Freedom Festival Fireworks

[baldy]

First the mayor threatens to cancel the fireworks...

Read the article here

Then we find out the Mayor might not have the authority to do so

Read the article here

The reason he states for canceling the fireworks is public safety since the proposed budget calls for cutting 600 police officers jobs. From what I understand, the fireworks display is on June 29th and the proposed cuts will not go into effect until July 1st, so this isn't even an issue. Also, city pays for the security, and other minor expenses associated with having this, but the actual cost of the fireworks is paid for by the sponsor, Target.

Talk about a way to get even the un-informed voters to hate you, canceling the fireworks has to be it!

[baldy]

Detroit City Council voted 8-0 today to override Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's veto of their budget plan. Does this mean he's going to follow through with his threat and cancel the fireworks? We'll have to wait and see since he has yet to respond. Any bets on who will win this battle of power?!?

[SNWEB]

Kwame is an ass, plain and simple.

We will have fireworks, i guarantee it, thanks to Checks and Balances!

[dnast]

More importantly, does this mean that Detroit will be losing 600 police officers and 100 firefighters?

[Zissou]

See I side with Kwame that the city cant really afford to lose that many officers and firefighters. I dont know much about either budget proposal but he claims his makes the neccesary cuts without the sever layoffs. Im for that plan. The coucil though is right that this whole fireworks thing is just scare tactics. Nothing will come of it. Since we are talking about layoffs though I wouldnt mind seeing coucil members lose some of their huge staffs that they have.

[Allan]

I have not been following the circus known as city council much lately. However, I can think of a lot more positions that would be better to eliminate than the 700 people who are out working to make the streets of Detroit a better place. I'd start by eliminating most of the mayor's staff and ridiculous amount of security guards. About half of the city departments can be eliminated...why does there need to be so many? They can be consolidated. The city must make sacrifices, yes. But anyone can tell you that taking 600 officers off the street is a bad idea.

[Michi]

Really. You would think that all the news media shining light on how bad things are run in Detroit and how much mismanagement there is within the system that there would be retaliation within the citizenry. I guess we'll just have to wait for Mayor Hendrix to get out the pooper scooper.

[Zissou]

I hope that these layoffs dont incite the kind of behavior that followed Coleman Youngs police layoffs back in the day.

[wolverine]

BRIAN DICKERSON: How hizzoner stole summer

June 6, 2005

BY BRIAN DICKERSON

FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

Most Detroiters looked forward to summer a lot.

But their mayor, who was dreading the primary, did not.

A runoff election loomed two months ahead. The way pollsters saw it, Kilpatrick was dead.

"We're in some deep trouble," the mayor told his mommy. "The city is broke, and the voters blame Kwame.

"Unless something changes, the outcome's no mystery: By the time summer's gone, y'all's boy will be history!"

"Listen up," she advised, with maternal affection: "If they're gunning for you, you must stop this election."

"Yes, but how?" cried the mayor, feeling sad and downhearted. "It's just eight weeks away. Summer's practically started."

Then he got an idea! An awful idea! The mayor got a wonderful, awful idea!

The highlight of summer -- the fireworks display -- was planned for a Wednesday just three weeks away.

The whole City Council had plans to attend it. "That's what you think!" laughed Kwame -- and he made plans to end it.

"You want to save money by laying off cops? Go ahead! I'm still mayor: This is where the buck stops.

"I'll call off the fireworks -- the festival, too! And when voters ask: 'Why?' -- when they all cry 'Boo hoo'?

"I'll explain it was your fault! That's just what I'll do!

"I'll tell them their safety cannot be assured. (They remember last summer -- so who'll doubt my word?)

"Since you vetoed my budget, I'll blame it on you. Detroiters will see I had nothing to do but to cancel the fireworks.

"And if you blink? I'm the hero! (Or at least that's what voters will think.)

"Call my bluff and a cherished tradition will end. Don't imagine that I'd hesitate to offend a bunch of suburbanites looking for thrills.

"Let them light sparklers in Farmington Hills!"

The council was sure Kwame's threat was a ruse: "They'll storm the Manoogian, you silly goose!

"Enough bluster, Kilpatrick! Your threats are absurd. We will stand by our budget. We'll have the last word."

"Then I'll keep canceling things," vowed the mayor, "till next fall. No concerts, no food fairs -- no summer at all!

"Detroit's just too scary with scant cops' protection. I might even have to postpone the election!"

Now we're waiting to see what the council will do. Will they go to the wall? Risk another blue flu?

And if gridlock persists -- if the fireworks go: Poof! -- who will voters say bears the most blame for that goof?

Will they blame it on council (as per Kwame's plan)? Or condemn both (You know -- like Iraq and Iran.)?

And don't forget Canada's half of this duet. The river's theirs, too -- a big border runs through it.

Suppose that, come the end of June (if no one here has changed his tune), the folks in Windsor say, 'OK: We'll do this Freedom Festival our way.'

Well, what then? What could Kwame do?

O Canada! Can we watch, too?

Contact BRIAN DICKERSON at 248-351-3697 or [email protected]

[baldy]

Now that's funny! "hizzonor", "y'all's boy"!

[Michi]

Well, he DIDN'T come up here by just COMIN'!

[dnast]

LOL. Okay that was funny. Thanks for sharing, I would've hated to miss that.

[Allan]

Kwame just said about 5 minutes ago that the fireworks will go on.

[baldy]

Actually, I think his quote was, "y'all's boy ain't the almighty, all powerful, ruler he be thinkin' he be. Turn off your televisions, y'all and come on down to watch fireworks because they be on"

Then again, I am going off of memory so this might not be entirely accurate

[Michi]

I had the pleasure of introducing my dad to the Kilpatricks this weekend. He knew some things (like the Navigator), but I guess the family speeches weren't as big of a news story up north.

I like talking to him because he's one of the few who actually takes me seriously about Detroit!

[Zissou]

What was the converstation like? If you dont mind me asking.