WEBVTT

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(instrumental)

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(instrumental)

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The water bills went up 60%,

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there is no way we can continue

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to pay water bills like this.

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You have to pay it,

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gotta have water

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to drink, shower and bathe.

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This is one thing

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you can\'t skimp on.

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You can\'t have your water

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cut off.

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You can do without some things
but water is not one of them.

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We did not use $4500 of water

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and you tell me it\'s from

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some leak from two years ago.

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Right, it ain\'t happening.

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It\'s ridiculous.

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It ain\'t no way in the world.

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Female Narrator:

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What if you lived by the largest

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body of fresh water in the world

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but could no longer

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afford to use it?

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(instrumental)

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Good evening. It is Tuesday,

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7 o\'clock.

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It is now time for

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\"Ask Welfare Rights\".

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We would like to welcome you

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to our weekly broadcast.

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My name is Maureen Taylor

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and I work with the Michigan

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Welfare Rights Organization

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I am here with my colleague

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Marian Kramer from the

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National Welfare Rights Union.

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Hello, and I want to start out

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with telephone numbers.

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We want these lines

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to light up tonight

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We need to wake up Highland Park

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Hamtramock and all the

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municipalities in the area

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that will be affected

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by any rate increase

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so call 224-4545.

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Highland Park used to be

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this small,

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very comfortable place to live

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and now it\'s just the opposite.

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We are surrounded by Detroit

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and we have been referred to as

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the heart of Detroit

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and we are just being pushed out

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because of the water situation.

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(Background: radio announcer)

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You are listening to 88.1 FM.

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Narrator: Highland Park,

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Michigan

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A small city between

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downtown Detroit and its suburbs

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was once a thriving community.

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(instrumental)

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It is known as the birthplace

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of mass production

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and Henry Ford\'s assembly line.

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Vallory Johnson: My dad worked

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for the Ford Motor Company,

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my brother worked

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for the Ford Motor Company,

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this is what everyone did,

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you worked for one

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of those auto companies.

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Yes you did.

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♪ (Blues)

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♪ Please Mr. Foreman...

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This little bitty hamlet

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20 years ago had 60.000 people

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It was called the city of trees,

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big trees with branches

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that went across.

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A beautiful bedroom community

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for working class people.

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The city was really humming

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the Chrysler plant employed

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7 or 8 or 9,000 people

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[music] Slow down the assembly
line [music]

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And then Chrysler said:

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\"We are moving to

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Auburn Hills next year\".

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Well the bottom started

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to drop out because it was

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a singular industry.

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That meant the tax base

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of individuals left,

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the taxes the corporation

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was paying left too,

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so it started the demise of

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Highland Park too.

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(Guitar with instrumental)

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Maureen: Today you have

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about 16,000 residents

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that still live there.

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(Guitar with instrumental)

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Narrator: The drastic decrease

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of Highland Park\'s population

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combined with the loss

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of industry

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has left a costly infrastructure

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and no tax base to maintain it.

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(moody instrumental)

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Highland Park came to a point

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they could no longer provide

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police department services.

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There was no tax base

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to pay the fire department.

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There was no money.

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Narrator: Years of mismanagement

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and soaring debt

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leave Highland Park

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on the verge of bankruptcy.

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The mayor calls out for help

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and the state sends in

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an Emergency Financial Manager:

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Ramona Pearson,

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a corporate accountant

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Ramona: This is really bad here

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I didn\'t realize this was so
beat up.

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I have the responsibility

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to get the city

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financially healthy again.

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And in that capacity

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I have all of the powers,

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that the mayor had,

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and that the council has,

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and I assume that the purpose

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of creating this

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sort of dictatorship,

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which is what it is,

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is to make sure

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that it gets done fast.

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(moody instrumental with guitar)

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Narrator: Fred Durhal

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has been sent in by the state

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to come up with an economic plan

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for Highland Park.

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Fred: What we have here

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is a failure of government

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to keep pace with the decay.

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(moody instrumental)

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No city should look

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like this city looks.

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And no city should operate

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the way this one did.

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It failed its citizens

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and now we are trying to

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pick up the pieces

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and put it back together.

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(moody instrumental)

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I personally wouldn\'t like

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to live in a neighbourhood

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like this. Look at this crap!

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(moody instrumental)

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We have 3 pension plans unfunded

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and 600-700 pensioners

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who expect the pay

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and you have to keep

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the doors open

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and pay those who are here now,

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and once you pay the pensioners

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and the people who are here,

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you don\'t have enough resources

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to pick up trash

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or do anything else

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It\'s like being in a trauma unit

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(whining machine sound)

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Yea 100, we had 2426 Highland

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and we can\'t find the stop box.

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People have a lot of pride here.

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You can see it in their homes,

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and I grew up here.

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Resident: Let\'s get

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on these curbs.

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(Tom laughs)

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One of the first things

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the Financial Manager did

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when she came into the city

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was close a lot of things.

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Another one of our schools

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is closed up, boarded up.

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The recreation department

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is open,

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but now you have a library

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that is closed.

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And as bad as we need education,

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we couldn\'t find a way

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to keep our library open,

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that is sad, that is real sad.

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(moody instrumental)

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Narrator: The closing of

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public facilities is not
enoughto put Highland Park\'s

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finances back on track.

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Ramona Pearson lays off

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city workers.

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Gloria Pogue who works in

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the city\'s aging water plant

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is now obliged to work

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seven days a week,

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eight hours a day.

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Gloria: They got rid of

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one person, two people...

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The last time they down sized

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they got rid of the people

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working in the pump station.

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Well now we have

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one person for each shift,

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and that makes it hard

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for anybody, because anything

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could happen on a shift

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This is a water department,

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it services the whole community

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and to have one person

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on an eight hour shift

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is asking

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for something to happen.

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Ron: They have basically

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gotten rid of

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all the employees in the city.
There are only four of us

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in the water department,

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you know,

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in the plant part of it,

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there is meter readers.

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There are only four of us

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that actually run the plant,

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that keep the plant going.

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And we have stuck it out.

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When I hired in, the place

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was in perfect condition

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and if they had kept spending

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the money on the plant

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it would be

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in perfect condition now.

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(moody instrumental)

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Ramona: Did you see

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this deal on the Wayne County

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abandoned property

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I think we just mentioned that..

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Narrator: Ramona Pearson hires

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consultants to help resolve

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resolve the crisis.

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She brings in Jan Lazar

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to manage the city

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on a daily basis.

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Jan: She brought me in to be the

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equivalent to a city manager,

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a city administrator

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to run the operation because

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I have a lot of background

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in city management

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and governmental finance

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and pension administration

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all of which are issues

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in the city.

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Everybody understands that

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the situation is undesirable.

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The debate is

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what kind of solution.

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Jan Lazar hires

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Steven Egan,

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who is a member of

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her consulting firm

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and has experience

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in public utilities.

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Steve will work

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on a part time basis

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commuting from his home

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in Georgia.

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(upbeat instrumental)

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Steve: The water department

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and the water plant

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are one of the most valuable

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assets that Highland Park has,

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particularly this plant.

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(upbeat, water flowing)

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Narrator: Ramona Pearson

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and her consultants believe

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the water plant can make money.

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They raise the water rates

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and begin a campaign

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to enforce collection.

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(upbeat, water flowing)

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I have been on the run

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I didn\'t have time to get

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the documentation, all she did..

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Jan: We put a real intensive

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effort to get the billings

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up to date and corrected

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where there were problems

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meters checked and verified

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where people said

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their meters were not correct,
although most of the time

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the meters were correct.

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There were other problems

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toilets running, pipes broken

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things like that.

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This is my Highland Park

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water bill

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- $2,251.46

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for a period of six months.

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There is no way

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I used this much water,

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they don\'t have an actual read.

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I scheduled a reading today,

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they are going to come do it,

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but this is astronomical.

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This is insane.

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(client chatter)

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Jan: People watch the cost of

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a movie ticket go up and up

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and they still go to the movies.

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Things like water, people say

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\"I can\'t pay more\" or

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\"I don\'t want to pay more\".

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Well if you can\'t pay more

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or don\'t want to pay more,

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the services will deteriorate.

00:11:47.999 --> 00:11:51.333
As a water technician you are

00:11:51.334 --> 00:11:53.416
basically stuck in the middle

00:11:53.417 --> 00:11:54.998
cuz you are between the office

00:11:54.999 --> 00:11:56.999
and the citizens.

00:12:00.501 --> 00:12:03.998
We had a work order

00:12:03.999 --> 00:12:04.999
to go to a home,

00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:06.166
she was a senior citizen,

00:12:06.167 --> 00:12:07.583
and she took me by the hand,

00:12:07.584 --> 00:12:09.124
sat me down and started crying.

00:12:09.125 --> 00:12:10.998
She said \"Sir, I cannot

00:12:10.999 --> 00:12:12.416
afford this water bill\".

00:12:12.417 --> 00:12:13.583
\"I am on a fixed income,

00:12:13.584 --> 00:12:16.209
I cannot afford to pay.\"

00:12:19.375 --> 00:12:22.958
Tom: How are you all

00:12:22.959 --> 00:12:23.459
doing this morning...

00:12:23.459 --> 00:12:24.250
We try to say there is legal aid

00:12:24.251 --> 00:12:27.249
to help out on things like that.

