Last week I wrote about how billionaire Dan Gilbert wants a $250 million taxpayer handout for four projects in Detroit. Sure, he’s more likable than Matty Moroun, but still, there is reason to say “Whoa, not so fast, Dan.”
Republicans have a stranglehold on the Michigan legislature, so it’s no surprise that they've played the part Gilbert wanted them to play. To be fair, they did put in a provision that requires the relevant municipality to sign off on the handout.
In this case, that means a subcommittee of the Detroit City Council consisting of Scott Benson (District 3), Mary Sheffield (District 5) and Gabe Leland (District 7) would have to vote to bring the question to a vote by the full council.
Gilbert probably the thought the subcommittee was going to rubber stamp the deal a couple of weeks ago, but instead they've kicked the can down the road a couple of times.
So tomorrow, Monday, November 20, at noon, members of the Charlevoix Village Association (an activist organization based in Detroit’s East Side) and other concerned citizens are protesting downtown in front of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, hoping to convince the subcommittee to vote against the handout.
A couple of quotes from the Facebook event page:
This billionaire is asking for more than $250 million to build four developments that will have no positive or beneficial impact to Detroiters.
And:
Gilbert can fund his own projects.
Remember: Dan Gilbert has a “real time net worth” of $5.9 billion, according to Forbes. So if Gilbert spent his own money for the project, assuming a mild cost overrun, he’d still have more than $5.5 billion.