FREE a newspaper for the rest of us www.lansingcitypulse.com November 1-7, 2017 Fate of MOVETO: PILGRIM UCC faith: MOVING WHITHER NSING’SCHURCHES SEEPAGE “A MASTERPIECE! ONCE YOU’VE SEEN IT, YOU’LL FIND IT HARD TO SETTLE FOR LESS EVER AGAIN.” —The Wall Street Journal NOVEMBER 14-19 | MSU’s Wharton Center | ON SALE NOW! | WHARTONCENTER.COM · 1-800-WHARTON East Lansing engagement welcomed by Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C.; Jackson National Life Insurance Company; and Portnoy and Tu, DDS, PC. 2 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • November 1, 2017 Peter For Lansing City Council At-Large AS YOUR AT-LARGE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, PETER SPADAFORE WILL: FIX OUR FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE Peter Spadafore will develop a long-term plan to fully address Lansing’s crumbling infrastructure and make fixing our damaged roads and sidewalks a top priority. INVEST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS Peter Spadafore will make neighborhood development a priority. This means working with developers to bring business and housing to all four corners of our city. UNITE LEADERS & MAKE PROGRESS Peter Spadafore is a proven consensus builder who can bring diverse groups together to create innovative solutions to the complex problems facing city council. Visit www.PeterSpadafore.com to learn more. PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT PETER SPADAFORE | 2310 MOORES RIVER DRIVE, LANSING MI 48911 NOVEMBER 7TH: VOTE PETER SPADAFORE City Pulse • November 1, 2017 www.lansingcitypulse.com 3 MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE THEATRE.MSU.EDU WHARTONCENTER.COM OR 1-800-WHARTON The Misanthrope BY MOLIÈRE Committed. Trusted. Engaged. Vote Tuesday, November 7th! Paid for by the Committee to Re-Elect Tina Houghton, 6231 Coulson Ct, Lansing, MI 48911 AdApted by conStance congDon november 10 - 19, 2017 arena theatre directed by Dan Smith The Misanthrope is produced by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC. DIVERGENT 2017 VOICES 2018 4 www.lansingcitypulse.com City Pulse • November 1, 2017 Feedback VOL. 17 ISSUE 12 What is the Separate Tax Ingham County has slowly been Limitation Proposal? overcome by budget challenges thanks (517) 371-5600 • Fax: (517) 999-6061 • 1905 E. Michigan Ave. • Lansing, MI 48912 • www.lansingcitypulse.com This November Ingham County in part to the Headlee Rollback. ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: (517) 999-5061 voters will be asked to consider some- Headlee might have sounded like a or email [email protected] thing called a “separate tax limitation” good idea at the time, but who in 1978 PAGE CLASSIFIEDS: (517) 999-5066 for the County, general law townships could have imagined declining property 8 and the Intermediate School District. values like those experienced during the EDITOR AND PUBLISHER • Berl Schwartz [email protected] • (517) 999-5061 Just what does this “separate tax lim- Great Recession? Schor leads pack in Lansing fundraising ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER • Mickey Hirten itation” mean? If approved, it means County Commissioners have already [email protected] millage rates for the County, gener- stretched fiscal reserves to their lim- ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR • Eve Kucharski [email protected] • (517) 999-5068 al law townships and Intermediate it. The 2018 budget proposal calls for PAGE PRODUCTION MANAGER • School District will be reset to rates elimination of 31 jobs bringing the [email protected] • (517) 999-5066 originally approved in the 1970’s. overall workforce reduction to almost 12 STAFF WRITERS • Lawerence Cosentino [email protected] Voters approved the Headlee 10% since 2009. Traditional retire- Todd Heywood Amendment to the Michigan consti- ment programs were replaced in 2013 Get an inside look of the East Lansing Film Festival [email protected] tution in 1978 to curb overall growth in favor of a more economically-stable SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR • Rich Tupica of taxable property value through an hybrid pension plan. Restructured [email protected] PAGE ASSISTANT SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR automatic millage reduction known employee health insurance benefits Mandy Jackson • [email protected] as the “Headlee Rollback.” Automatic resulted in savings of more than $2 16 Contributors: Andy Balaskovitz, Justin Bilicki, Daniel rollbacks over the years have reduced million since 2015. E. Bollman, Capital News Service, Bill Castanier, Ingham County’s millage rate from Despite these examples of diligent Find out how Pewabic Pottery got its name Mary C. Cusack, Tom Helma, Gabrielle Lawrence 6.8 mils to 6.4206 mils creating a rev- budget stewardship over the years, Johnson, Eve Kucharski, Terry Link, Andy McGlashen, Kyle Melinn, Mark Nixon, Shawn Parker, Stefanie Pohl, enue reduction of roughly $2.7 mil- events beyond the control of local offi- Dennis Preston, Allan I. Ross, Dylan Tarr, Rich