00:12:27.250 --> 00:12:29.167
But, are you a meter technician

00:12:29.501 --> 00:12:32.998
or a social worker?

00:12:32.999 --> 00:12:33.999
Steve: It\'s really sad,

00:12:35.999 --> 00:12:36.999
it makes you feel bad,

00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:38.416
they come and cry sometimes.

00:12:38.417 --> 00:12:40.958
It\'s hard.

00:12:40.959 --> 00:12:43.584
(employee) Can I help you...

00:12:43.834 --> 00:12:45.999
The other side is

00:12:46.042 --> 00:12:48.249
we are running a business,

00:12:48.250 --> 00:12:49.333
and we have to generate income

00:12:49.334 --> 00:12:51.541
to support the business.

00:12:51.542 --> 00:12:52.875
If I am the arbitrator

00:12:52.876 --> 00:12:54.124
and a little old lady comes in,

00:12:54.125 --> 00:12:56.459
I just can\'t feel sorry for her

00:12:56.667 --> 00:12:59.998
and say:

00:12:59.999 --> 00:13:01.458
\"I\'ll cut your bill in half\"
because that is not fair

00:13:01.459 --> 00:13:03.124
to all the customers.

00:13:03.125 --> 00:13:04.875
So we have to find a consistent

00:13:04.876 --> 00:13:06.750
way to deal with our customers

00:13:06.751 --> 00:13:07.667
and we try to do it

00:13:07.667 --> 00:13:08.626
sort of technically

00:13:08.627 --> 00:13:09.750
through the accuracy

00:13:09.751 --> 00:13:10.958
of the meter

00:13:10.959 --> 00:13:11.792
and leave the human issues

00:13:11.793 --> 00:13:14.042
to other agencies.

00:13:15.209 --> 00:13:16.209
(phone ringing)

00:13:18.626 --> 00:13:20.875
Right now we do not have any

00:13:20.876 --> 00:13:22.998
funds available

00:13:22.999 --> 00:13:23.999
for water assistance.

00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:25.374
Have you tried social services

00:13:25.375 --> 00:13:28.124
to apply for help on the bill?

00:13:28.125 --> 00:13:29.583
I am an outreach worker and

00:13:29.584 --> 00:13:31.708
I provide emergency services.

00:13:31.709 --> 00:13:32.998
I tell people everyday

00:13:32.999 --> 00:13:34.998
for two years now

00:13:34.999 --> 00:13:36.166
\"I have no money\",

00:13:36.167 --> 00:13:38.125
but they call every day.

00:13:38.876 --> 00:13:39.916
Wayne Metro, this is Ebony

00:13:42.334 --> 00:13:43.998
The level of poverty and

00:13:43.999 --> 00:13:45.750
the level of need is tremendous.

00:13:45.751 --> 00:13:47.416
We are talking about a community

00:13:47.417 --> 00:13:49.082
of primarily senior citizens

00:13:49.083 --> 00:13:50.333
who have been here

00:13:50.334 --> 00:13:51.500
30, 40, and 50 years.

00:13:51.501 --> 00:13:53.124
Always paid their bills on time

00:13:53.125 --> 00:13:55.166
since they\'ve been here,

00:13:55.167 --> 00:13:56.998
and now all of a sudden,

00:13:56.999 --> 00:13:58.500
they don\'t know where to go.

00:13:58.501 --> 00:13:59.501
(slow instrumental)

00:13:59.792 --> 00:14:02.542
[music]

00:14:12.584 --> 00:14:15.125
I don\'t use a lot of water.

00:14:16.042 --> 00:14:18.583
I don\'t have a shower.

00:14:18.584 --> 00:14:21.166
I don\'t wash a car,

00:14:21.167 --> 00:14:23.208
I don\'t have a car.

00:14:23.209 --> 00:14:24.209
I don\'t water the grass,

00:14:24.210 --> 00:14:27.998
but I feel like I should if they

00:14:27.999 --> 00:14:29.917
charge me for water

00:14:29.918 --> 00:14:30.999
I am not using.

00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:32.417
When my bill was $9,000,

00:14:33.292 --> 00:14:35.458
that day I went there,

00:14:35.459 --> 00:14:36.541
you know I believe

00:14:36.542 --> 00:14:38.625
and I trust in God

00:14:38.626 --> 00:14:39.999
but that day, I was just going

00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:41.750
to ask God to get out of my life

00:14:41.751 --> 00:14:42.999
cuz I went there purposely.

00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:45.125
They would have taken me to jail

00:14:46.626 --> 00:14:47.998
because I went to find out

00:14:47.999 --> 00:14:49.041
why you won\'t talk to me,

00:14:49.042 --> 00:14:50.249
give me an agreement,

00:14:50.250 --> 00:14:51.791
or tell me where to get help.

00:14:51.792 --> 00:14:53.584
Joan: I have actually been

00:14:54.334 --> 00:14:54.999
trying to find a lawyer

00:14:54.999 --> 00:14:55.999
that would be willing to say

00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:57.625
\"You need to stop charging me

00:14:57.626 --> 00:14:59.666
while you figure out

00:14:59.667 --> 00:15:00.998
what is going on.\"

00:15:00.999 --> 00:15:01.959
Every time I get a bill

00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:02.998
it\'s up $2000

00:15:02.999 --> 00:15:03.999
$2000, $2000.

00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:05.416
For what?

00:15:05.417 --> 00:15:07.209
What is that for?

00:15:08.334 --> 00:15:10.125
And they saying it\'s fees

00:15:11.292 --> 00:15:12.458
and penalties

00:15:12.459 --> 00:15:13.083
because of a back bill,

00:15:13.083 --> 00:15:13.959
but it is a back bill

00:15:13.959 --> 00:15:14.876
that has been in dispute.

00:15:14.877 --> 00:15:16.416
Which means that all billing

00:15:16.417 --> 00:15:18.124
and everything should stop,

00:15:18.125 --> 00:15:19.541
until that is settled.

00:15:19.542 --> 00:15:20.876
(moody instrumental)

00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:24.750
You get to a point in government

00:15:24.751 --> 00:15:25.998
where you cut too deeply,

00:15:25.999 --> 00:15:28.041
then you don\'t have efficiency,

00:15:28.042 --> 00:15:30.541
and that is where we are now.

00:15:30.542 --> 00:15:32.208
We cut very deeply

00:15:32.209 --> 00:15:33.458
because we had to

00:15:33.459 --> 00:15:34.417
and the efficiency of the

00:15:34.418 --> 00:15:35.999
government has been compromised.

00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.918
They don\'t have the supports

00:15:39.250 --> 00:15:41.124
that they need.

00:15:41.125 --> 00:15:42.417
[music] Its hard times

00:15:43.417 --> 00:15:46.666
[music]

00:15:46.667 --> 00:15:49.918
[music] hard times is here once
more

00:15:52.167 --> 00:15:53.959
Narrator: Tom White

00:15:55.709 --> 00:15:56.584
is caught in the same bind

00:15:56.585 --> 00:15:57.791
as many residents

00:15:57.792 --> 00:15:59.041
who find it expensive to stay

00:15:59.042 --> 00:16:00.998
but cannot afford to leave.

00:16:00.999 --> 00:16:03.082
As a renter Tom dreams

00:16:03.083 --> 00:16:05.875
of a place of his own.

00:16:05.876 --> 00:16:07.208
Tom: It was a final read

00:16:07.209 --> 00:16:08.998
and the gentleman complained

00:16:08.999 --> 00:16:10.999
the water bill was too high

00:16:11.250 --> 00:16:12.570
and I told him it was a nice
house

00:16:14.999 --> 00:16:16.208
and we got to talking

00:16:16.209 --> 00:16:17.750
and we hit it off.

00:16:17.751 --> 00:16:19.042
He said \"Tom I\'d like

00:16:19.999 --> 00:16:22.917
to sell you the house\".

00:16:22.918 --> 00:16:23.918
And I said \"Well look,

00:16:24.918 --> 00:16:25.834
I would love to buy it\".

00:16:25.835 --> 00:16:27.292
I love it.

00:16:31.667 --> 00:16:34.999
Oh yeah. I like that.

00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:37.999
Cleaned out, sprayed out.

00:16:38.334 --> 00:16:41.998
Rip this old carpet out,

00:16:41.999 --> 00:16:43.998
put a new down.

00:16:43.999 --> 00:16:45.334
I could see myself

00:16:45.999 --> 00:16:46.999
sitting out here at night,

00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:48.249
enjoying things,

00:16:48.250 --> 00:16:50.583
this is just right for me.

00:16:50.584 --> 00:16:52.542
This is just right for me.

00:16:53.417 --> 00:16:54.959
Ok, let\'s go do some work

00:16:56.999 --> 00:16:58.291
and stop daydreaming.

00:16:58.292 --> 00:16:59.459
(slow blues instrumental)

00:16:59.834 --> 00:17:02.209
[music]

00:17:17.334 --> 00:17:20.917
Tom: Why did you get

00:17:20.918 --> 00:17:21.834
an estimated bill?

00:17:21.835 --> 00:17:23.750
Where is your meter at?

