ann arbor is overrated.

Mike Anglin Wants Government to Slow Down and Take a Deep Breath

Fifth Ward council candidate Mike Anglin identifies what’s wrong with A2 government today — too much action and decisiveness! “We have had too long a time of no discussion and rapid decision making,” he writes to a resident who expresses concern about the new storm water rates. Well, it’s about time that our elected officials started postponing more decisions.

So why haven’t we been picking on Anglin’s fellow candidate and ideological twin Sabra Briere? Her website, unfortunately, is a lot more polished and less fun, NIMBY lite in soothing green and blue pastels with vague prescriptions like “progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged” — sorry, “big buildings in themselves add nothing to our quality of life.”

40 Responses to “Mike Anglin Wants Government to Slow Down and Take a Deep Breath”

Come on, aaio. “rapid decision making” does not equal “decisiveness”, necessarily. If JFK didn’t think through the Cuban missile crisis carefully but just said, “Let’s barbecue Moscow in 5 minutes, I am Dr. Strangelove mu ha haa”, that might be “rapid decision making”, but would be “decisiveness” only in a crazy, perjorative sense…..
posted by David Boyle on July 25th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged, as well as peace for the sake of peace. I also think happiness for the sake of happiness is way overrated as is, of course, love for the sake of love. Mostly though, politicians for the sake of politics should be done away with.

However communication for the sake of communicating should be encouraged; something that is not to be found on that site.
posted by abc on July 25th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Come on, aaio. “rapid decision making” does not equal “decisiveness”, necessarily.

But what make his comment funny is that Ann Arbor government is characterized primarily by a glacial slowness of decision-making.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on July 25th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Maybe, although I don’t know if the slowness is the problem, but rather, the quality of the decisions…

And I can think of some far more convincing local candidates for Dolores Umbridge than Sabra Briere, although you are right that the Ministry of Magic is overrated.
posted by David Boyle on July 25th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
I should also mention that I like “rain tax.” Rain, death, what won’t they tax?
posted by ann arbor is overrated on July 25th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Briere has a horrible font.
posted by Brandon on July 25th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
“Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged, as well as peace for the sake of peace. I also think happiness for the sake of happiness is way overrated as is, of course, love for the sake of love. Mostly though, politicians for the sake of politics should be done away with.”

But ars gratia artis, that’s something we can all get behind.
posted by JS on July 25th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Not to take this back to the lowbrow, but why have we not made fun of the photo with the “group of future voters?”
It’s the Ann Arbor version of baby-kissing, complete with tie-dye and a multi-ethnic gathering of children that contains no black kids.
Although I am oddly soothed by the muted colors and funky-meets-arts-and-crafts-style font. It’s like visiting the Old West Side without ever leaving my chair. Ah, relaxing.
posted by Jordan on July 25th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
complete with tie-dye and a multi-ethnic gathering of children that contains no black kids.

I’d like to award 10 points to Jordan. Nice.
posted by Murph on July 25th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
From Anglin’s “rain tax” comment,

My fear is that it is another way of taxing people for services that are essential.

Right on! Because we shouldn’t be taxing people for essential services! Essential services should be funded through, uh…Magic! yeah! Magic!
posted by Murph on July 25th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Essential services should be funded through,…taxing other people other than [my] constituents. Now that’s Magick for you. Michigan Magick with a k! Also, multi-hair colored is not equal to multi-ethnic.
posted by JCP2 on July 25th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
The members of the present CC showed the voters that passing a millage is no way of guaranteeing funding of a particular program. It is disturbing that now the city will attempt to increase fees for services such as the “rain tax”.
posted by mike anglin on July 25th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Anyone who would call the stormwater assessment a “rain tax” in their official literature, even marking it as a joke, just joked themselves out of my vote.
posted by Chris on July 26th, 2007 at 9:51 am
www.annarborisendangered.com
posted by Anna on July 26th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Wait, let me get this straight: people whose houses discharge more rainwater into the storm drains will now pay MORE than people whose houses discharge less? That’s just crazy talk! I think I should pay the same as someone whose house has an impervious surface bigger than my yard. It’s only fair.

