The Art of the Ann Arbor City Budget
The debate in Ann Arbor, where firefighters are being laid off due to a multimillion dollar budget deficit, is over an $850,000 piece of art.
That's how much the city has agreed to pay German artist Herbert Dreiseitl for a three-piece water sculpture that would go in front of the new police and courts building right by the City Hall.
The city has the money to do it because in 2007, it agreed to set aside for public art 1 percent of money that went into capital improvement projects that were $100,000 or larger. Most capital projects involve streets, sewers and water.
Ann Arbor City Council member Stephen Kunselman, a Democrat, opposed the art deal.
"I think it is incredibly insensitive," Kunselman said. "It is insensitive to the staff and their morale. It is insensitive to the community. There are people out there struggling financially, and here we are spending a large amount of money on a piece of art."
Kunselman said the city is also eliminating the solid waste coordinator from the budget, which oversees trash pickup, and hiring an art coordinator.
City Administrator Roger Fraser wrote in an e-mail that the solid waste coordinator position was eliminated as a cost-cutting measure because the solid waste millage had decreased. Fraser wrote that the art coordinator position would be paid for by the public art fund.
Fraser noted that the public art dollars did not come from the city's general fund, which is used to pay salaries and benefits, and that less than $6,000 of the art money came from the general fund.
The art projects also must have a "thematic connection" to the source of funding, Fraser wrote. The $850,000 art project is water-themed, because the money came from storm water funds.
But some critics say that a city creative enough to fund art from storm water projects should be able to find money to cover essential city services.
"That's the classic argument," said Glenn Thompson, an Ann Arbor resident and longtime critic of city spending. "But the city has become very, very good at shuffling money in and out of the general fund when they want. These people are very good at putting it in and out of the general fund when they wish."
Michael LaFaive, the director of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy's Morey Fiscal Policy Initiative said nonessential services are being funded throughout the state.
"Administrators cry poverty while lavishing money on the beautiful people," LaFaive said. "The threat to dismiss firefighters often comes while officials protect golf courses, wave pools and art. No city can cry poverty while it defends recreation and aesthetics such as art."
LaFaive said administrators get creative with budgets to fund pet projects.
"It doesn't mean officials can't find ways to redirect the money," LaFaive said. "It appears on the surface that they are redefining what a capital improvement is, by designing a sculpture instead of true municipal infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges."
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See also:
Local Government Bankruptcies May Become Reality
Michigan Public Payrolls Protected in Recent Recession
Troy City Service Privatization Plan Rolls Forward
Critics Say Arbitration Bill 'Hollow' Without Amendment
Lou Schimmel on municipal spending
Michigan Restaurants Fear Tax Hike on Drinks
Mackinac Center cited on privatization of municipal parking services
Problem solved?
Maybe the water art can be used to put out fires.
That is what happens when you vote for liberals
You vote for liberals. Liberals are dumb as rocks when it comes to being a grown up and taking care of people. How much proof do you need. Fire everyone that thinks art is more important then people.
do we really need more firefighters?
Putting aside the issue of the art for a minute, does anyone have any evidence that getting rid of six firefighters would be all that catastrophic? I'm not saying we MUST get rid of them, merely that more is not always better - we need the amount of firefighters that is adequate for the community and no more
homeboy/July23,2010
Today is Art Fair in Ann Arbor. Streets are closed, citizens can not traverse the city, businesses are having trouble operating. The influx of the Artists and Crafter peddling there creations is making us a "Cool City". The new city hall addition where the new sculpture is to be located is an ugly building. It has corrugated metal siding placed horizontally on the exterior of the building and large metal siding clad column covers (it will appear dirty and have vertical water and dirt marks in a few years). The city hall facility is the center of the city and could of been an opportunity to create a building to project an image for the city. Is the new building monumental (no), does it a feeling of permanence? (no), integrity? (no), friendly an inviting to the citizens of Ann Arbor (tax payers)? (no), Does it "fit" its environment? (no), Does it visual work with the current City Hall? (no). The building is a non-descriptive and unimportant. It could be an office building located anywhere in Europe. So much for Art in Architecture in the City of Ann Arbor. Sorry, no matter how much you try a $850 water sclupture will not integrate the buildings, but will only evoke disgust for the wasted money and the governmental power of the Council. How's that water sclupture going to work for you in the winter?