00:17:23.751 --> 00:17:25.958
Vallory: And this is

00:17:25.959 --> 00:17:27.666
the same reading you just got...

00:17:27.667 --> 00:17:30.166
Tom: Let\'s go downstairs

00:17:30.167 --> 00:17:31.666
and see on the meter.

00:17:31.667 --> 00:17:32.999
Narrator: Residents like

00:17:33.584 --> 00:17:34.459
Vallory Johnson

00:17:34.459 --> 00:17:35.250
are starting to figure out

00:17:35.251 --> 00:17:36.917
why some bills are so high.

00:17:36.918 --> 00:17:38.791
Rate increases alone do

00:17:38.792 --> 00:17:40.249
not explain these bills.

00:17:40.250 --> 00:17:41.998
Citizens are being asked

00:17:41.999 --> 00:17:43.666
to pay for years

00:17:43.667 --> 00:17:44.791
of inaccurate billing

00:17:44.792 --> 00:17:46.208
and undetected leaks.

00:17:46.209 --> 00:17:47.833
(slow instrumental)

00:17:47.834 --> 00:17:50.541
Tom: And that was

00:17:50.542 --> 00:17:51.501
the actual read...

00:17:51.502 --> 00:17:52.782
Some things just seem impossible

00:17:54.834 --> 00:17:56.875
they are impossible.

00:17:56.876 --> 00:17:57.996
I know I am a whistle blower

00:17:58.999 --> 00:18:01.625
and I know some things that

00:18:01.626 --> 00:18:03.708
I have to bite the bullet on

00:18:03.709 --> 00:18:05.541
but I don\'t think I am going

00:18:05.542 --> 00:18:06.542
to bite the bullet on this one.

00:18:06.543 --> 00:18:08.000
So, we\'ll probably come

00:18:08.999 --> 00:18:10.998
to the council meeting tonight

00:18:10.999 --> 00:18:12.998
and raise a little hell.

00:18:12.999 --> 00:18:13.999
It\'s meeting tonight?

00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:15.166
Man, I need to go

00:18:15.167 --> 00:18:16.583
but I got something else to do.

00:18:16.584 --> 00:18:19.083
Vallory: So how are

00:18:19.959 --> 00:18:20.959
your water bills...?

00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:22.160
Vallory: This particular bill

00:18:24.751 --> 00:18:26.750
right here is an estimated bill.

00:18:26.751 --> 00:18:27.833
I\'ve been trying to get it

00:18:27.834 --> 00:18:29.124
straightened out

00:18:29.125 --> 00:18:31.124
since July 19th

00:18:31.125 --> 00:18:32.958
I have been here thrice already

00:18:32.959 --> 00:18:35.249
to have action taken on it.

00:18:35.250 --> 00:18:37.998
The last time was two weeks ago,

00:18:37.999 --> 00:18:40.082
the information was given to

00:18:40.083 --> 00:18:41.416
Linda Barr.

00:18:41.417 --> 00:18:42.292
No one has any authority

00:18:42.293 --> 00:18:43.833
to do anything.

00:18:43.834 --> 00:18:44.998
Council President: And you were

00:18:44.999 --> 00:18:45.999
requesting an actual reading?

00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:47.833
They did an actual reading!

00:18:47.834 --> 00:18:50.209
I said I have been

00:18:50.542 --> 00:18:51.833
dealing with this since July.

00:18:51.834 --> 00:18:53.374
Council President: And even

00:18:53.375 --> 00:18:54.209
with the actual reading

00:18:54.209 --> 00:18:54.999
that\'s what they came up with?

00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:56.082
I am telling you.

00:18:56.083 --> 00:18:57.667
(energetic instrumental)

00:18:58.334 --> 00:19:00.667
[music]

00:19:06.042 --> 00:19:11.042
[music]

00:19:32.876 --> 00:19:35.959
Narrator: Ramona Pearson

00:19:36.292 --> 00:19:37.250
and her consultants

00:19:37.250 --> 00:19:38.209
are not bringing in

00:19:38.209 --> 00:19:39.042
the revenue they had hoped for

00:19:39.043 --> 00:19:40.500
from water bills.

00:19:40.501 --> 00:19:41.625
They take even more severe

00:19:41.626 --> 00:19:43.708
measures to enforce collection.

00:19:43.709 --> 00:19:45.416
We get to a point we make

00:19:45.417 --> 00:19:47.041
a decision and shut \'em off.

00:19:47.042 --> 00:19:49.998
And what would happen is

00:19:49.999 --> 00:19:51.750
that would bring them down here

00:19:51.751 --> 00:19:53.750
to begin the negotiations

00:19:53.751 --> 00:19:56.333
of how to pay this water bill,

00:19:56.334 --> 00:19:57.999
perhaps paying it in full,

00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.998
perhaps setting up

00:19:59.999 --> 00:20:01.333
a payment agreement...

00:20:01.334 --> 00:20:02.500
It was a 2x4 upside the head

00:20:02.501 --> 00:20:05.374
to get action out of the people

00:20:05.375 --> 00:20:07.583
so they would pay

00:20:07.584 --> 00:20:09.249
or set up an agreement.

00:20:09.250 --> 00:20:10.459
Narrator: The emergency

00:20:12.667 --> 00:20:13.542
financial managers hire

00:20:13.543 --> 00:20:14.917
an outside contractor

00:20:14.918 --> 00:20:16.416
to perform the high number

00:20:16.417 --> 00:20:17.875
of shut offs in Highland Park.

00:20:17.876 --> 00:20:19.709
You go into these predominantly

00:20:20.417 --> 00:20:22.458
black neighbourhoods in the

00:20:22.459 --> 00:20:24.750
middle of the day or night

00:20:24.751 --> 00:20:26.999
and you are shutting people\'s

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:28.249
water off for non-payment,

00:20:28.250 --> 00:20:29.998
with a predominantly white crew.

00:20:29.999 --> 00:20:32.709
We have been chased with

00:20:33.209 --> 00:20:34.667
shot guns and everything else.

00:20:34.999 --> 00:20:35.999
I just stopped it.

00:20:38.417 --> 00:20:40.250
You have guys working here,

00:20:40.667 --> 00:20:42.583
they can do the shut offs

00:20:42.584 --> 00:20:44.459
and if you have a problem

00:20:44.999 --> 00:20:45.918
give us a call,

00:20:45.918 --> 00:20:46.667
we\'ll come help you out

00:20:46.667 --> 00:20:47.459
but for practical purposes

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:50.041
we don\'t do too many shut offs

00:20:50.042 --> 00:20:51.958
in Highland Park anymore.

00:20:51.959 --> 00:20:53.000
Narrator: The job of

00:20:53.999 --> 00:20:55.291
shutting off water now falls

00:20:55.292 --> 00:20:56.999
solely on Tom\'s shoulders..

00:20:57.375 --> 00:20:58.459
We used to have a list

00:21:00.959 --> 00:21:02.374
and go down the street

00:21:02.375 --> 00:21:03.998
and just cut folks off.

00:21:03.999 --> 00:21:06.375
How are you doing...

00:21:07.125 --> 00:21:08.459
They want you to go in

00:21:09.042 --> 00:21:09.999
don\'t talk to them, shut \'em off

00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:11.166
and keep on moving.

00:21:11.167 --> 00:21:12.918
(tense instrumental)

00:21:18.459 --> 00:21:21.834
They had to cut off our water,

00:21:21.999 --> 00:21:24.998
there\'s no water on right now

00:21:24.999 --> 00:21:26.917
and I have kids

00:21:26.918 --> 00:21:28.875
so we have to shower

00:21:28.876 --> 00:21:30.625
at my mother-in-laws.

00:21:30.626 --> 00:21:31.709
I don\'t know anybody here

00:21:32.083 --> 00:21:33.541
but her,

00:21:33.542 --> 00:21:34.998
so it\'s really

00:21:34.999 --> 00:21:35.999
going to be a big problem.

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.584
(tense instrumental)

00:21:38.751 --> 00:21:41.167
♪ [music] ♪

00:21:52.834 --> 00:21:55.999
It\'s like a vicious circle:

00:21:56.292 --> 00:21:58.374
if I cut your water off today,

00:21:58.375 --> 00:21:59.625
I have to back track

00:21:59.626 --> 00:22:00.998
five days from now

00:22:00.999 --> 00:22:02.666
and see if you

00:22:02.667 --> 00:22:04.875
turned it back on or not

00:22:04.876 --> 00:22:06.458
and people don\'t like to do it

00:22:06.459 --> 00:22:08.998
but they do

00:22:08.999 --> 00:22:10.998
because when your water

00:22:10.999 --> 00:22:12.875
is turned off

00:22:12.876 --> 00:22:14.541
your house is legally condemned

00:22:14.542 --> 00:22:15.998
so the city can really

00:22:15.999 --> 00:22:17.999
put you out of your house.

00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:19.459
If you are welfare recipient,

00:22:20.751 --> 00:22:22.458
or person who lives on a

00:22:22.459 --> 00:22:24.291
cash assistance grant,

00:22:24.292 --> 00:22:25.791
and you lose the ability to

00:22:25.792 --> 00:22:28.998
provide water for small children

00:22:28.999 --> 00:22:30.998
human resources can come in

00:22:30.999 --> 00:22:32.750
and remove your children

00:22:32.751 --> 00:22:34.333
and put your kids in foster
care.