Tupica, lion in 2018. See Millage, Page 6 Cover Ute Von Der Heyden, David Winkelstern, Paul Wozniak Interns: Kelly Sheridan, Shruti Saripalli, Houghton endorsement undeserved Art Sherry Min-Wang Incredibly, The Pulse also focused Distribution manager: Paul Shore • (517) 999-5061 I’m surprised at your endorsement of on one word in Jeremy’s adFate which said Box it by Rachel Harper Delivery drivers: Frank Estrada, Dave Fisher, Jack Tina Houghton in Lansing’s 2nd ward that he wants to work for “REGULAR” Sova, Richard Simpson, Thomas Scott Jr. election contest. You glossed over her people. And then they ridiculouslyof con- MOVETO: PILGRIM neglecting to pay traffic tickets and her cluded that Garza’s appeal was likely UCC subsequent request of the city attor- because 30.6 % of 2nd wardfaith: voters MOVING WHITHER NSING’SCHURCHES ney to quash an arrest warrant. She picked Trump or that Jeremy was using SEEPAGE deserves more than simple “criticism” “empty political rhetoric.”! for these two instances of bad judg- When I, a regular person, met Jeremy, ment and behavior by a council mem- I was very impressed with him. Jeremy ber. They are, by themselves, sufficient sat down on my front steps to talk and reason to disqualify her from re-election. listened to my comments. In your endorsement, you either In contrast, here are some Tina forgot or chose not to review her very Houghton facts : questionable judgments and behaviors Houghton proudly pointed out her union when she first ran for the 2nd ward membership on her re-election page ! council seat when she was in arrears on In 2009, she swore that she didn’t owe her Lansing property taxes . She also any taxes to the City --- a lie (by omis- had not reveal non-payment of proper- sion) because those taxes were actually ty taxes when she applied to sit on the overdue and had already been forwarded city’s Parks Board. to Ingham County for collection. Tina Houghton has apparently learned Two developers along with Kevin A. that truth and ethics are not a prerequisites McKinney (the chief lobbyist to legal- for holding public office in Lansing, for she ize all marijuana) threw a fundraiser was elected to the city council and appoint- for Tina Houghton and Kathie Dunbar. ed to the Park Board. s this the lesson we Would it be difficult to assume that these want for future candidates to public office fundraisers might want some “pay back”? in Lansing? I ask the City Pulse to with- Quoting the City Pulse : “Her critics draw its endorsement of Houghton. say Houghton is not responsive enough —Claude Beavers to constituents” as well as:, in “Special Lansing treatment? Councilwoman facing arrest over ticket gets relief from city attorney.” Supporting Garza Please, when you go to vote, make sure This newspaper recently tried to discourage you vote for the REGULAR candidate its readers from voting for Jeremy Garza. Jeremy Garza. It couldn’t find much to complain about —Suzanne Elms-Barclay except he is plumber and is in a Union. Lansing City Pulse • November 1, 2017 www.lansingcitypulse.com 5 PULSE NEWS & OPINION BIG BUCKS FOR 21-YEAR-OLD C Real estate PAC donates $32,823 to newcomer Stephens in EL Council race OF THE WEEK The Greater Lansing Association of not filed her report as of Tuesday morning. Realtors wants political neophyte Aaron The three are on Tuesday’s ballot to fill Stephens on the East Lansing City Council. two seats. Partnering with the Michigan Mark Dickens, policy director at the Association of Realtors and the National Greater Lansing Association of Realtors, Association for Realtors, the local real said his group “wants to see change in estate trade group has orchestrated a East Lansing.” He cited Stephens’ willing- $32,823 campaign blitz for the 21-year- ness to listen and “unite” the community. old Michigan State University senior. “We’d like to see increased collabora- That’s three times the $10,383 that tion and cooperation with Michigan State Stephens, a Democrat seeking a nonpar- University,” Dickins said, echoing a theme 402 S. Walnut St. tisan seat on the Council, raised for his of Stephens’ campaign. In general, he said, Lansing campaign, according to campaign finance the association wants to foster greater reports filed with the Ingham County regional cooperation. The sign at the front entrance to Clerk on Friday. He spent $4,016, leaving He said the organization plans to “start this home identifies this building as the him with $6,367 in the final week of the supporting candidates in this fashion historic residence of Richard Glaister, campaign. going forward. “We think collaboration “Master Mason for Capitol Building.” Incumbent Ruth Beier didn’t raise and cooperation is important to moving Glaister and his wife, Deborah, raised any money for her campaign, nor did she the region forward.” He said, to a less- a family in the 1876 house, including spend any, leaving her with $1,824 cash er financial extent, the association has their son, Joseph, who worked with his father as a stone cutter. on hand, according to her finance report.