Let me guess
Hmmm... Ann Arbor. "Art" before firefighters. Yup, I'd say we're talkin' full-fledged Demmunist--er, Democrat city council. You "enlightened folks" deserve everything you get; and in the case of fire protection, don't get.
Title
Notice how the reporter weakly tries to run cover for Democrats as she informs us that the one Council member opposed to the art is a Democrat. lulz. What she doesn't tell us is that everybody on that Council is a Democrat.
Thanks for clearing that up. But considering this is Michigan and Ann Arbor at that......
Republican, Democrat Its all corrupt, and you guys are fags
Pure Michigan
Amazing is the dity policy itself - to set aside 1 percent of money for capital improvements 100K or larger. In other words, the bigger the tax burden for a water main break, for instance, the bigger the art expenditure.
Logically, the bigger the capital improvement requirement, the other expenditures should be smaller, to lower the burden on, say, people suffering hard times, facing bankruptcy or foreclosure
However this is Ann Arbor, one of the most liberal cities in the nation, home of one of the most liberal universities, the university that gave birth to ebonics, for example.
Ann Arbor is in my state, Michigan, one of the most liberal states in the nation and therefore most destroyed economically. To understand Michigan's insanity, check out the State's Cool Cities progam - a money trough based on the theory of the Creative Class - that if a city is cool, the Creative class (information workers and creative people) will follow and jobs will follow them. The web site used to carry a detailed essay about the requirement to be appealing to gay-lesbian-transgender, who apparently form a big part of the creative class. I found out about this program when a local paper mentioned a small nearby city had received a quarter million dollar grant from the program to attend training about the Cool Cities concept. The traineess were excited, and were hoping to get another grant to go back and learn the 'details' of how to be a Cool City - the first grant was just for an overview!
Does anyone not understand why Michigan is a dead state? The Governor preaches to get jobs, make a city 'Cool' and jobs will come. It is like saying, to get rich, first build a mansion
They are all Dems
They are all Democrats, what do you expect?
VOTE THEM OUT
VOTE THEM OUT. or FIRE THEM. Simple.
Art Project
You are a man (or person) after my own heart! That is priceless.
Go figure........
I think elected officials should be drug tested weekly.
Yup
I'm in Charlotte, NC. The city is closing schools, shutting libraries and trimming municipalities. But we're getting a 37 Million dollar, 1.5 mile long streetcar track. Goes from a hospital to nowhere.
Jim
The art is a one time deal. The firemen cost indefinitely. The $850k probably covers 6 firemen for a year. The best thing to do would be lay off the firemen and scrap the art project.
They couldn't even buy it from an AMERICAN artist?
The best thing to do would be lay off the POLITICIANS AND scrap the art project.
Also please put a fence around all your communists in ann arbor so you don't spread your BS any further throughout America.
PS - For $50K I can give them a sculpture that will really reflect the city council.
It will be an 8' tall bronze reproduction of Karl Marx with a stake through his head., surrounded by mounds of dog poo.
If you must lay off firefighters AND you MUST have art, use the savings from the layoffs to hire art teachers to teach students how to be artists, then the students can create the art in return for the school system educating them?
Common sense solutions for complex issues.
It's 3:15 a.m., and I couldn't sleep, so read this article....read your comment, and laughed so hard almost woke everyone up! That was so funny.....boy I needed that!