00:22:34.334 --> 00:22:36.250
(tense, instrumental)

00:22:45.250 --> 00:22:48.998
Vallory: Really this shouldn\'t

00:22:48.999 --> 00:22:49.999
be happening in this country,

00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:53.791
people can\'t even have water

00:22:53.792 --> 00:22:56.374
even for their basic needs,

00:22:56.375 --> 00:22:58.998
just to go to the bathroom.

00:22:58.999 --> 00:23:01.875
A lot of people do not know

00:23:01.876 --> 00:23:03.708
what it is to be without water.

00:23:03.709 --> 00:23:05.998
You can\'t use the bathroom when

00:23:05.999 --> 00:23:08.458
you want to go to the bathroom,

00:23:08.459 --> 00:23:09.998
you can\'t take a bath,

00:23:09.999 --> 00:23:12.875
you can\'t even wash your hands.

00:23:12.876 --> 00:23:14.917
It\'s ridiculous.

00:23:14.918 --> 00:23:16.751
My son and I decided

00:23:17.999 --> 00:23:19.666
that we had had enough of the

00:23:19.667 --> 00:23:21.000
water problems in Highland Park.

00:23:21.375 --> 00:23:24.167
This is when I started

00:23:24.959 --> 00:23:25.998
talking to people,

00:23:25.999 --> 00:23:26.999
I started talking to Marian,

00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:29.750
to Maureen...

00:23:29.751 --> 00:23:31.876
This is how the Highland Park

00:23:32.125 --> 00:23:33.998
Human Rights Coalition

00:23:33.999 --> 00:23:35.583
was formed.

00:23:35.584 --> 00:23:36.999
(determined instrumental)

00:23:39.792 --> 00:23:42.959
Vallory: The 9th month bill

00:23:43.250 --> 00:23:44.416
was how much?

00:23:44.417 --> 00:23:45.458
Woman: That was um...

00:23:45.459 --> 00:23:48.125
One of the guys who has been

00:23:48.584 --> 00:23:50.124
laid off is expert at this,

00:23:50.125 --> 00:23:51.998
they could get him back

00:23:51.999 --> 00:23:53.333
to do this work...

00:23:53.334 --> 00:23:54.541
They say the average water bill

00:23:54.542 --> 00:23:57.082
in the U.S. annually

00:23:57.083 --> 00:23:59.999
is only $475 dollars, annually..

00:24:00.334 --> 00:24:03.750
$475 dollars!

00:24:03.751 --> 00:24:05.918
We are losing out on everything,

00:24:06.250 --> 00:24:08.166
the water, education...

00:24:08.167 --> 00:24:09.999
We are losing out completely.

00:24:11.083 --> 00:24:12.243
This is very important to me.

00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:17.334
A lot of this had to do

00:24:18.584 --> 00:24:20.750
with things that happened

00:24:20.751 --> 00:24:22.833
to my family.

00:24:22.834 --> 00:24:24.459
When we had our first protest,

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:27.792
the following day my son died.

00:24:28.334 --> 00:24:31.501
He didn\'t feel good

00:24:31.876 --> 00:24:32.917
the day of the protest,

00:24:32.918 --> 00:24:33.998
and he asked me if I would stay

00:24:33.999 --> 00:24:35.998
home with him,

00:24:35.999 --> 00:24:36.999
and I said \"Yes I will\",

00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:38.417
and he died the following day,

00:24:38.751 --> 00:24:40.458
but he was one of the

00:24:40.459 --> 00:24:41.666
\"Water Warriors\" also.

00:24:41.667 --> 00:24:43.292
(moody instrumental)

00:24:45.250 --> 00:24:48.375
It\'s Billy\'s mission I am on now

00:24:48.999 --> 00:24:50.998
concerning the water.

00:24:50.999 --> 00:24:52.584
[music]

00:24:59.125 --> 00:25:01.459
Their mission was to make sure

00:25:02.876 --> 00:25:04.998
that the citizens of Highland
Park

00:25:04.999 --> 00:25:07.041
had their rights

00:25:07.042 --> 00:25:09.208
And that was having their water,

00:25:09.209 --> 00:25:11.541
and make sure they had it

00:25:11.542 --> 00:25:13.249
at a fair price.

00:25:13.250 --> 00:25:15.334
I can say

00:25:15.542 --> 00:25:16.998
we are still working on that.

00:25:16.999 --> 00:25:18.998
This community

00:25:18.999 --> 00:25:20.374
and the surrounding area

00:25:20.375 --> 00:25:22.208
has been very sensitive

00:25:22.209 --> 00:25:23.998
to shut offs.

00:25:23.999 --> 00:25:25.250
In city council meetings

00:25:25.959 --> 00:25:26.998
there were complaints,

00:25:26.999 --> 00:25:28.041
and people in front of city hall

00:25:28.042 --> 00:25:29.998
particularly focused

00:25:29.999 --> 00:25:31.291
on shut offs.

00:25:31.292 --> 00:25:32.667
Detroit has the same kind of

00:25:32.999 --> 00:25:34.875
complaints and protests

00:25:34.876 --> 00:25:36.041
about that.

00:25:36.042 --> 00:25:37.083
(slow blues)

00:25:37.584 --> 00:25:40.166
[music] oh you see they are
coming to

00:25:40.167 --> 00:25:41.999
cut my water off tomorrow

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:44.166
[music]

00:25:44.167 --> 00:25:47.041
[music] so a little mercy

00:25:47.042 --> 00:25:49.209
is all I need... [music]

00:25:50.584 --> 00:25:53.501
We\'d like to welcome you

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.208
once again

00:25:55.209 --> 00:25:56.209
to our weekly broadcast...

00:25:56.210 --> 00:25:57.249
Narrator: Maureen Taylor

00:25:57.250 --> 00:25:58.333
and Marian Kramer

00:25:58.334 --> 00:25:59.292
of Welfare Rights

00:25:59.293 --> 00:26:00.374
have been organizing against

00:26:00.375 --> 00:26:02.041
water shut offs in Detroit.

00:26:02.042 --> 00:26:03.999
They will now work closely

00:26:04.626 --> 00:26:05.998
with Vallory\'s Highland Park

00:26:05.999 --> 00:26:07.291
Coalition.

00:26:07.292 --> 00:26:08.332
We live in the Great Lakes

00:26:09.876 --> 00:26:11.666
but yet we can\'t even afford

00:26:11.667 --> 00:26:13.998
the water around us.

00:26:13.999 --> 00:26:15.501
Today water in Highland Park,

00:26:16.375 --> 00:26:17.999
today water in Detroit,

00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:19.708
tomorrow water in NY

00:26:19.709 --> 00:26:21.333
and other places.

00:26:21.334 --> 00:26:22.834
No, the water bill you get

00:26:22.999 --> 00:26:23.999
every three months.

00:26:23.999 --> 00:26:24.999
The light and gas bill

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:26.291
you get that every 30 days

00:26:26.292 --> 00:26:28.542
and on that bill it says

00:26:28.999 --> 00:26:31.041
if there\'s anything

00:26:31.042 --> 00:26:32.249
that has been paid or not.

00:26:32.250 --> 00:26:33.999
I wanted to let you know they\'re

00:26:34.999 --> 00:26:35.999
gonna turn your service on

00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:37.708
the truck\'s coming out tonight..

00:26:37.709 --> 00:26:39.250
We have to do more

00:26:40.542 --> 00:26:41.542
than praise the Lord

00:26:41.542 --> 00:26:42.417
but say praise the Lord

00:26:42.418 --> 00:26:43.541
and pass the ammunition

00:26:43.542 --> 00:26:44.666
because they got you on a list

00:26:44.667 --> 00:26:46.666
that says that you\'re not
paying...

00:26:46.667 --> 00:26:48.042
This is a fight

00:26:48.250 --> 00:26:49.541
and people don\'t see this

00:26:49.542 --> 00:26:51.124
in the context of that.

00:26:51.125 --> 00:26:52.374
They see this as:

00:26:52.375 --> 00:26:53.416
\"Oh I made a mistake\",

00:26:53.417 --> 00:26:54.998
\"I lost my job\",

00:26:54.999 --> 00:26:56.166
\"Can\'t take care of my
household\"

00:26:56.167 --> 00:26:57.416
\"Ain\'t got no water\",

00:26:57.417 --> 00:26:58.584
\"Must have picked

00:26:59.709 --> 00:27:00.709
the wrong husband,

00:27:00.709 --> 00:27:01.501
the wrong wife,

00:27:01.502 --> 00:27:03.166
the wrong neighbourhood\",

00:27:03.167 --> 00:27:04.583
\"Got the wrong occupation\",

00:27:04.584 --> 00:27:06.249
\"Made some mistakes and that

00:27:06.250 --> 00:27:08.208
is how it turned out this way\",

00:27:08.209 --> 00:27:10.541
and that is not what this is.

00:27:10.542 --> 00:27:12.501
Water should never

00:27:13.209 --> 00:27:14.791
be turned off.

00:27:14.792 --> 00:27:15.998
Utilities should never

00:27:15.999 --> 00:27:17.416
be turned off.

