February 8, 2023
Members of the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Board of Directors,
I’m a resident of the East Side of the City of Detroit. I am also the father of 3 school aged children. We’re extremely proud that our oldest will be attending … next year. We also have a special needs child and I’m extremely concerned about the district’s ability to meet their and other student’s needs. While I believe that the teachers and staff of DPS are extremely talented and committed, I see a great injustice in the lack of proper funding and support of public education in a majority Black city. This is the cause of my concern for all our children.
Our family consider it appalling that Ross and Ilitch would come asking or for the DBRA Board of Directors to even consider any public funding for private projects that would negatively impact the bottom line for Detroit students. In the public hearing BRIAN VOSBURG, Director Of Brownfield Redevelopment mentioned that there was some formula for the schools to be reimbursed. (Ed. We’ve since verified that the schools are NOT reimbursed.) Even if that were the case, the terms of these deals last so long that our kids won’t see that return. Our child who needs extra support and others like them are already challenged by the lack of funding in our schools. It truly is disgusting.
We have already given these companies and others like them far too much and many of our children will be worse off for it. I ask you to send the developers back to the bank to fund their own project or step it back considerably to meet their own budget without taking away from those who desperately need it. I do hope that you will see that the time for this development model in the city has past and that this is an opportunity to stand up for what is right in the face of all the damage already done. Send this project back to the bank to figure out how they can do it without hurting others.
Thank you.