November 2014

Click here for the November 2014 newsletter!

Highlighted information

Flood Victims can begin applying for
aid!
The deadline for applying for disaster
relief from FEMA is Monday, November 24th, 2014
@ 11:59pm
The Governor’s office has declared Detroit a disaster area.

www.DisasterAssistance.gov

Property Owners may qualify for loans up to $200,000
Renters and Landlords for loans up to $40,000
Citizens may qualify for Small Business loan or $32,400 in
financial assistance

Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Schuette from the Medical Marijuana Community

By Richard C. Clement

A Weed Warrior Addressing
Lansing MI City Council

We in the Medical Marijuana community congratulate Bill Schuette on being re-elected to another four year term as Attorney General of our state.  We applaud Mr. Schuette for protecting pensions, standing up for the Constitution and, being the voice of the people.  Mr. Schuette is defending the will of the voters on issues like Affirmative Action and Same Sex Marriage that were soundly rejected by a majority of the voters in Michigan.

 One of the benefits of the Supreme Court of the United States is when they made a decision to say that religious beliefs trump the law of the land regarding Hobby Lobby vs the Affordable Care Act case.  The result of this decision is that a Rastafarian (or any other religion that supports the use of Cannabis as a Medicine) can use their medicine by law.  We hope that Mr. Schuette continues the fight for the people by supporting their will and, convincing the United States Senate and House of Representatives to remove Marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, you are protected under the HIPPA regulations that prevent you from disclosing your illness.  Any violation of these rules are punishable by law with punitive damages. However, in 2016 a statewide measure to legalize and remove Marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act will be placed on the ballot. This will be the time for people to speak in the ballot box on their support of legalizing weed for the jobs we need. Michigan would be joining states like Colorado, Washington, Oregon into common sense.  Every Democratic candidate who ran from President Obama and Marijuana legalization lost in November 2014 while Weed won big in Alaska, Oregon, and 3 cities in the State of Michigan. Local control is essential to disrupt the dollars flowing into incarceration into education.  

Weed Warriors Testifying
in Lansing MI

In two years, we will see who the lamest Duck is between: Federal and State Legislators and, the President of United States.  Marijuana will be reformed and removed from the Controlled Substances Act and, that will be another accomplishment on Barack Obama’s legacy as President of the United States, even thought he should have done it 6 years sooner.Otherwise we hope that our current legislators listen to the will of the people because people who don’t vote now, will pay the price in the next election. Then and only then, the will of the people will be finally be respected.

Rain Water Management will Save our Detroit Sewer System from being Overloaded

By Richard Clement

"Rain Water and Solar Power will create a lot of green jobs"
  - A District 2 resident daydreaming in Science Class at Mumford High School

Water Use is Critical 

In the not too distant future, City of Detroit homeowners will be required to remove the downspout that connects gutters to the sewer line by law.  Failure to comply may result in a fine as a last resort measure. However there will be opportunity to come into compliance with a one-time credit of $100 on a residential water bill.  All of this is very preliminary and will be based on public input on how to help residents to comply with these necessary changes to their home.

Currently when a large amount of rain falls on the Southeastern Region (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties) the rain water from homes combines with sewage and overflows the system. To reduce the volume of water going into the Sewer, citizens are encouraged disconnect their downspouts and redirect the water into rain barrels, and gardens.  For every square foot of your roof, equals 1 gallon of water. Doing this separates the rain water from the raw sewage system easing the load on the system.

As a part of Greening the Detroit neighborhoods, the Detroit Chapter of the Sierra Club(click here) is selling 55 gallon rain barrel kits made from bio-degradable plastic.  The water captured from a homeowner’s roof is collected into the barrels until filled. Some setups have TWO barrels because of their purpose for the water that is being collected.  An additional barrel can be connected by a 2 ft hose for overflow purposes.   Reports have it that these barrels fill quickly and people have used the water to wash their cars with.

Fire Up Detroit

When an ordinance is developed to compel change, great care and deference will be given to the citizens first. If you would like to have some input on how to compel residents to make the necessary changes, please share them with City Council and the Mayor’s office.

Obama Impeachment Hearings and Electorial College Changes are on the table in 2015. Vote Early!

by Friends of Cushingberry

"You must remember in November what a Lame Duck did in December - Vote Straight Democratic" 

      - District 2 resident at the 1917 Bistro on Livernois Avenue of Fashion -

Mayor Duggan says:
Give Schauer the Power and,
Vote Straight "D" for prosperity!

Impeachment hearings for President Obama?  Changing the Electoral College in 2016 for the purpose of awarding a state to a candidate by US congressional districts instead of a statewide popular vote?  Under this plan, it would have been Presdent's McCain and Romney. This is in the plan when everyone stays home and does not vote.  If the GOP remains in charge of State Executive Offices, Water Authorities, Pension Boards, US House of Representatives, and US Senate, etc, the process of Government will come to a grinding halt.  Instead of allocating money for fixing and upgrading infrastructure assets like Roads, the Electrical Grid, Water and Sewers, money will be diverted for countless impeachment hearings. If the current leadership in Lansing is successful, the tax credit for healthcare will be eliminated. This means that your monthly premium will increase from $0.08 to over $400 per month.