00:27:17.417 --> 00:27:18.751
People should not be making

00:27:18.999 --> 00:27:20.208
a profit off of the necessities

00:27:20.209 --> 00:27:22.041
of life.

00:27:22.042 --> 00:27:23.124
(applause)

00:27:23.125 --> 00:27:26.374
We got 32,000 people

00:27:26.375 --> 00:27:27.998
in the city of Detroit

00:27:27.999 --> 00:27:29.583
that don\'t have water,

00:27:29.584 --> 00:27:30.791
and it\'s not a dream.

00:27:30.792 --> 00:27:32.459
Everybody has the right

00:27:32.792 --> 00:27:34.541
to life, liberty

00:27:34.542 --> 00:27:35.917
and pursuit of happiness,

00:27:35.918 --> 00:27:37.124
That is contract law.

00:27:37.125 --> 00:27:38.626
(Clapping and piano music)

00:27:42.876 --> 00:27:46.291
Narrator: The coalition\'s

00:27:46.292 --> 00:27:47.541
organizing pays off

00:27:47.542 --> 00:27:48.999
the governor bans

00:27:49.250 --> 00:27:50.500
winter water shut offs.

00:27:50.501 --> 00:27:51.918
You have a citizen activist
group

00:27:54.250 --> 00:27:56.500
that\'s being fomented by

00:27:56.501 --> 00:27:59.998
apparently a quasi-professional

00:27:59.999 --> 00:28:03.124
activist agitator group

00:28:03.125 --> 00:28:06.041
whose chant is \"free water\".

00:28:06.042 --> 00:28:08.250
Water may be free,

00:28:09.167 --> 00:28:10.249
stand outside with a bucket

00:28:10.250 --> 00:28:11.291
when it rains.

00:28:11.292 --> 00:28:12.292
Processing and delivery

00:28:12.293 --> 00:28:13.583
cost money,

00:28:13.584 --> 00:28:14.584
and discussing free water

00:28:14.585 --> 00:28:16.291
versus not free water

00:28:16.292 --> 00:28:17.875
you are not discussing reality.

00:28:17.876 --> 00:28:18.998
There is no free,

00:28:18.999 --> 00:28:20.166
there is only who is paying.

00:28:20.167 --> 00:28:21.876
And this is our point.

00:28:22.334 --> 00:28:23.998
You know, it\'s like:

00:28:23.999 --> 00:28:24.999
\"Oh we want this free water\",

00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:26.291
we have never asked

00:28:26.292 --> 00:28:27.416
for free water

00:28:27.417 --> 00:28:28.375
in Highland Park.

00:28:28.375 --> 00:28:29.292
We want to pay

00:28:29.293 --> 00:28:30.541
for what we used,

00:28:30.542 --> 00:28:31.999
we want it to be fair,

00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:33.583
and we want justice here.

00:28:33.584 --> 00:28:35.584
Narrator: Ramona Pearson

00:28:36.167 --> 00:28:37.208
and her consultants resort to

00:28:37.209 --> 00:28:38.416
a new enforcement measure.

00:28:38.417 --> 00:28:39.999
For the first time ever

00:28:40.459 --> 00:28:41.875
they attach delinquent

00:28:41.876 --> 00:28:43.291
water bills

00:28:43.292 --> 00:28:44.250
to property tax statements.

00:28:44.251 --> 00:28:46.167
Now if citizens are unable

00:28:46.709 --> 00:28:48.791
to pay their bill,

00:28:48.792 --> 00:28:49.998
they can lose their home.

00:28:49.999 --> 00:28:51.999
It\'s probably 25% of bills

00:28:52.459 --> 00:28:54.998
that are actually being put

00:28:54.999 --> 00:28:56.998
on the property tax roles

00:28:56.999 --> 00:28:58.082
for non-payment.

00:28:58.083 --> 00:28:59.083
Of those, just amazingly

00:28:59.084 --> 00:29:01.082
a whole bunch of folks

00:29:01.083 --> 00:29:01.999
come in and pay them.

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:03.250
They complain

00:29:03.999 --> 00:29:05.166
and say rude things,

00:29:05.167 --> 00:29:07.041
but they do come in

00:29:07.042 --> 00:29:07.999
and pay them.

00:29:07.999 --> 00:29:08.999
They were not paying them

00:29:09.042 --> 00:29:10.042
because they could

00:29:10.042 --> 00:29:10.999
get away with it.

00:29:10.999 --> 00:29:11.999
Nobody was turning off the water

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.082
or putting them on

00:29:13.083 --> 00:29:13.999
property tax rolls,

00:29:13.999 --> 00:29:14.999
nobody was collecting them, gee,

00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:16.374
and then we are surprised

00:29:16.375 --> 00:29:17.501
people don\'t pay.

00:29:17.751 --> 00:29:18.911
The citizens of Highland Park

00:29:21.250 --> 00:29:22.917
are facing the possibility

00:29:22.918 --> 00:29:24.998
that our homes can be snatched.

00:29:24.999 --> 00:29:27.166
We have found out

00:29:27.167 --> 00:29:29.082
over the last few months

00:29:29.083 --> 00:29:31.249
that without due process

00:29:31.250 --> 00:29:33.500
or notification

00:29:33.501 --> 00:29:35.998
they have now transferred

00:29:35.999 --> 00:29:38.249
our water bills

00:29:38.250 --> 00:29:39.998
onto our property tax,

00:29:39.999 --> 00:29:41.416
and there is a law:

00:29:41.417 --> 00:29:42.998
if after two years

00:29:42.999 --> 00:29:44.958
you have not paid

00:29:44.959 --> 00:29:46.708
that property tax,

00:29:46.709 --> 00:29:47.791
they move to snatch that home.

00:29:47.792 --> 00:29:49.542
(moody instrumental)

00:29:49.876 --> 00:29:52.626
[music]

00:29:58.999 --> 00:30:02.042
I drive down here

00:30:02.375 --> 00:30:03.708
and I get depressed

00:30:03.709 --> 00:30:04.750
but I also get energized

00:30:04.751 --> 00:30:06.708
because I am determined to

00:30:06.709 --> 00:30:07.959
to do something about this.

00:30:08.250 --> 00:30:09.959
What is your name?

00:30:11.792 --> 00:30:12.998
-Burnet

00:30:12.999 --> 00:30:13.751
Mr. Burnet, Fred Durhal.

00:30:13.752 --> 00:30:14.999
The best way to stabilize

00:30:15.999 --> 00:30:17.208
a neighbourhood

00:30:17.209 --> 00:30:18.167
is to put some houses in here.

00:30:18.168 --> 00:30:20.208
People will buy houses

00:30:20.209 --> 00:30:21.583
once we put them in

00:30:21.584 --> 00:30:22.584
and then we can fulfill

00:30:22.585 --> 00:30:23.625
the neighbourhood,

00:30:23.626 --> 00:30:24.375
build it back up again,

00:30:24.375 --> 00:30:25.250
make it look nice,

00:30:25.250 --> 00:30:26.083
and then you\'ll have

00:30:26.084 --> 00:30:27.124
some neighbours,

00:30:27.125 --> 00:30:28.083
and you will feel more comfort

00:30:28.084 --> 00:30:29.708
and security around here.

00:30:29.709 --> 00:30:30.999
We just knocked down

00:30:32.709 --> 00:30:34.041
all twelve of these houses

00:30:34.042 --> 00:30:35.374
through a contract

00:30:35.375 --> 00:30:36.125
with the state,

00:30:36.125 --> 00:30:36.959
and then I want to get

00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:38.833
the same builders to put

00:30:38.834 --> 00:30:40.999
some houses out here.

00:30:41.999 --> 00:30:43.751
That way we do away

00:30:45.292 --> 00:30:46.791
with a devastated area,

00:30:46.792 --> 00:30:48.041
bring it back to life,

00:30:48.042 --> 00:30:49.998
and put houses on the tax roles

00:30:49.999 --> 00:30:51.917
that\'s what I am trying to do.

00:30:51.918 --> 00:30:53.999
It\'s good they are planning

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:56.541
to put something on that

00:30:56.542 --> 00:30:57.917
stretch of land

00:30:57.918 --> 00:30:58.998
but why get homes

00:30:58.999 --> 00:31:00.998
no one can afford?

00:31:00.999 --> 00:31:02.708
I think this administration

00:31:02.709 --> 00:31:04.998
now is here to destroy the city

00:31:04.999 --> 00:31:07.459
and take the little that is left

00:31:07.709 --> 00:31:11.041
before they do that.

00:31:11.042 --> 00:31:13.667
(moody instrumental)

00:31:14.209 --> 00:31:17.083
[music]

00:31:21.999 --> 00:31:25.000
This is my home on Ferron Park

00:31:25.584 --> 00:31:27.998
in Highland Park.

00:31:27.999 --> 00:31:29.876
[music]

00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:32.918
I have lived in this house

00:31:33.292 --> 00:31:34.541
for over 40 years.

00:31:34.542 --> 00:31:35.918
As you can see

00:31:37.417 --> 00:31:38.708
the house is up for sale.

00:31:38.709 --> 00:31:40.042
They hike people\'s

00:31:41.999 --> 00:31:42.999
water bills up

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:44.249
so they can\'t pay them,

00:31:44.250 --> 00:31:45.250
they attach it to your

00:31:45.251 --> 00:31:46.917
property taxes

00:31:46.918 --> 00:31:47.998
and you lose your home.

