I am outraged that the Mayor and allied CMs are using trivial, trumped-up, unproven allegations to remove CMs Nelson and Ramlawi from important commission assignments in order to replace them with the Mayor's loyalists. This stratagem, which was also used to remove CM Hayner him from all assignments, amounts to a putsch. My family has personal experience with this kind of politics when they had to flee their homeland in Central Europe. It sickens me to see this happening here in Ann Arbor. The preservation of the integrity of this Council depends on defeating this resolution and reinstating council members so they may finish their terms on commissions on which they now serve.
CM Hayner was charged, convicted, and sentenced by Mayor Taylor and his council allies. Now that his sentence is up, they are extending it. This is not how ethical democratic institutions operate.
CMs Nelson and Ramlawi have been accused of something they deny doing and are immediately being penalized for it. This is mayor Taylor's "leadership" style?! We citizens are the ones being penalized by Mayor Taylor's political actions against those city council members that are not part of his "team". This is how dictatorships work, not democracies. Please seat all of the elected city council members equally on committees so as to serve the citizens who chose them at the ballot box to be their representatives.
I am horrified by the actions of Mayor Taylor and his city council majority. They seem intent on purging any city council members who dare to question or disagree with them. This latest example of refusing to reappoint CM Hayner to his board and commission seats, even after he has served his "sentence", is appalling. And now, after unfounded accusations, CM Nelson and CM Ramlawi are being stripped of some of their posts and replaced by Council members favored by Mayor Taylor.
We have witnessed such actions before, when CM Ackerman's reappointment to the City Planning Commission was voted down by a majority of city council and yet Ackerman was allowed to continue to serve on CPC because Mayor Taylor refused to nominate a replacement. Now we are witnessing similar actions. This is not how democracy is supposed to work. These types of power grabs should not be allowed in Ann Arbor.
I am outraged that the Mayor and allied CMs are using trivial, trumped-up, unproven allegations to remove CMs Nelson and Ramlawi from important commission assignments in order to replace them with the Mayor's loyalists. This stratagem, which was also used to remove CM Hayner him from all assignments, amounts to a putsch. My family has personal experience with this kind of politics when they had to flee their homeland in Central Europe. It sickens me to see this happening here in Ann Arbor. The preservation of the integrity of this Council depends on defeating this resolution and reinstating council members so they may finish their terms on commissions on which they now serve.
CM Hayner was charged, convicted, and sentenced by Mayor Taylor and his council allies. Now that his sentence is up, they are extending it. This is not how ethical democratic institutions operate.
CMs Nelson and Ramlawi have been accused of something they deny doing and are immediately being penalized for it. This is mayor Taylor's "leadership" style?! We citizens are the ones being penalized by Mayor Taylor's political actions against those city council members that are not part of his "team". This is how dictatorships work, not democracies. Please seat all of the elected city council members equally on committees so as to serve the citizens who chose them at the ballot box to be their representatives.
I am horrified by the actions of Mayor Taylor and his city council majority. They seem intent on purging any city council members who dare to question or disagree with them. This latest example of refusing to reappoint CM Hayner to his board and commission seats, even after he has served his "sentence", is appalling. And now, after unfounded accusations, CM Nelson and CM Ramlawi are being stripped of some of their posts and replaced by Council members favored by Mayor Taylor.
We have witnessed such actions before, when CM Ackerman's reappointment to the City Planning Commission was voted down by a majority of city council and yet Ackerman was allowed to continue to serve on CPC because Mayor Taylor refused to nominate a replacement. Now we are witnessing similar actions. This is not how democracy is supposed to work. These types of power grabs should not be allowed in Ann Arbor.
Kitty B. Kahn
Ward 5
Kitty B. Kahn
5th Ward