Wednesday, February 08, 2006

City Commissioners Clear the Way for Take-Over of Benton Harbor

...at the BH City Commission meeting Monday night, Feb. 6, 2006:

The corrupt Benton Harbor city commissioners approved the sale of five parcels at Pipestone St. and Broadway Ave. to Star Development and Financial Corporation of Ann Arbor.

Run by Sam Thomas, Star Development bought the vacant property and land, worth well over half a million dollars, for only $50,575.00.

The commissioners further approved a twenty year tax break for Star Development. Mr. Thomas said he is in the process of applying to the state for tax credit to finance the project. The property is in a Renaissance Zone. I expect Jennifer Granholm and the State of Michigan to do whatever it takes to assist Mr. Thomas and Whirlpool in this and other deals to take over Benton Harbor.

City commissioner Harold Hampton remarked during the meeting, ³Somebody is getting paid under the table for this great deal.² He may have been one who was left out of the payment loop.

Star Development and Financial Corp. have done nothing but take from the city of Benton Harbor. Everything that Whirlpool does not take, Mr. Thomas will.

Then, in the same meeting, the city commissioners voted to raise water and sewer rates for all Benton Harbor residents, including senior citizens.

When will the people of Benton Harbor say enough is enough and fight back?

I am asking the justice department to do a complete investigation of city manager Pete Mitchell, city commissioners Glen Yarbrough and Ralph Crenshaw, and all of the city business deals they have been involved in. Pete Mitchell must go!

Final note: On Martin Luther King¹s birthday the ³Tom of the Year² award goes to city manager Pete Mitchell for continuing to give the city of Benton Harbor to Whirlpool and Sam Thomas from Ann Arbor. City commissioner Glen Yarbrough received the second place award, followed by third place winner Ralph Crenshaw.

When will the shame stop?


Rev. Edward Pinkney, 269-925-0001


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