00:31:47.999 --> 00:31:50.167
They no longer want

00:31:50.792 --> 00:31:52.833
senior citizens,

00:31:52.834 --> 00:31:55.208
low-income people

00:31:55.209 --> 00:31:57.041
or grassroots people

00:31:57.042 --> 00:31:58.998
in this community.

00:31:58.999 --> 00:32:00.999
Like I said, this is the

00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:02.999
newest form of urban renewal.

00:32:03.375 --> 00:32:06.417
(moody instrumental)

00:32:07.125 --> 00:32:09.918
[music]

00:32:20.626 --> 00:32:23.999
I want you to get a copy

00:32:24.042 --> 00:32:25.999
of the Detroit News,

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:27.875
there is an article about Lazar

00:32:27.876 --> 00:32:29.500
and the $250,000 that she makes.

00:32:29.501 --> 00:32:32.250
Today\'s news? O.K.

00:32:34.083 --> 00:32:36.501
Narrator: The Detroit News

00:32:37.792 --> 00:32:38.998
publishes the six-figure
salaries

00:32:38.999 --> 00:32:40.666
Ramona Pearson\'s consultants

00:32:40.667 --> 00:32:42.583
are making in Highland Park.

00:32:42.584 --> 00:32:44.375
The paper reveals

00:32:45.375 --> 00:32:46.833
that Jan Lazar\'s salary

00:32:46.834 --> 00:32:48.041
is $100,000 more than

00:32:48.042 --> 00:32:50.458
the highest paid city manager

00:32:50.459 --> 00:32:52.333
in Michigan.

00:32:52.334 --> 00:32:53.751
We have a woman running

00:32:54.334 --> 00:32:55.666
the city of Highland Park

00:32:55.667 --> 00:32:57.333
that was not elected

00:32:57.334 --> 00:32:58.917
by the citizens.

00:32:58.918 --> 00:33:00.124
Her city manager

00:33:00.125 --> 00:33:02.208
makes more money

00:33:02.209 --> 00:33:03.833
than any mayor,

00:33:03.834 --> 00:33:04.958
any city councillor,

00:33:04.959 --> 00:33:05.998
than anybody has ever

00:33:05.999 --> 00:33:06.999
made in this city.

00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:08.249
The state pays Mrs. Pearson.

00:33:08.250 --> 00:33:09.416
Marian: but it still

00:33:09.417 --> 00:33:10.042
comes out of our pocket.

00:33:10.042 --> 00:33:10.999
We pay Mrs. Lazar because

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:13.458
she is a support person.

00:33:13.459 --> 00:33:14.791
But why do we have

00:33:14.792 --> 00:33:15.998
all these people making money

00:33:15.999 --> 00:33:17.791
off of this poor city

00:33:17.792 --> 00:33:19.708
and still without any results.

00:33:19.709 --> 00:33:21.998
(urgent instrumental)

00:33:21.999 --> 00:33:25.334
They brought in Jan Lazar,

00:33:25.626 --> 00:33:27.041
made $260,000 last year,

00:33:27.042 --> 00:33:29.998
and threats people terribly.

00:33:29.999 --> 00:33:32.209
And if Highland Park is so broke

00:33:32.999 --> 00:33:34.208
how do they afford

00:33:34.209 --> 00:33:35.209
to pay her that?

00:33:35.209 --> 00:33:35.999
By getting rid of

00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:37.208
all us employees,

00:33:37.209 --> 00:33:38.458
by running a water department

00:33:38.459 --> 00:33:40.500
with four people.

00:33:40.501 --> 00:33:42.167
[music]

00:33:42.999 --> 00:33:46.000
You could have

00:33:46.209 --> 00:33:46.999
all your workers back

00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:48.291
for the money these people

00:33:48.292 --> 00:33:49.708
took with them.

00:33:49.709 --> 00:33:51.999
\'Cause they don\'t spend it here,

00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:53.666
they take it home and spend it,

00:33:53.667 --> 00:33:55.958
and so it goes somewhere else

00:33:55.959 --> 00:33:57.958
and gets circulated.

00:33:57.959 --> 00:33:58.999
Is $250,000 a lot

00:34:00.999 --> 00:34:02.958
for top-notch consultants

00:34:02.959 --> 00:34:04.541
to come in and do legal

00:34:04.542 --> 00:34:05.791
and financial work?

00:34:05.792 --> 00:34:07.541
No, it\'s not

00:34:07.542 --> 00:34:08.666
in the commercial world,

00:34:08.667 --> 00:34:09.998
but is it a lot when

00:34:09.999 --> 00:34:10.999
the city is broke?

00:34:10.999 --> 00:34:11.999
Yes it is.

00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:13.000
Quit taking directions

00:34:13.167 --> 00:34:14.625
from everybody under the sun.

00:34:14.626 --> 00:34:15.999
Take directions from me.

00:34:16.209 --> 00:34:18.542
They were told not to come in

00:34:19.959 --> 00:34:21.708
and love the city,

00:34:21.709 --> 00:34:22.875
they were told to come in

00:34:22.876 --> 00:34:24.082
and balance the books.

00:34:24.083 --> 00:34:25.998
Ramona: it\'s costing 20,000

00:34:25.999 --> 00:34:26.999
a year...

00:34:26.999 --> 00:34:27.999
Angelo: They are taking

00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:29.249
a business approach,

00:34:29.250 --> 00:34:30.374
which is looking at numbers.

00:34:30.375 --> 00:34:31.999
I would never ask

00:34:32.417 --> 00:34:33.750
for the job that they have

00:34:33.751 --> 00:34:34.998
because it\'s a no-win situation.

00:34:34.999 --> 00:34:37.583
Either the people

00:34:37.584 --> 00:34:38.958
are going to be mad at you

00:34:38.959 --> 00:34:39.998
or the state is going

00:34:39.999 --> 00:34:41.291
to be mad at you because

00:34:41.292 --> 00:34:43.000
no one thinks you are moving
fast enough to get things fixed

00:34:43.250 --> 00:34:46.998
People have worked in this town

00:34:46.999 --> 00:34:49.041
for 30 and 35 years,

00:34:49.042 --> 00:34:51.958
and have not been paid

00:34:51.959 --> 00:34:53.124
their severance pay,

00:34:53.125 --> 00:34:54.541
and then you bring in

00:34:54.542 --> 00:34:56.041
this white racist woman

00:34:56.042 --> 00:34:58.541
and pay her over a quarter of

00:34:58.542 --> 00:35:00.500
a million dollars in one year,

00:35:00.501 --> 00:35:02.998
and think we like that?

00:35:02.999 --> 00:35:04.750
That\'s a slap in the face.

00:35:04.751 --> 00:35:06.416
I get tired of being treated

00:35:06.417 --> 00:35:07.791
on one hand like I\'m the

00:35:07.792 --> 00:35:08.958
Wicked Witch of the West,

00:35:08.959 --> 00:35:09.999
and on the other hand

00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:10.999
like I\'m a brain dead midget.

00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:12.333
Like, don\'t give me that crap.

00:35:12.334 --> 00:35:14.459
I have been called racist

00:35:14.918 --> 00:35:15.751
for everything I have done

00:35:15.751 --> 00:35:16.542
that they didn\'t like.

00:35:16.542 --> 00:35:17.375
Let me say something about that

00:35:17.376 --> 00:35:18.833
because I grew up in this city

00:35:18.834 --> 00:35:19.875
and I can tell you.

00:35:19.876 --> 00:35:20.917
There has been racism,

00:35:20.918 --> 00:35:22.333
and that is 50% of the problem.

00:35:22.334 --> 00:35:25.333
But then turning around

00:35:25.334 --> 00:35:26.833
and accusing the people

00:35:26.834 --> 00:35:27.998
who are trying to help

00:35:27.999 --> 00:35:29.458
isn\'t an improvement.

00:35:29.459 --> 00:35:30.751
I think that is just

00:35:30.999 --> 00:35:32.458
a knee-jerk reaction

00:35:32.459 --> 00:35:35.458
and it\'s emotional.

00:35:35.459 --> 00:35:37.833
Jan: we need to stroll guys.

00:35:37.834 --> 00:35:39.250
(road noise and music)

00:35:41.999 --> 00:35:45.167
Bye miss VIP.

00:35:45.375 --> 00:35:46.292
Jan: Thank you.

00:35:46.293 --> 00:35:47.584
I don\'t think that Jan was

00:35:47.959 --> 00:35:49.917
prejudiced against blacks,

00:35:49.918 --> 00:35:51.999
I believe she was just

00:35:52.209 --> 00:35:52.999
prejudiced against poor.

00:35:52.999 --> 00:35:53.999
If you were just poor

00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:55.625
she just didn\'t like you.

00:35:55.626 --> 00:35:57.042
Everybody is getting rich

00:35:57.334 --> 00:35:58.998
except for Highland Parkers.

00:35:58.999 --> 00:36:00.918
(slow jazzy experimental)

00:36:00.999 --> 00:36:03.626
[music]

00:36:05.999 --> 00:36:09.209
In the time Mrs. Pearson

00:36:09.542 --> 00:36:10.791
has been here

00:36:10.792 --> 00:36:11.792
we have not settled anything

00:36:11.793 --> 00:36:13.082
in this city.