I guess I should have let you know WHICH post I was referring to when I said I laughed so hard...it's the post by "jpeditor"....about the sculpture they're going to do for Ann Arbor. How funny...and you're the only one who mentioned it NOT being an AMERICAN artist.... Hey...in Arizona, here, we also have a new choo choo train TO NOWHERE! And on ours no one pays....they keep getting on, and I guess it's SUPPOSED to be an HONOR system that they set up....oops! no one is honoring it! So it's going broke. Or, it WENT broke...I don't pay too much attention since I don't go "nowhere" very often. We also got a really nice ART CENTER right smack dab in the middle of our ONE BLOCK downtown area....it's LARGER than the whole block with nice flags outside... and they have a concert there now and again...we even recognize the name of the artist sometimes. So we're really happy with it. We're disappointed, however, that we haven't gotten any of those SIGNS near our ONE shovel ready project near Main Street....we're trying to figure out WHO'S PAYING FOR IT, but WITHOUT A SIGN we're just not sure.
@JimJimJim "The $850k probably covers 6 firemen for a year."
I would love to work in a place that pays their firemen $141,667/year. I think the number you're looking for is closer to about 17 firemen for a year.
What are you smoking?!?
By cyberties:
If you must lay off firefighters AND you MUST have art, use the savings from the layoffs to hire art teachers to teach students how to be artists, then the students can create the art in return for the school system educating them?
Common sense solutions for complex issues.
What are you smoking?!?
Wickwire you should go to work for the city of San Bernardino, city of Ontario or city of Rancho Cucamonga to name a few and you will make much more than that. As a retired firefighter I can tell you it is one of the biggest scam jobs by any municipality.
Lrn2budget - costs for an employee include not only salary but also benefits, pension, training, increased capital costs etc.
Jim
The art is a one time deal. The firemen cost indefinitely. The $850k probably covers 6 firemen for a year. The best thing to do would be lay off the firemen and scrap the art project.
Special Vote - Redirect funds or Issue a "Special Dividend" (e.g.
Our school district plays this same kind of game with its various budgets and millages, wasting money in some areas and justifying it with "well, we have the money in this budget, and the money CAN'T be used for other uses that the voters haven't approved."
When will we get public employees, superintendents and politicians with brains AND ethics???? C'mon folks - if you have extra money in a budget that shouldn't be spent, either go to the voters and get a special provision to transfer funds, or send a rebate to the votes. Companies call it a "special dividend". Then MAYBE voters will start to think that publice "servants" are actually acting in the voters' best interests. Right now, it seems like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, and there is a lot of special interest influence or outright corruption.
Thanks for taking our title
I actually thought it would be hard for anybody to beat the stupidity of politicians in my state, South Carolina.
But low and behold here all of you are ! Spending $850K on a piece of art ..... priceless.
I do find it interesting to note that all of you have a (D) beside your names. Figures.
And please make sure you use union labor to build it !
prolly same politicians voting FOR it are now voting AGAINST it!
That way they can claim to everybody (while talking to different groups representing different stances on said water sculpture of course) that they voted for it!
Kick them all out!
Reduce their pay!
Cut their benefits!
Public service was NOT meant to be the JACKPOT! Believe it or not, once you 'serve' a short period of time, you get full time benefits the rest of your life!
Look it up if you don't believe me!
Title
Everyone on the council is a Democrat.
Cool cities at its worst...
One percentof all capital improvements go into art in Ann Arbor??? Leading to a system where you fire the trash collector (in a college town) and hire a city art coordinator. You know what is not cool -- a town full of trash covered art.
Capital improvements, jobs, and a functional economy ARE what makes cities cool, by allowing interesting people and local culture to thrive.
If Michigan had figured that out 50 years ago, all of the things we love about the state might still be thriving. Instead, we have Campus Martius, the Ren Center,and sports stadiums that people lock themselves inside before heading back to the burbs.
Red Ruffansore
Okay, I posted first and someone pointed out that it was actually a democrat trying to stop this idiocy....ahem, it's Michigan, I'd have a better chance of finding a Yeti running for office than a republican in that state. The only astounding thing is you have even one democrat that figured out spending money for art and giving the money to someone in another country was a bone headed idea.
