More Michigan Democrat-Run Cities Running Out Of Other People's Money

A few more Michigan local governments are running out of other people's money. Now it's Highland Park's and Royal Oak Township's turn to face possible emergency management.

The Detroit News: Two Metro Detroit communities push back against state intervention

I've noted the odd case of Royal Oak Township before. Indeed the township has been in a tailspin since before 2009. A half mile township with some of the highest tax rates in the state that has taxed itself out of existence causing businesses to flee while paying its bureaucrats very well indeed. Of course, having many of the bureaucrats involved in corruption didn't help much either.

Now it seems that the state will take some action but the Royal Oak Township response seems to be a rather unacceptable excuse:

officials from the tiny half-square-mile township nestled along Eight Mile between Oak Park and Ferndale did not dispute their state review team’s findings, but blamed the township’s shrinking tax base and decisions by past officials for its financial woes.

In other words, we're not viable, but its not our fault that even with some ridiculously high tax rates and special assessments for police services, still can't even pay the bill for police protection.

It's long past time that Royal Oak Township closed up and was absorbed by a neighboring city. The problem is, will any city nearby actually want to take on the costs of recovering this wreck and shining example of decades of Democrat one-party misrule?

Another Democrat-Ruled Detroit-Area Demense Destined For An EFM

Royal Oak Township, with an apt acronym of ROT, is a prima facie example of how a township can be mismanaged by Democrats. ROT is all of a half mile in size and all of 2,466 people and is sandwiched between Ferndale and Oak Park.

Now the ROT may be destined for an EFM as its Democrats running the joint have really run out of other people's money.

There's only one reasons it still exists and hasn't been properly absorbed by Ferndale or Oak Park, and that reason has been discussed before. The other possible reason may be that no other municipality wants it given its chronic crime. corruption and mismanagement.

The Detroit Free Press: Royal Oak Township, plagued by crime, might be next for state control

The best part is that not only has it run out of money to pay for things like firefighting, it can't even account for the hundreds of thousands of dollars it has received:

The state’s key concerns, according to the warning letter, include $300,000 that local officials borrowed in violation of state law, the disappearance of more than $205,000 spent in 2012 and not shown on any budget, and a mysterious $400,000 operating loss in 2012 from the township police fund.

With some of, if not the highest, taxes and special assessments for police and fire in all of Michigan, the township can't even afford to pay for police and fire services, and seems to host more criminals than ordinary decent citizens.

Of course, you can still fit plenty of corruption in half a square mile:

The threat of impending state control is the latest in years of financial setbacks for the small community, which has a long history of waste and corruption. Last year, Squalls’ predecessor as supervisor pleaded guilty to taking a $10,000 bribe; William Morgan is serving a three-year prison sentence.

In short, the rot of the ROT is the result of decades of deliberate Democrat policies and corruption.

Royal Oak / Arts Beats and Eats Festival Contract seeks to prohibit weapons

In the Detroit Free Press: Gun advocates take aim at Arts, Beats & Eats

A contract clause banning guns at a popular Detroit-area summer arts festival has drawn fire from gun advocates aiming to have it amended.

Police Chief Chris Jahnke said the contract between Royal Oak's inaugural Arts, Beats & Eats festival and the city about 10 miles north-northwest of Detroit prohibits weapons at the event.

But open-carry proponents told the City Commission Monday night that state law and the Second Amendment allow a person who is licensed to carry a holstered firearm that's within plain sight. They want the contract amended before the Labor Day weekend event begins.

Organizer Jon Witz said festival officials were open to contract revisions.

Now in its 13th year, the festival was previously held in nearby Pontiac.

Unfortunately, the article is a stellar example of a lack of clarity. Who drafted the contract with the clause in it? The City of Royal Oak or AB&E Organizers?

The clause is unenforceable by Royal Oak Police as the festival is taking place on public streets and it is pretty clear that Michigan state law pre-empts a municpality from regulating firearms in such a manner.

MCL 123.1102 Regulation of pistols or other firearms.

A local unit of government shall not impose special taxation on, enact or enforce any ordinance or regulation pertaining to, or regulate in any other manner the ownership, registration, purchase, sale, transfer, transportation, or possession of pistols or other firearms, ammunition for pistols or other firearms, or components of pistols or other firearms, except as otherwise provided by federal law or a law of this state.

So that pretty much rules out such a ban at least as far as firearms go on the public streets of Royal Oak.

The second bit of strangeness in the article is the statement

But open-carry proponents told the City Commission Monday night that state law and the Second Amendment allow a person who is licensed to carry a holstered firearm that's within plain sight.

There is no license required or indeed issued for someone to carry a pistol in plain sight as open carry, while not the smartest thing to do and a course of action not without its own leagl traps and pitfalls, is legal in Michigan with no permit required.

Of course, as soon as you step into a vehicle or cover the firearm in any way you then need a concealed pistol license.

In short, it doesn't look like this contract term could be legally enforced by Royal Oak Police on the public streets of Royal Oak.

However, it could be enforced by the organizers of the festival on private property such as if they were renting a restaurant or building for the events and posted a notice that carrying a weapon is prohibited in such a venue.

Then, it would be a violation of the property owners or organizers terms for entry onto the premises and would be a misdemeanor trespass and the police could certainly enforce a tresspass charge.

My bet - the contract gets amended as it is probably an outdated clause on a form and the parties will revise it to properly reflect Michigan law.

Time for Royal Oak Township to fold as it runs out of people to tax

Royal Oak Township, a township now all of .56 square miles in size - Yes, really, less than a full square mile and its still a surviving (barely) township! - is going to try and raise taxes yet again to keep surviving as a dysfunctional entity.

Squeeze tightens in Royal Oak Twp. - Town seeks to raise taxes to keep basic services running

Royal Oak Township, the poorest community in Oakland County, is also among the most taxed in the state -- and it's getting ready to ask residents to open their wallets even wider.

This tiny community bordering Eight Mile -- once a proud 36 square miles when it was formed in 1921 -- is now down to 0.56 square miles after years of annexations by neighboring cities. And now, it's fighting for its financial life.

At half a square mile, and with some of the highest mileages, special assessments and overall taxes in Michigan, its time for it to gracefully fold into the surrounding communities that have developed around it.

After all, that's what townships are supposed to do as cities grown around them, become absorbed and gain from economies of scale rather than having a

a $1.2 million annual budget that also pays for 14 full- and part-time workers including two public works employees, a code enforcement officer, Morgan's secretary, a part-time deputy supervisor, a full-time deputy clerk and a full-time deputy treasurer.

for .56 square miles!

Of course the reason its been hanging on, and supported all this time is that it is Michigan's historically Black run township and some people think that race alone is enough to maintain a ridiculously expensive historical oddity that should have been folded long ago into the City of Royal Oak.

Royal Oak Township has some of the highest poverty levels in all of Oakland County - insanely high taxes may have something to do with that by driving away the productive and business property owners until only those who can't leave are left.

It is long past time the township quit its futile struggle tax itself to survival and remain in its half mile square existence and instead saved its residents' monies and futures by relegating itself to history.