00:36:13.083 --> 00:36:14.918
We are not going anywhere.

00:36:14.999 --> 00:36:17.041
If nothing could\'ve been solved,

00:36:17.042 --> 00:36:19.166
at least solve the major problem

00:36:19.167 --> 00:36:21.500
with the water issue

00:36:21.501 --> 00:36:22.998
and that hasn\'t been solved.

00:36:22.999 --> 00:36:24.792
(tense instrumental)

00:36:24.999 --> 00:36:27.042
[music]

00:36:28.667 --> 00:36:31.999
Narrator: Welfare Rights and the

00:36:32.167 --> 00:36:33.708
Highland Park Coalition take

00:36:33.709 --> 00:36:34.998
matters into their own hands.

00:36:34.999 --> 00:36:36.999
They have already developed

00:36:37.167 --> 00:36:38.625
a water affordability plan

00:36:38.626 --> 00:36:39.999
for Detroit

00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:41.000
and now, in consultation

00:36:41.542 --> 00:36:42.998
with a utilities expert,

00:36:42.999 --> 00:36:44.541
they adapt it to Highland Park.

00:36:44.542 --> 00:36:46.542
We\'ve put together a plan called

00:36:47.417 --> 00:36:49.917
the Water Affordability Plan,

00:36:49.918 --> 00:36:51.998
that details how

00:36:51.999 --> 00:36:53.998
everybody in Detroit,

00:36:53.999 --> 00:36:55.998
Highland Park,

00:36:55.999 --> 00:36:57.333
and the surrounding areas,

00:36:57.334 --> 00:36:58.998
can pay water and not be

00:36:58.999 --> 00:37:01.333
economically disadvantaged.

00:37:01.334 --> 00:37:03.501
Narrator: Two key components

00:37:03.959 --> 00:37:04.998
of the plan

00:37:04.999 --> 00:37:05.751
include a fixed monthly rate

00:37:05.752 --> 00:37:07.458
of $40 per household

00:37:07.459 --> 00:37:09.166
and community participation

00:37:09.167 --> 00:37:10.998
in decisions regarding

00:37:10.999 --> 00:37:12.249
the water plant.

00:37:12.250 --> 00:37:13.291
We are in hopes that

00:37:13.292 --> 00:37:14.998
the financial manager

00:37:14.999 --> 00:37:16.999
will take a look at it

00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:18.541
and put it into effect.

00:37:18.542 --> 00:37:20.167
It would benefit them

00:37:20.999 --> 00:37:22.124
and we wouldn\'t have to look at

00:37:22.125 --> 00:37:23.583
people being shut off

00:37:23.584 --> 00:37:24.998
from the water system

00:37:24.999 --> 00:37:26.833
or losing their homes because of

00:37:26.834 --> 00:37:28.291
their water bills going onto

00:37:28.292 --> 00:37:29.958
their tax role.

00:37:29.959 --> 00:37:31.199
Radio: This Water Affordability

00:37:31.751 --> 00:37:32.875
Plan is something

00:37:32.876 --> 00:37:34.333
that could be implemented

00:37:34.334 --> 00:37:35.998
throughout Michigan.

00:37:35.999 --> 00:37:37.166
Highland Parkers

00:37:37.167 --> 00:37:38.374
it will affect you,

00:37:38.375 --> 00:37:39.542
so call 224-4545,

00:37:40.999 --> 00:37:44.291
ring those phones,

00:37:44.292 --> 00:37:46.166
ring those bells,

00:37:46.167 --> 00:37:47.998
and let them know...

00:37:47.999 --> 00:37:49.998
Ramona Pearson took the plan

00:37:49.999 --> 00:37:52.998
although we got copies of it,

00:37:52.999 --> 00:37:55.082
and said she would make

00:37:55.083 --> 00:37:56.208
comments on it, and that she

00:37:56.209 --> 00:37:57.291
would take it to the loan board

00:37:57.292 --> 00:37:58.541
and all that stuff.

00:37:58.542 --> 00:37:59.918
She never came back

00:38:00.999 --> 00:38:01.999
with an answer.

00:38:01.999 --> 00:38:02.999
It never made it back to us.

00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:04.751
They don\'t want no input

00:38:04.999 --> 00:38:06.416
from the public,

00:38:06.417 --> 00:38:07.458
the only thing they want

00:38:07.459 --> 00:38:08.998
the public to do

00:38:08.999 --> 00:38:09.959
is rubber stamp everything

00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:11.082
they are doing.

00:38:11.083 --> 00:38:12.250
(fast instrumental)

00:38:12.501 --> 00:38:14.792
[music]

00:38:18.999 --> 00:38:22.292
Narrator: Ramona Pearson

00:38:22.626 --> 00:38:23.542
and her consultants

00:38:23.543 --> 00:38:24.708
have been moving forward

00:38:24.709 --> 00:38:25.998
on their own plan.

00:38:25.999 --> 00:38:26.999
Ramona: I think

00:38:26.999 --> 00:38:27.999
that the water plant

00:38:27.999 --> 00:38:28.999
is a source of revenue

00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:30.124
for this city.

00:38:30.125 --> 00:38:31.459
The reality is we can\'t

00:38:32.375 --> 00:38:34.998
just let it sit there

00:38:34.999 --> 00:38:36.417
at 25% of capacity.

00:38:36.999 --> 00:38:40.209
And do nothing to use

00:38:40.459 --> 00:38:42.416
the excess capacity

00:38:42.417 --> 00:38:44.083
to make revenue.

00:38:44.751 --> 00:38:46.999
We should be selling

00:38:47.501 --> 00:38:48.791
Highland Park bottled water,

00:38:48.792 --> 00:38:50.041
(laughter)

00:38:50.042 --> 00:38:51.458
since water is such a

00:38:51.459 --> 00:38:52.708
big commodity in this country

00:38:52.709 --> 00:38:54.124
and it\'s gonna be the strategic

00:38:54.125 --> 00:38:56.374
thing coming in the next

00:38:56.375 --> 00:38:57.999
few years.

00:38:58.000 --> 00:38:59.791
(fast electronic music)

00:38:59.792 --> 00:39:02.542
Somebody is going be hired

00:39:02.709 --> 00:39:04.500
on a contractual basis

00:39:04.501 --> 00:39:05.998
to run the water department.

00:39:05.999 --> 00:39:07.666
That means they are going to

00:39:07.667 --> 00:39:08.998
run the water plant,

00:39:08.999 --> 00:39:10.124
they are going to run the

00:39:10.125 --> 00:39:11.625
maintenance of the water lines.

00:39:11.626 --> 00:39:13.666
They basically are going to

00:39:13.667 --> 00:39:14.998
take over all of the operations

00:39:14.999 --> 00:39:16.875
of the water system

00:39:16.876 --> 00:39:17.834
which means they are going to

00:39:17.835 --> 00:39:18.998
take over all the employees too.

00:39:18.999 --> 00:39:20.751
(machines humming)

00:39:21.584 --> 00:39:24.999
(squeaky equipment)

00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:35.000
(squeaky equipment)

00:39:36.999 --> 00:39:40.250
I don\'t think any small city

00:39:40.584 --> 00:39:42.374
should do it

00:39:42.375 --> 00:39:44.041
because it is not

00:39:44.042 --> 00:39:45.791
in their best interest.

00:39:45.792 --> 00:39:46.998
(bubbles, beep)

00:39:46.999 --> 00:39:48.291
You don\'t want anybody running

00:39:48.292 --> 00:39:49.998
your water department

00:39:49.999 --> 00:39:50.999
that is coming from the outside.

00:39:51.000 --> 00:39:53.125
You don\'t want any big company

00:39:53.999 --> 00:39:55.791
because you know they\'re going

00:39:55.792 --> 00:39:56.998
to take shortcuts.

00:39:56.999 --> 00:39:57.834
They are not going to do

00:39:57.835 --> 00:39:58.999
all the things we did.

00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:00.584
(sound of water)

00:40:01.959 --> 00:40:05.125
I don\'t want to train somebody

00:40:05.459 --> 00:40:06.917
to do something

00:40:06.918 --> 00:40:08.417
and then they take my job.

00:40:08.667 --> 00:40:11.542
I have trained quite

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:13.374
a few people here,

00:40:13.375 --> 00:40:14.541
but I am not training someone

00:40:14.542 --> 00:40:16.998
to take my job.

00:40:16.999 --> 00:40:18.918
(machine humming, water)

00:40:19.959 --> 00:40:23.291
If a private company

00:40:23.292 --> 00:40:25.166
can make money,

00:40:25.167 --> 00:40:27.583
why can\'t the city run it

00:40:27.584 --> 00:40:30.541
the right way and make money.

00:40:30.542 --> 00:40:32.958
We can\'t do it here because we

00:40:32.959 --> 00:40:34.041
don\'t have the money

00:40:34.042 --> 00:40:35.042
to fix the plant.

00:40:35.043 --> 00:40:36.166
We can\'t do it here because

00:40:36.167 --> 00:40:37.833
we don\'t have the money,

00:40:37.834 --> 00:40:39.124
the horses or other resources

00:40:39.125 --> 00:40:40.998
to go out and find water users.