As I understand it, some people will pay more than they do now, others will pay less. And you can get a credit for runoff-lessening techniques like rain barrels. Sounds reasonable to me.
posted by Carolyn on July 26th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Mr. Anglin

I looked though your site, and watched you at CC, and appreciate your saying that “the most important environmental problem facing Ann Arbor is water quality and storm water quantity”. However, I looked for, but could not find, the word ‘sprawl’ on your site. I would like to ask you what is your position on sprawl and what will you be doing to help the city do its part to prevent more sprawl throughout the county?

According to the Washtenaw County Comprehensive Plan the county is expected to grow 5% in this decade and another 9% in the next. The city however is projected to grow only 3% in each of those periods maintaining a trend that has been going on for years of lagging behind the development in the surrounding townships. In 1960 the city had 40% of the county’s population and in 1970 it had 43%, but by 1980 was back to 40% and is now (2000) at 35%. The county projects that by 2010 the city will be down to 33% of the county’s population. What do you think about that?
posted by abc on July 27th, 2007 at 7:10 am
Carolyn, that’s just crazy talk! You are asking people to use their brains and accept responsibility for their decisions. You’ll never make it in politics that way! Plus, look at all those words you used — you need a snappy catchphrase like “rain tax” if you want people to listen to you!
posted by Chris on July 27th, 2007 at 9:26 am
My bad. Guess I’ve trashed my city council campaign for this year.

ABC, not to preempt Mr. Anglin’s response, but there is only so much the city council can do about sprawl in the unincorporated areas. And I do agree with you that it’s a problem. Allowing more density within the city limits is a no-brainer, but given the governmental structure in Michigan, some people are probably going to continue to move out to the boonies so they can have a bigger house with a bigger yard and lower taxes. Land just generally gets cheaper as you move away from downtown. Also, any governmental entity with a (relatively) fixed supply of housing is going to lose population because household size is declining. Cities used to gain population partly by annexing aggressively–it’s much harder to do that now. I guess all this is to say that reversing the trend of Ann Arbor’s losing share of the county population is a complicated problem and would require the meaningful cooperation of the city, the county, and all the surrounding townships. And even then it might not work. Sigh. But I’d love to hear from Mike Anglin on this.
posted by Carolyn on July 27th, 2007 at 9:41 am
“I am also concerned that the town persons on fixed incomes will be seriously effected since it is yet another burden at a most difficult time.”

Let us discuss the potential effects of Mr. Anglin’s poor grammar. Will it significantly affect the vote?
posted by CV on July 28th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
CV, I certainly hope so.
posted by Kelli on July 28th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
well-meaning nice-guy anglin seems to be singularly unimpressive.

(on the other hand, former congressman lyn rivers, one of my favorite politicians has endored him. go figger.)
posted by peter honeyman on July 28th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
I agree with Carolyn’s last comment. Sprawl is not only an issue of available housing or allowing density, but of culture as well. No matter how many units one builds downtown (perhaps better ones than what’s available now), I have a hard time believing that people who live here in the midwest will spend a comparable amount of $$ on them as they would for a house near the city.

On one side it isn’t hard enough (in A2 anyway) to NOT live downtown, but on the other downtown isn’t attractive/supportive enough to want TO live there either for the same people “sprawling-out”. I should state I happily live extremely close to downtown (especially with the expanding DDA boundaries).

I also hope for a future of more centralized (or higher density) cities/towns everywhere, but these complicated problems are not solved by letting hack developers loose on your city, much less changing whatever “rules” (or from another angle, resident protections) they want changed for them. I support downtown development, but only good development - especially considering we can’t control what the U puts up anyway.

For the wolves: can you give examples of any buildings erected downtown within the last 10 years (roughly DDA lifespan?) that are good examples for the future? (and not UM buildings)

btw - Anglin changed his website; maybe he read the above
posted by citycouncilisoverrated on July 28th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
CCiO, everything you like about any city anywhere is in part owing to a developer. The Old West Side? subdivided by a developer. Downtown? platted and developed by speculators, then built out by developers. Burns Park? The low density areas north of town? Neighborhoods and residents didn’t put up that capital, developers did.

