leland for City Council (District 7);
• Brenda Jones for City Council (at-large);
• Janee Ayers for City Council (at-large); and
• Garlin Gilchrist for City Clerk.

These are the people who I believe have the dedication, expertise, and passion to continue moving Detroit forward. I am proud to endorse each of them for the primary this coming Tuesday.

Mayor Duggan joins in supporting the Paris Accord

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit
File photo

In response to President Donald J. Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement, a total of 211 mayors of American cities - representing a combined population of 54 million Americans - have pledged publicly to meet the environmental goals of the accord in their respective cities. Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit was one of 11 Mayors from Michigan to join this coalition.

Mayor Duggan is joined by fellow Michigan Mayors Christopher Taylor of Ann Arbor, Brenda Hess of Buchanan, David Coulter of Ferndale, Karen Weaver of Flint, Rosalynn Bliss of Grand Rapids, Karen Majewski of Hamtramck, William Sprague of Lapeer, Daniel Guzzi of Rockwood, Jim Carruthers of Traverse City, and Amanda Maria Edmonds of Ypsilanti. The full list of mayors from across the United States who have made this pledge is available on-line here.

The fact that Mayor Duggan has joined in supporting the Paris Acord should not be surprising given his overall record of accomplishments as Mayor of Detroit. During his first term of office, he established a citywide curbside recycling program - something that Mayors of Detroit dating back to Coleman A. Young have talked about but failed to implement. He also:

• Oversaw a citywide installation of new LED streetlights that are brighter and more energy efficient than the old ones;
• Made significant improvements to mass transit in Detroit;
• Included dedicated bike lanes for many streets in Detroit;
• Worked with DTE Energy to bring a solar energy facility to Northwest Detroit; and
• Supported bioretention gardens in Warrendale that capture excess stormwater before it enters our sewer system.

I want to thank Mayor Duggan and the other 10 mayors from Michigan for their leadership on this issue. I hope that as the days and weeks go on, more mayors will join them.

Update @ 4:25 p.m.
Since sharing this post on social media, I have received several comments about what the Paris Agreement does or doesn't do. Almost none of them are accurate.

Therefore, in the interest of promoting an intelligent, civil dialogue, I want to add that the full-text of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is available here.

The City of Detroit has finished its reassessment of every residential and commercial property within the city limits. This means that the assessed value of our homes and businesses is now more in line with the fair market value of them.
This, by the way, is the first time in decades that the City of Detroit has reassessed all of our property values.
From my own personal experience, this updating of property values means that my property taxes has gone down by $294.
I want to thank Mayor Mike Duggan and his team for making sure that this happened.

Detroiters vs wolves: what matters more in Lansing

Gray wolf - Photo by Isster17/Wikicommons

It was this past Friday that Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation that would authorize wolf hunting in Michigan. This, by the way, was the fourth time in four years that there has been one legislative attempt or another to allow wolf hunting in this state.

I repeat, wolf hunting has resulted in four different pieces of legislation reaching the governor's desk in the past four years.

Meanwhile, legislation authorizing the D-Insurance program has been languishing in the Michigan Legislature for almost two years.

Hunting wolves has resulted in four different bills moving through the Michigan Legislature. However, when it comes to helping inner-city residents cope with out-of-control auto insurance costs, the Michigan Legislature can't be bothered to do anything.

This is frustrating, to say the least.

Based on all of this, I believe that it well past time for the City of Detroit to reexamine an issue that has been discussed for years now - that is, the City of Detroit to start its own insurance company.

Lansing isn't going to help Detroiters get affordable auto insurance. They are too busy worrying about whether or not people can hunt wolves in northern Michigan.

The insurance companies aren't going to help Detroiters get affordable auto insurance. Quite frankly, I don't think they even want to insurance anyone who lives in the inner city.

This is an issue where Detroiters need to help ourselves. And that means starting our own insurance company.

Detroit finishes installing 65,000 new street lights

The relighting of Detroit – a city that just three years ago was in chronic darkness – has been completed on time and under budget. The Public Lighting Authority installed the last of 65,000 new LED streetlights earlier today. This marks the completion a massive relighting program that began in February 2014 after Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit City Council appointed a new board to lead the project.

A lit street in Detroit - Photo by Steve Koss

“For the first time in a generation, Detroiters can step outside at night anywhere in their city and have an expectation of a street lit to the national standard,” Mayor Mike Duggan said in a prepared statement. “They also can have the expectation that if a light goes out, it will be replaced within five days. This major accomplishment for our residents would not have been possible without the hard work of the professional staff and board we have at the PLA.”

