Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Flint MI , how should we respond to Rush?

So how should a native son respond to Rush saying" Flint should bulldozed?Respond I do intend. What is the best way. In what way can a Flint response to Rush create for Flint & Its Flint Revival a positive image of our community.I was born in Flint, I live in Flint, My Law Practice is Downtown Flint and I am in partnership producing Mark Farner Flint Revival ,Rock Concert 8/15/09 at Atwood Stadium. Suggestions? Two follow.....

The following letter was sent, Kildee authorized its relaese

June 18, 2009
Rush Limbaugh
340 Royal Palm Way,
Suite 304 Palm Beach,
FL 33480

Dear Mr. Limbaugh:

The people of Flint deserve to live in clean and safe neighborhoods, free of blight.

We don’t want to ‘bulldoze Flint’ as you say, just bulldoze the empty and abandoned houses left behind as a result of the economic dislocation due to the loss of 70,000 GM jobs.

Our aim is to rid our neighborhoods of empty structures that the market simply cannot absorb, and reshape Flint to be a stronger and better city.

This is a market-based approach that is not a liberal or conservative. It’s a practical solution to a problem faced by cities all across the country.

Neither is this a partisan political issue, as you seem to think. While it is true that the Obama administration has shown interest in our Land Bank concept, so did the Bush administration. In fact, it was the Bush administration that first called me to Washington last year as they were formulating their response to the mortgage crisis.

This is not about politics, Rush.

This is about the people of Flint and the neighborhoods they live in. Period. I am inviting you to come to Flint and see for yourself. Come and broadcast your radio show from Flint if you like – I am sure it could be arranged.

I will personally pick up the tab for your flight and hotel, and I’ll even buy you a coney-island hot dog, Flint style.

You’ll see a community that has not given up at all, but has decided to remake itself. We do have a ways to go to reverse 30 years of disinvestment.

But you’ll see that we’re on the right path – we have demolished over 1000 abandoned houses, and in the last year we’ve seen over $100 million in new private investment in our downtown.

I‘ve heard you say that the news media needs to be fair and present a balanced view of the issues. Well, Rush - you are the media. Here’s your chance to be fair and balanced about Flint. Dan Kildee Genesee County Treasurer

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