Your challenge is a no-brainer. The Collegian. Loft 322 (with the exception of ground floor parking). Corner House Apartments (which, as I have pointed out before, is the IDEAL for how ground floor retail should work).

Two answers to what downtown development should look like: Todd Leopold and David Sucher.
posted by Dale on July 29th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Sucher link.
posted by Dale on July 29th, 2007 at 8:12 am
David Boyle interviews Sabra Briere. Read the interview at
http://www.arblogger.com/.
posted by David Cahill on July 29th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Now updated, too!!!
posted by David Boyle on July 29th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Progressives of Washtenaw (POW!), a local political action committee, is in the process of issuing endorsements for the August 7 primaries. POW!‘s website is: http://progressivesofwashtenaw.org. (Note: No www.)

Here are POW!‘s endorsements of Sabra Briere and Mike Anglin.

POW ENDORSES SABRA BRIERE

July, 2007

By Dana Barton

We are fortunate to have an excellent candidate to replace retiring Councilmember Bob Johnson. Sabra Briere will build upon Johnson’s record of progressive representation and achievement.

Briere has been involved in countless civic and community activities in Ann Arbor for over 30 years, serving on school and city committees and non-profit boards. As a single parent, she worked to support her family while attending the University of Michigan where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1986. She is now employed by a local non-profit healthcare organization.

Sabra Briere has been actively involved in the Ann Arbor Democratic Party, previously serving as secretary and chair. She has been president of the Washtenaw Branch of the ACLU, worked for reproductive rights, peace, and the local Greenway campaign. Currently, she is an active volunteer for the Huron River Watershed Council, Avalon Housing, and Ann Arbor’s Natural Area Preservation.

As the next First Ward representative, Briere is committed to preserving Ann Arbor’s distinctive character. She will advocate for responsible growth that will not overwhelm the city’s human scale.

“In these difficult economic times,” Brier says, “the city must focus on spending priorities. For instance, repairing City Hall is more cost effective than replacing it.” She believes City Council should honor the commitments it makes to its citizens. “Since voters approved a special millage to support our parks, City Council should honor that commitment.”

Briere sees the need for improvement in the city planning process. She suggests that bringing neighborhoods and developers together before paper and pen meet would head off problems like the recent Avery House development debacle. “City Council should listen to neighborhood concerns early in the planning process and respect their voices.”

Of the three candidates running in the First Ward primary race, Sabra Briere has, by far, the longest record of active involvement in Ann Arbor community concerns. We believe she is clearly the most qualified candidate and a voice we need on City Council.

POW! endorses Sabra Briere in the First Ward Democratic primary on August 7.

(Dana Barton is a political activist, therapist and realtor in Ann Arbor)

POW ENDORSES MIKE ANGLIN

July, 2007

BY CHARLES LEWIS,

Mike Anglin is a person full of energy, compassion, and conviction. He has pledged himself to preserve and enhance the integrity and viability of Ann Arbor’s neighborhoods and communities. He believes in affordable housing, in promoting local business, and in protecting our historic buildings and natural environment. He deplores extravagant spending and backroom politics.

In his own words, “I am running to represent the 5th Ward on City Council because I am concerned about the direction our city is taking. Based on my conversations at the doors of over 500 5th Ward voters, I believe that most agree that the current city council has taken actions that threaten our quality of life and are making living in Ann Arbor less affordable.” As examples of what is at stake in this election, Mr. Anglin offers the following:

“Despite the recently passed millage to support parks maintenance, parks are less well maintained and fees for residents to use them have increased. In the recently passed budget, even less money was allocated to parks than last year.”

“The Council has been approving large, tall, and environmentally unfriendly projects, often in residential neighborhoods. Fortunately, because of effective neighborhood opposition, Avery House, a massive 5-story project on Sunset Road overlooking Bluff Park, was rejected by Council after staff and the Planning Commission had approved it. The new A2D2 planning guidelines emphasize streamlining development approvals. This development-driven process will make it even more difficult for neighborhood residents to respond.”