Prior to the start of the LED project, about 40% of the city’s streetlights did not work, including entire neighborhoods in some cases. To bring relief to residents as quickly as possible, the Mayor worked with the PLA to reverse the original plan that called for lighting major thoroughfares first in order to light neighborhoods first and complete them a year earlier. The new plan also called for installing brighter and more energy-efficient LED lights, as opposed to the dimmer sodium lights.
The replacement of lights began in the city’s darkest ZIP codes on the far east and far west sides, and moved methodically across the city, eventually reaching the final destination: downtown Detroit.

At a ceremony held at dusk just east of downtown at Atwater and Riopelle, Mayor Duggan; President Obama’s budget director, Shaun Donovan; and other dignitaries joined with residents to turn on the last stretch of lights to be replaced in the city.

Dr. Lorna Thomas, chairwoman of the Public Lighting Authority, added that today’s celebration “is the culmination of three years of intense work that has brought order out of chaos with the city’s street lights and has created an effective solution to an issue that has plagued the city for decades. When we began installing new LED streetlights in Detroit’s neighborhoods in February 2014, many people thought what we were trying to do was impossible, because it had never been done. But we have done it. This an example of how government should work.”

“I’m proud of our staff and want to thank them for their dedication and long hours in relighting our city,” stated Nicolette Carlone, chief executive officer of the authority. “Their hard work is recognized in completing this monumental project on schedule and under budget.”

Prior to the formation of the Public Lighting Authority, Detroit’s street lighting system had been in increasingly serious disrepair, with minimal infrastructure investment having been made for at least the last 20 years. Approximately 40 percent of the lights in the system were not working for reasons that included copper theft, bulb outages, vandalism, obsolete technology, lack of repair staff and a lack of funds to pay for repairs.

“The completion of this project is an amazing step in Detroit’s comeback. It’s events like these that prove that this city is on the path to recovery and will continue to become an even better place to live, raise a family, and do business,” Governor Rick Snyder added.

DTE Energy has served as the owner’s representative overseeing the project from its beginning to completion.

“At DTE Energy, we are extremely proud to have assisted with the project to relight the City of Detroit,” said Trevor F. Lauer, president and chief operating officer, DTE Electric. “For our residents, businesses, employees, and the surrounding communities, Detroit’s new energy efficient streetlights symbolize progress, safety, and a tremendous sense of pride in our invigorated and revitalized city.”

The Public Lighting Authority was authorized at the state level by legislation that passed the Legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder. The Detroit City Council approved the PLA’s articles of incorporation in February 2013. The authority was created to develop and implement a plan to get the street lighting system operating effectively and to provide a vehicle to secure the funds to make the badly needed improvements to Detroit’s public lighting system.
Twice as bright, more reliable

The LED lights the authority has installed on city streets are twice as bright as and more energy efficient than the high-pressure sodium lights that were replaced. In addition, the lights have a considerable longer life than high pressure sodium lights.

The PLA has eliminated the problem the old system experienced of copper theft by switching from copper to aluminum wiring. Aluminum has only a small fraction of the value of copper on the scrap market, making it unattractive to potential thieves. The new LED lights also do not require a copper coil at the base, as the old lights did, removing another target of thieves.

In another measure to improve reliability, the PLA has done away with the city’s old series-circuit lighting system, commonly known as “Christmas tree light” wiring, in which multiple lights were on one circuit – so if one light burned out, all the lights on that circuit would stop working. In the new lighting system, if one light goes out, the others stay on.

In addition, the authority has instituted a maintenance program that fixes lights that have ceased working within three to five days of the outage being reported. Under the old system, residents could wait months, if not years, for a street light to be repaired if it went out.

The authority financed the construction with a $60 million interim financing that was sold in December, 2013 and then a long-term fixed rate financing of $185 million that was completed in June of 2014. The bonds are being paid off through an annual allocation of $12.5 million from the city’s utility user tax. Citi served as the senior manager on the transaction. The bonds are being paid off through an annual allocation of $12.5 million from the city’s utility user tax.

“When the State of Michigan and the Public Lighting Authority came to us three years ago to help get the street lights turned back on in Detroit, we were happy to step up,” said Michael Corbat, chief executive officer of Citi. “Today, not only are the city’s streets safer, but the lights will stay on longer and use less energy. We’re honored to have played such a role in creating a brighter future for Detroit.”‎

The PLA is run by a five member board, all of whom are Detroit residents. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit City Council each appoint two board members, and the fifth member is picked by Council from a list of candidates provided by the Mayor.