Worry more about the new $38 million city hall
This is a poor article because it fails to mention the real elephant in the room.. The $38 million spent on a new city hall so "public servants" could have windows in their offices. Yes, you heard it right.. They didn't need to build a new building, and that was a reason given.
The art money doesn't bother me. The money was set aside for art and should not be re-purposed.
The $38 million they just spent on a new city hall does - greatly. VOTERS REJECTED IT, but the "public servants" cooked the books and forced it through despite the financial crisis. Apparently, the "public servants" felt entitled to windows in their offices... at any cost.
Gee, I wonder how much they're spending on office chairs? They couldn't possibly be expected to use their old chairs.
No doubt, the artist selection process has been terribly mismanaged and continues to lack transparency. But that is a minor distraction compared to the $38 million theft city hall perpetrated. And about that public art.. They chose a German artist without considering anyone else. And they are locating the art at the new city hall. They don't seem to understand that us little people hate visiting city hall and avoid it whenever possible. SO THEY HAVE STOLEN THE PUBLIC ART MONEY TO DECORATE THEIR NEW OFFICE SPACE.
xs-taxation,
"..should not be re-purposed."
You have got to be kidding. Lets compare your budget to the city...
So you are getting less work and as such you can't afford to pay the elctric bill or the water bill and you cant put food on the table but you are going to go buy that new 55" Plasma screen TV for $2000 because you already had the money "budgeted" for it? You dont think that maybe you should take the $2000 and pay the light bill or go buy some groceries? Do me a favor and please never run for office. Your part of the problem.
Syntyr, I agree with you wholeheartedly, even though I think what xs-taxation was trying to do was to make the point that the artwork was NOTHING compared to the new city hall. But I could be wrong... maybe xs really couldn't care less about the artwork, and doesn't want it to be defunded. I hope that's not the case. I had the BIGGEST laugh at a previous poster...but laughed too soon....once I got down to the news of the new city hall I got sick to my stomach. I have a good friend who grew up in Michigan...and I lived there for a few years, and the area she grew up in doesn't even look the same anymore. It's gone to hell in a hand basket...and, we agree that it's because of DEMOCRATIC "SERVANTS" OF THEMSELVES. Oh? Did I say, "themselves?" I meant, "of the PEOPLE!" I'd kick those bums out in a heartbeat, and call Chris Christie in New Jersey to ask him if he has a TWIN brother! Make sure y'all get out and VOTE in November....we got one of the other GOOD ones....Jan Brewer....and will getting rid of our RINO...John McCain when we vote him out of office soon. He's a swell guy, and a hero...and we love him.....when he's at home, and not in Washington! We want him to retire... give us NEW representation. That's a word that's been missing from Washington in a long time...but it's about to make a comeback!
Balancing budget needs
Did anyone ever consider that maybe these firefighters were not required? Even the loony Union-led Democrats are quietly admitting that local, county, and state government-employee rolls are severely bloated.
You are dead on!
That difficult to change law?
Would it really be that hard for the mayor to declare an emergency measure overriding the mandates of that past law setting aside "art money" at a time like this? Or, if that's not within his authority, the legislature to pass an emergency bill (temporarily) overturning the law? Seems someone should be in a position to rectify this idiotic situation. Unless.... unless.... that's not what's wanted by those *could* indeed put a stop to it..
I didn't mean to imply that the mayor should just declare a measure to stop the funding for art; I meant that it would enable the money that had ALREADY been set aside to be used instead for firefighter salaries, etc.
trade this for that
Isn't getting rid of the solid waste coordinator and hiring an art coordinator sort of like trading shit for shine-ola?
Oh that's so funny....I'm so glad I stayed up for this...and I'm a million miles away from Michigan...but I feel your pain....kum...bay...ah.....this is where we all stand on the steps of the nation's capitol, and we sing, "We're mad as hell, and we're not gonna take it anymore...."
Go Bucks!