“Council has been encumbering the city with future debts and obligations that could cut into services for residents. For example, the city is moving closer to approving the sale of bonds for $33.2 million to be paid to the developers of Broadway Village at Lower Town. The bonds would be paid off from tax receipts over 30 years. While the city gambles on the future value of this development to pay off the bonds, none of the taxes will be used to support ordinary city services; instead, we will bear that expense as taxpayers.”

“While Council offers free parking and other incentives for downtown developers, our water, sewer, and stormwater fees are going up to support the increased service to downtown high-rise buildings. Yet, all taxes from new construction downtown are spent by the Downtown Development Authority on more support for downtown developers, including outright subsidies, while we bear the expense as tax payers for the services to all these new buildings.”

“Council recently approved a $1 million contract for design of a new city hall, without stating how we will find the money to build it. The sale of city property to developers is one possibility.”

People like Mr. Anglin remind us that politics need not degenerate into a series of mutually beneficial transactions between power elites. His kind of politics stresses citizen participation, genuine public debate, thoughtful long-term planning, transparent decision making, and leadership which is both responsive and inspired. His presence would be a welcome change on the City Council. POW! endorses Mike Anglin for council in the Fifth Ward.

About the author:
Charles Lewis is a political activist and realtor in Ann Arbor.
posted by David Cahill on July 29th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Only in a college town would CV pick on someone’s grammar….I actually had a male professorial type come up to me at my place of work and chastised me about the spelling and grammar of a sign in produce…FFS! Get over yourselves people…Oh yes, I made a run-on sentence…SO SHOOT ME!
posted by AnnArborSUX on July 29th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I don’t know about CV, but I like to pick on poor grammar habits no matter what town I’m in.

Seriously, if you are running for public office, you need to give the impression that you are educated and pay attention to detail. It’s worth it to get someone to look over your writing.

If you work at a grocery store, I’m a little more forgiving. Still, if you didn’t sleep through middle school, it’s not all that hard to write decent sentences.
posted by Kelli on July 30th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
I did not write the sign and I no longer work at the grocery store….It is the height of pretensiousness to actually pull aside the produce manager and lecture them about a stupid sign. This typical Ann Arbor type needed to get a life and go out and protest the war,poverty or something more worthy.
Kelli, you need to get a life and stop picking on anyones grammar….or are you one of the annying AA types that yacks on the phone and crosses State Street without looking…or one of those who is a self absorbed IPOD listener over by Borders???
posted by AnnArborSUXmore on July 31st, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Or one of those peoples who doesn pick up after ther pomeranian bitch dog shit or doesnt wipe his or her feet when they walk into the post office with snow???

Or makes smiley faces in there emails? Or talks funny and in a squeaky voice about Nietchey? Is that you.

And do you were juicy pants and stupid scarfs and smoke and park illegally in front of bruegers? In your jeep gradcherokee? God I hate you!!!!

Or maybe you are one of those who clip there fingernales in public places and then eat them. Like at Arbys? And again at arbys do you use up all they horsey sauce and not get more for other people who might want some? Without and guilt or shame???? And because you are continually committing
nuisances but more especially in your own house. Ann Arbor i love you because you
are perpetually putting the secret of
life in your pants and forgetting
it’s there and sitting down
on it
and because you are
forever making poems in the lap
of death Ann Arbor
i hate you
posted by Parking Structure Dude! on July 31st, 2007 at 4:02 pm
As a matter of record - A coment posted here of POW endorsements to CC candidates. POW has never communicated with me in any way and manner. This being the truth. I would have to question the validity of the endorsement.

Richard Wickboldt Ward 1 Candidate
posted by Richard Wickboldt on August 1st, 2007 at 11:38 am
Well, Richard, you don’t work in real estate and the phrases “greenway” and “quality of life” don’t appear on your web site even once - why would COW! bother contacting you?

For the reasons above, though, you may have just secured my vote.
posted by FAA on August 1st, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Oh, hey, thanks Murph!
Do you think those ten points could be converted into YpsiHours?
posted by Jordan on August 1st, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Jordan -

I’m pretty positive that AAiO Points can be converted into YpsiHours. We’re going to have to wait on the site’s proprietor to set a conversion rate, though.
posted by Murph on August 1st, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Nice try, guys, but I do none of those things. I will admit to hanging up on telemarketers that won’t take no for an answer, frequently rolling through stop signs on my bike when there’s no traffic (after slowing down to about 5mph), and calling the cops on my neighbors when they wake me up at 3am (but only after asking them to cut it out several times before), but that’s about all the dirt you’re going to find on me.

