Coleman Young II, candidate for Mayor, speaks at DAREA meeting March 1, 2017
By Diane Bukowski
March 5, 2017
DETROIT – A vibrant and in depth presentation by mayoral candidate Coleman Young II highlighted a packed monthly meeting of the Detroit Active and Retired Employee Association (DAREA) March 1, 2017.
DAREA Secretary Yvonne Jones
“When we were fighting the state takeover of Detroit and the bankruptcy, fighting for our pensions, health care and jobs, we went to the state legislature,” DAREA Secretary Yvonne Jones told the audience. “State Sen. Coleman Young II was the ONLY one who came forward in our support, and voted against the emergency manager and bankruptcy on our behalf.”
DAREA officers also reported on the progress of the group’s lawsuit against the bankruptcy imposed on the city by Wall Street banks and corporations in 2014. The bankruptcy has devastated the jobs, wages, pensions and benefits of city workers and stolen nearly all the assets of the largest Black-majority city in the U.S.
DAREA president Bill Davis reported that the Washington, D.C. law firm of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis now represents DAREA and other groups pro bono in a combined appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The USSC confirmed receipt of a petition for a writ of certiorari Feb. 9, 2017, after the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the appellants Oct. 3, 2o16.
DAREA members disembark from bus in Cincinnati June 15, 2016 to attend 6th Circuit Court hearing on their bankruptcy lawsuit. In center is DAREA President Bill Davis, to his right is DAREA VP Cecily McClellan, to his left is retiree Ezza Brandon. They were allowed to wear their “Hands off my Pension” T-shirts in the 6th Circuit courtroom as arguments on bankruptcy appeals were heard. The bus was full, with over 40 retirees.
Young received a standing ovation and shouts of “Mayor Young” as he entered the room. He began his hour-long presentation including a question and answer session, with an initial statement about the 40 percent poverty level in the city of Detroit, the continual drainage of jobs from city residents to suburbanites, and the ongoing water shut-offs.
This reporter, videotaping Young’s talk, had to move to a different location to get a better lighting background, so his initial statements are not captured in the videos below.
But these videos present a view of a knowledgeable, passionate and evidently sincere official, unlike the image portrayed by some of the corporate media, which has lined up behind “mayor” Mike Duggan. Life-long Livonia resident Duggan is in office illegally because the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that he had not lived in Detroit long enough to qualify to run.
Concluding remarks and question and answer session
INFO FOR DETROIT ACTIVE AND RETIRED EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION:
Related document:
DTROIT ACTIVE AND RETIRED EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (DAREA)
P.O. Box 3724, Highland Park, Michigan 48203 313-649-7018 Detroit2700plus@gmail.com; Blog: Dareafights.blogspot.com
General Membership meetings first Wednesday of every month at 5:30 p.m., at St. Matthew, St. Joseph Episcopal Church, 8850 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48203
Committee Meetings: Third Monday of every month, 11 a.m. Nandi’s Knowledge Café, 12511 Woodward Ave. Highland Park, MI 48203
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