There has GOT to be a Buckeyes vs Wolverines joke in here somewhere.
Contact the Council and give them a your view on this!!!
Here is their contact information... I think that us good citizens should let "them" know what we think about this issue. That amount of money is jobs for something like 8-12 firefighters for a year.... to be spent on an artsy fountain.... give'm a piece of your mind!!
Mayor
John Hieftje (D)
Ph: 734-794-6161
JHieftje@a2gov.org
WARD 1
Sabra Briere (D)
Ph: 734-995-3518 email: Sbriere@a2gov.org
Sandi Smith (D)
Ph: 734-302-3011 email: ssmith@a2gov.org
WARD 2
Stephen Rapundalo (D)
Ph: 734-476-0648 email: SRapundalo@a2gov.org
Tony Derezinski (D)
Ph: 734-995-2686 email: TDerezinski@a2gov.org
WARD 3
Stephen Kunselman (D)
Ph: 734-975-4604 email: SKunselman@a2gov.org
Christopher Taylor (D)
Ph: 734-604-8770 email: CTaylor@a2gov.org
WARD 4
Marcia Higgins (D)
Ph: 734-662-0487 email: MHiggins@a2gov.org
Margie Teall (D)
Ph: 734-213-5811 email: MTeall@a2gov.org
WARD 5
Mike Anglin (D)
Ph: 734-741-9786 email: MAnglin@a2gov.org
Carsten Hohnke (D)
Ph: 734-369-4464 email: CHohnke@a2gov.org
Why the Spin?
It is strange how this article makes a point saying "Stephen Kunselman, a Democrat, opposed the art deal."
Ann Arbor currently has a 100%-Democratic City Council and a Democratic Mayor so it is a little weird that they even point out a Democrat opposed it, the whole council is Democratic, so why point out a party affiliation what kind of spin are they trying to put on this? When this article gets reviewed by the public at large, and those outside of the city, it makes the appearace that Democrats "are opposed" to spending on art projects when the city has a budget deficit and are laying off staff like firefighters, etc.. That Democrats are budget conscious. It is nice that they point out who opposed this nonsense spending... but they should point out who approved it
I noted the same thing. It was so conspicuous that they pointed out a "democrat" opposed it but then did not mention the party affiliation of the decision makers on this art debacle. They almost implied that since a democrat opposed it then it must have been republicans that supported it. I don't trust mainstream media these days and this story is a perfect example of that.
I see your point. I am reading this article from my home in NC, and I instinctively assumed, after reading that "Stephen Kunselman, a Democrat, opposed the art deal", that it was the Republicans in the administration who were favoring it. In fact, I continued reading (in vain), hoping to find either confirmation or contradiction to my assumption, because I was going to quote from this article on my blog along with a commentary by me on how disappointed I was that my fellow Republicans could be so insensitive and profligate with the peoples' money as to spend it on ART, while laying off firefighters. It actually wasn't until I read your comment that I saw that my initial assumption about the party affiliation of those doing this was wrong. Thank you for pointing it out.
I think it was pointed out because it's such a novel thing to see a Democrat opposed to frivilous spending...
I am not from Ann Arbor and yes, by reading the article believed the art must have been a project sponsored by a republican - I should have known better!
NERO Fiddled while Rome Burned...Democrats are Idiots...Um, er Demotards!
NERO Fiddled while Rome Burned...Democrats are Idiots...Um, er Demotards! Typical...when are we the people going to THROW THE BUMS OUT? Insensitive? How about Criminal and Reckless Endangerment of Ann Arbor citizens. LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN, at the Ballot Box of course ;^) Forest Wilson
True, the Democrats are dropping the ball BIG TIME (no surprise there), and in November they'll be unemployed along side 10% of our country. But if you read the article, you'd see that the person fighting against this reckless and stupid spending is in fact a Democrat.
Red Ruffansore
Shaddap and pay yer taxes sheeple and don't start bleating about what we're doin wit it see or we'll shear yez right down to the hide, Savvy?