Well, I probably overuse parentheses.

Anyway, my point is that if you’re aiming for a good public image, spending a little while proofreading your website really can’t hurt. Like it or not, your writing affects how people view you.
posted by Kelli on August 1st, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Mike Anglin might not have the best grammar, but he’s an honest, fair, thoughtful and open guy and that says a whole lot more about him than it does about the current council.

THIS Ann Arbor Democratic party, in lock step adherence to a pro development party line led by “liberal” poseurs on council is detrimental to open and honest debate.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely!
posted by mucho gusto on August 2nd, 2007 at 8:48 am
Mucho, where have you been? Are you the real Mucho Gusto?
posted by Carolyn on August 2nd, 2007 at 9:23 pm
I am Mucho Gusto.

No, I am Mucho Gusto.

No… I AM Mucho Gusto!

(apologies to Stanley Kubrick, Kirk Douglas and Spartacus)
posted by mucho gusto on August 3rd, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Hello and Good Day. Richard Wickboldt here. August 7th is voting for the City Council in our ward. While it is a primary, this is the vote that counts since only one party has candidates running.

This race is very important! Ann Arbor is at a cross roads to the future. We have immense challenges before us with the state economy in a slump and now Ann Arbor is no longer an island of vibrant economic activity. This is evident with Pfizer leaving us. We are only beginning to feel the impact. Our real estate values are declining and some neighborhoods have seen 40 – 50 % loss in value. Many local businesses in our Ward will see less economic activity. The city will see less tax receipts. Our city budget will be challenged!

We need city council members who can provide the over sight to the government, hold the City Administrator accountable, know how to spend tax dollars wisely, have a depth of knowledge so they can question the votes put to them. Most importantly experience in building and reading a budget that must provide us with basic city government services in public safety, infrastructure (transportation and water), public health and social services. Additionally knowledge in the operations of these types of services to insure the City Administrator is properly managing them.

We don’t need city council members who have specific agendas, clear ties and endorsements from special interest groups who wish to spend our tax dollars for their dreams and social agenda, no knowledge of city government operations in providing services, who feel that the world will be saved by our city government and it’s resolutions and our tax dollars.

We have candidates in our Ward 1 race who have very specific ties and endorsements by organizations who do not have our best interest in mind and no respect for the role of city government. These same candidates have no professional knowledge or experience in the basic and important services we expect from a city government. They have no experience, responsibility and involvement with a budget of tens of millions of dollars. They have no experience how to properly allocate and spend money in operations of services. There only experience is in political and social activism. City council is no place for political and social activism.

I have been asked to run for city council by many members of our community because they know I have the following experience we need to manage an effective city government:

· 23 years experience in public services and utilities,
· I have proven experience and track record as a steward of public tax dollar expenditures,
· 23 plus years in management and decision making within the public sector,
· Real world experience and track record of improving and championing the environment,
· 15 years experience in emergency management,
· No ties to any public or commercial interest group,
· Extensive project management in areas of master and strategic planning, construction, engineering, environmental, utilities services and regulatory compliance.
Neither of my opponents have any experience which will make them an effective city council member.

I urge you to vote August 7th because our future of effective government is in jeopardy. Recently it has been announced that the Mayor maybe leaving his office to be on the Michigan Public Service Commission. A present City Council Member will be the acting mayor and the council seat filled by appointment.

Finally I also urge you to pass this messagel onto your friends and neighbors and ask them to get out and vote tomorrow. Many of the primary voters who turn out are political activist who use the low turn out to get heir agenda and candidates on the council. By a larger turnout we can reverse this trend.

Richard Wickboldt – Ward 1 City Council Candidate
posted by Richard Wickboldt on August 7th, 2007 at 12:56 am

Mike Anglin Wants Government to Slow Down and Take a Deep Breath

40 Responses to “Mike Anglin Wants Government to Slow Down and Take a Deep Breath”

Leave a Reply