By voting straight for Democratic, you will allow President Obama to continue to lower gas prices in the middle of the conflict with ISIL to defund their ability to pay for their weapons of mass destruction. You will allow the President to create jobs through investment into public projects to fix and build new transportation assets like bridges and regional rail. You will allow funding for projects like commercial air service at City Airport.  These and many other benefits are in jeopardy before the President leaves office on Friday, January 20^th 2017 at 12:00pm. 

If you don’t vote, come December the lame duck will get pumped up on Viagra and Steroids, and become a Mighty Duck. By changing the laws on a December morning in 2012 at 4:20am, additional right to work laws, emergency managers, and the elimination of early voting will become law. Prisoners will continue to be fed Maggots by private prison companies with no accountability and protection from prosecution. Roads like the Davidson Freeway Service Drive will continue to be a shining example of how not to maintain one. This road is very close to being un-drivable because of the large craters in the road.

Your vote counts and by being a registered voter, a citizen has the ability to change the law through a ballot initiative. When the Governor and the Legislature refuse to act in the interest of the people, registered voters can get enough valid signatures on an initiative petition to force a vote in the next upcoming election. If the voters approve in the majority, the petition becomes a law. Laws like a statewide flat rate insurance, 30 year road construction standards, and other initiatives can be successful through a ballot initiative.  

To protect the law you must start voting from the bottom and get to the top. Judges to protect the law are very important, State Supreme Court candidates like Debra Thomas, Richard Bernstine, and Wayne County Probate Court Candidate Rohn Mitchell will make decisions that will protect the basic human dignity and rights of individuals who deserve fairness. Therefore it is your obligation and duty to register AND vote in this and every election early by absentee. Early voting starts on October 6^th, 2014 and ends on Nov 3rd 4:30pm from 8am to 4pm at the Detroit Elections Bureau 2978 W. Grand Boulevard Detroit MI 48202 for a new direction, and protection for the people.

Taking Back Detroit One Law and Vote at a time. Removing the Mgr. of the Emergency Mgr.

by The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.

Go Wings!

September 25, 2014 was a historic day for the City of Detroit.Starting with the ground breaking ceremonies for the new Detroit District, the news regarding the new Red Wings neighborhood development hosted by the Illich family will bring nothing but positive results for the entire tri-county region. Our friend George gave a positive and informative speech on the history of the Detroit District. He paid homage to pioneers like John Sinclair who helped revitalize historic structures like the Fox Theater and, how the once idle land will be transformed into a new business district with a user friendly, handicap accesible Hockey arena.
 

Vote to remove EM Kevyn Orr Result
9 Yes  0 No 

Later that evening the leadership of the City of Detroit redesigned the contract of Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr to a special attorney in charge of bankruptcy. This will be his only responsibility as a contract employee of the City of Detroit. All management of City business is now in the hands of City Council and the Mayor’s office. The Police Department will be under an elected board of review as the Federal oversight has ended for the Detroit Police Department. This seven member board is composed of a representative from each district. This board will be responsible for all Detroit Police hiring, budgeting and, discipline issues.

Council President Jones and
Mayor Duggan sign Detroit's
Declaration of Independence

There is a saying that you should not hate the player but hate the game. Mr. Orr took the money and ran like the Road Runner saying beep, beep. He has indicated that he wants to return home to Washington DC with the family and that is awesome.  He will have the ability to work from home and move out of the Book Cadillac Hotel, saving the City a few dollars. Instead of hating on Mr. Orr, you want to give HIS boss Governor Rick Snyder an employee evaluation with your vote at the ballot box this October until November 4^th.   

Before you mark your ballot ask yourself these questions:

• Did you approve the working instructions given to Mr. Orr to cut healthcare cost to retirees
• Did you approve the working instructions given to Mr. Orr to tax pensions?
• Did you approve of the position of the Emergency Manager being appointed AFTER you told the State of Michigan NO the first time?
• Did you approve the Right to Work law?

You have the power and privilege to terminate the contract of the contractors who created this mess with your Vote.  This would be the current occupants of the Governors, Attorney General’s and, Secretary of States offices. With this change at the top, the people will have the ability to appoint sound leadership in all of the boards and authorities. Boards like Water Authorities and Belle Isle will be under new management with Mark Schauer, Mark Totten, and Godfrey Dillard as your Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State leading the way.

Therefore, please take the time to register and VOTE.  You have until October 4^th to register to vote in the November 4^th election. That means the following:

• If you will be 18 years of age or older by November 4^th, 2014 11:59pm
• If you are NOT incarcerated at a jail or prison
• If you have a Felony Record

You have the legal right to cast your vote on November 4th or, October if you vote early at Wayne County Community College East or West campus.

M8 is The Worst Road in the State! MDOT Automobile Damage Claim Form Download

by Friends of Cushingberry

Pastor Winans prays for
Road Repair on Davidson

Citizens in Detroit deserve better roads. There are no good excuses for this type of shoddy cement work on our streets. During a recent inspection of streets in Detroit, I drove by the location of the DavidsonFreeway and Oakland Boulevard and found massive benign neglect. The service drive is the ultimate horror story of roads of Michigan.  There are holes so deep that you can see the rods in the street.   Watching the faces of the drivers coming through this stretch is a lesson on lip reading.  Under the sign  with a picture of  esteemed Pastor Marvin Winans, Automobile damage is a foregone conclusion. This is a State of Michigan/City of Detroit road and, if you do have a claim for damage to your automobile, download this form from MDOT(Click Here) and file your claim.

This area is a candidate for the worst streets in Michigan. In addition to that, the sign arrangement at Oakland giving you a choice of going to I-75, Davidson Freeway East(M-8) or, Dequindre Street is an embarrassment and very confusing, after you dodge the potholes. If you want to get this fixed then file your complaint with the Michigan Department of Transportation’s report a pothole program. (ClickHere for MDOT Contact Info).  Then file a complaint with City of DetroitOmbudsman Durene Brown for your records. The people of the City of Detroit deserve better.

Saving Homes in Detroit with help from International, Federal, State and, Local Agencies

by The Friends of George Cushingberry

Public and private stakeholders and, elected officials met on Sept 4th in the Governor's Office to discuss management of the reversion of 20,000 properties by the Wayne County Treasurer, preparation for another 80,000 in 2015 and collaboration on "life quality policy solutions and metrics" in Detroit that align with global goals of the United Nations as part of a collaboration lead by Communities Without Boarders International

One of the primary reasons that people lose their home is that they are not paying the property tax on their primary residence. In this process the property is in the hands of the Wayne County Treasurer. When the taxes become due, if a homeowner does not pay the bill, their home remains property of the Wayne County Treasurer until the bill is paid or, the property gets transferred to the land bank.

A panel of experts composed of:

• United Nations Economics Advisor Dr. Jeffery Sachs
• Director of the Governor’s Office of Urban & Metropolitan Strategies, Harvey Hollins
• Black Caucus Foundation Managing Director; Dr. KB Stallworth,
• Members from the Michigan Housing State Development Authority,
• Legislative Black Caucus,
• City of Detroit
• Wayne County Treasurer (click here for property tax payment info)

The goals of this panel were as follows:

1. Recover and Collect delinquent taxes
2. Prevent Evictions
3. Provide leadership and assistance to help people keep their homes.
4. Allowing property owners to make arrangements to pay taxes in arrears and become current.
5. Helping old homeowners to keep their existing homes or providing opportunities to move in and fix one up.

This group engaged in a lively discussion regarding helping citizens keep their homes. The City of Detroit has been thorough tough times and is currently on the rebound to prosperity. Sadly some citizens are living paycheck to paycheck because of Job Loss and other unforeseen events that can’t be covered by insurance. Therefore you cannot throw them under the bus for something that is beyond their control.

As a part of a global neighborhood stabilization plan, the City of Detroit has been selected by the United Nations to be a catalyst for implementing sustainable life quality strategies. Some of the methods discussed were using holistic solutions before the year of 2020.  This effort encompasses the UN model of humanity where the access to clean water is essential to life. To maintain reliable water supply there must be collaboration of ideas from organizations like Government, Manufacturers, Builders, Universities, and society worldwide. The ability to manufacture products that do not add to the carbon footprint will be our answer to deal with the issues of worldwide climate change. For instance the creation of building materials for homes using agricultural resources like plants will save the environment and create lots of jobs with opportunities for growth.

An interesting law is called the Reversion Claim Clause where a person who purchases a private property will not be charged the back taxes that are owed. This and other programs like Hardest Hit Program from the Michigan Housing State Development Authority(Click here for MHSDA) that will allow a homeowner to apply for funds for the sole purpose of keeping them in their home. Home ownership is essential to a City that is in need of a renaissance and the authority has programs for a low income tax credit that help people to keep their home.

Another piece of information that came out of the meeting is the ability for a Detroit Resident to purchase an empty lot next to their property for $100. If a person goes to the website www.buildingdetroit.org they can go to the Wayne County Treasurer’s office and purchase the lot next to them and maintain it.

Councilman Cushingberry overwhelmingly supports the effort to keep people in their homes. Coleman Young always said that there is nothing better to keeping people in their homes like a good paying job. After leaving work, a person needs a place to lay their head and, there is nothing better than a home.

If we can be of any assistance please feel free to contact the office..