00:40:40.999 --> 00:40:42.667
Narrator: The community

00:40:43.999 --> 00:40:44.999
discovers that Ramona Pearson

00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:46.998
has begun negotiations with

00:40:46.999 --> 00:40:48.708
a private investment company

00:40:48.709 --> 00:40:50.208
to run the water plant.

00:40:50.209 --> 00:40:52.125
(uplifting instrumental)

00:40:52.292 --> 00:40:55.626
Maureen: We have already

00:40:55.876 --> 00:40:56.998
had one meeting

00:40:56.999 --> 00:40:58.041
because the jewel

00:40:58.042 --> 00:40:59.998
is about to be sold.

00:40:59.999 --> 00:41:01.458
So now its up to

00:41:01.459 --> 00:41:02.625
the people in the city

00:41:02.626 --> 00:41:03.998
to figure out if we can

00:41:03.999 --> 00:41:05.333
come together and organize

00:41:05.334 --> 00:41:08.998
on the basis of what\'s best

00:41:08.999 --> 00:41:10.917
for the entire community.

00:41:10.918 --> 00:41:12.999
The folks in Highland Park,

00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:15.249
in Detroit,

00:41:15.250 --> 00:41:16.998
in the state of Michigan,

00:41:16.999 --> 00:41:18.500
in this country,

00:41:18.501 --> 00:41:19.791
are going to have to

00:41:19.792 --> 00:41:20.626
make up their mind

00:41:20.627 --> 00:41:21.666
and say: \"this country belongs

00:41:21.667 --> 00:41:22.999
to us or it doesn\'t.\"

00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:24.875
(music, activists chanting)

00:41:24.876 --> 00:41:27.875
This is a first step into

00:41:27.876 --> 00:41:29.291
privatizing our water.

00:41:29.292 --> 00:41:30.917
In the Great Lakes we have some

00:41:30.918 --> 00:41:32.333
of the best water in the world.

00:41:32.334 --> 00:41:34.042
We are not going to sit down

00:41:34.667 --> 00:41:36.082
and just let them snatch that
water

00:41:36.083 --> 00:41:37.998
away from us.

00:41:37.999 --> 00:41:39.208
They are trying not to

00:41:39.209 --> 00:41:40.958
use the word \"privatize\",

00:41:40.959 --> 00:41:42.583
they are using \"manage\".

00:41:42.584 --> 00:41:45.082
They would get 90%,

00:41:45.083 --> 00:41:46.750
Highland Park would get 10%.

00:41:46.751 --> 00:41:49.167
Does that sound like someone

00:41:50.334 --> 00:41:52.458
is managing your system?

00:41:52.459 --> 00:41:53.999
No it isn\'t.

00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:55.918
When you are here in

00:41:56.999 --> 00:41:57.999
the lion\'s mouth with its jaws

00:41:58.000 --> 00:41:59.998
closing down on you,

00:41:59.999 --> 00:42:01.583
you have to make decisions

00:42:01.584 --> 00:42:02.998
to make sure you survive.

00:42:02.999 --> 00:42:04.333
(background activist chants)

00:42:04.334 --> 00:42:07.249
I resent people coming

00:42:07.250 --> 00:42:09.998
into this city and making

00:42:09.999 --> 00:42:11.583
decisions about people

00:42:11.584 --> 00:42:12.998
that have lived here

00:42:12.999 --> 00:42:14.082
all their lives.

00:42:14.083 --> 00:42:14.999
(siren, honking)

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:17.291
I am tired of saying:

00:42:17.292 --> 00:42:18.500
\"This is the problem\".

00:42:18.501 --> 00:42:20.998
We know what the problem is,

00:42:20.999 --> 00:42:22.998
it\'s time to march.

00:42:22.999 --> 00:42:24.998
(activist chants)

00:42:24.999 --> 00:42:28.541
This water issue is so profound,

00:42:28.542 --> 00:42:31.958
I had no idea we would be

00:42:31.959 --> 00:42:33.998
engaged in this horrific fight

00:42:33.999 --> 00:42:36.998
to have water recognized

00:42:36.999 --> 00:42:38.834
as a human right.

00:42:38.999 --> 00:42:40.199
Marian: We are here to protect

00:42:42.667 --> 00:42:43.875
our water and our community.

00:42:43.876 --> 00:42:45.416
That is what we is all about.

00:42:45.417 --> 00:42:47.167
Give Highland Park back

00:42:47.999 --> 00:42:49.291
to the Highland Parkers

00:42:49.292 --> 00:42:50.416
and let us run our own city,

00:42:50.417 --> 00:42:52.249
and stop this nonsense

00:42:52.250 --> 00:42:54.458
of privatizing our water.

00:42:54.459 --> 00:42:56.000
We are not going to support it.

00:42:56.999 --> 00:42:58.667
Sorry ma\'am, you can\'t come in.

00:43:00.417 --> 00:43:01.791
(Vallory laughs)

00:43:01.792 --> 00:43:03.583
Vallory: I know they

00:43:03.584 --> 00:43:04.917
don\'t want me here.

00:43:04.918 --> 00:43:06.082
Narrator: Vallory arrives at

00:43:06.083 --> 00:43:07.791
the city council meeting

00:43:07.792 --> 00:43:09.333
for the vote on the

00:43:09.334 --> 00:43:10.666
privatization proposal.

00:43:10.667 --> 00:43:12.082
(crowd)

00:43:12.083 --> 00:43:14.334
This is the only proposal

00:43:14.542 --> 00:43:15.998
presented to us

00:43:15.999 --> 00:43:17.751
that made any sense whatsoever.

00:43:17.918 --> 00:43:20.542
It\'s either going to work

00:43:21.334 --> 00:43:22.500
or not gonna work.

00:43:22.501 --> 00:43:23.541
If it doesn\'t work we are

00:43:23.542 --> 00:43:24.998
right back where we are.

00:43:24.999 --> 00:43:26.417
Narrator: Investor Joseph Wright

00:43:27.959 --> 00:43:29.291
presents his proposal

00:43:29.292 --> 00:43:30.958
for the water department.

00:43:30.959 --> 00:43:32.666
Good evening.

00:43:32.667 --> 00:43:33.708
It\'s my pleasure to be here.

00:43:33.709 --> 00:43:35.167
We are taking a tremendous risk.

00:43:35.501 --> 00:43:38.998
Can we sell external water?

00:43:38.999 --> 00:43:41.999
In order for that to happen,

00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:44.124
this honorable council here

00:43:44.125 --> 00:43:45.875
would have to agree upon it.

00:43:45.876 --> 00:43:48.082
They will set the price, not us.

00:43:48.083 --> 00:43:50.041
We are providing a service,

00:43:50.042 --> 00:43:51.999
we are not making

00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:52.999
those kind of decisions.

00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:54.041
It\'s my understanding that you

00:43:54.042 --> 00:43:55.998
are going to either pipe water

00:43:55.999 --> 00:43:56.999
to another community

00:43:57.000 --> 00:43:58.041
or bottle water

00:43:58.042 --> 00:43:59.249
and you tell me you don\'t have

00:43:59.250 --> 00:44:00.750
to do any changes to do this.

00:44:00.751 --> 00:44:02.167
Basically no,

00:44:02.999 --> 00:44:03.999
the system structurally will

00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:05.917
continue to work

00:44:05.918 --> 00:44:06.998
the way it is working.

00:44:06.999 --> 00:44:07.999
When you provide

00:44:08.417 --> 00:44:09.917
your references to us,

00:44:09.918 --> 00:44:11.459
will it indicate anywhere

00:44:12.292 --> 00:44:15.958
where you had successful

00:44:15.959 --> 00:44:18.998
operation of running

00:44:18.999 --> 00:44:20.791
a water plant?

00:44:20.792 --> 00:44:21.998
To be very clear to you,

00:44:21.999 --> 00:44:24.999
we have not ran a water plant

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:27.833
like this anywhere...

00:44:27.834 --> 00:44:29.500
Audience: you ain\'t coming

00:44:29.501 --> 00:44:31.124
here with this!

00:44:31.125 --> 00:44:32.876
I have gotten a lot of folks

00:44:33.167 --> 00:44:34.791
to call me in support

00:44:34.792 --> 00:44:35.958
of the proposal.

00:44:35.959 --> 00:44:37.199
We have folks that need relief.

00:44:38.209 --> 00:44:41.000
We have an opportunity to

00:44:41.876 --> 00:44:43.458
make money with this system.

00:44:43.459 --> 00:44:44.998
We have an opportunity

00:44:44.999 --> 00:44:46.208
to get some reconciliation

00:44:46.209 --> 00:44:47.998
for folks who owe money

00:44:47.999 --> 00:44:48.999
on their bills.

00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:50.200
We have an opportunity to have

00:44:50.626 --> 00:44:51.999
a regular payment process

00:44:52.000 --> 00:44:53.917
and to hold this company

00:44:53.918 --> 00:44:55.625
accountable for what they say

00:44:55.626 --> 00:44:57.833
they are or are not going to do.

00:44:57.834 --> 00:45:00.374
Now the bottom line is-

00:45:00.375 --> 00:45:01.083
You always talking that bull

00:45:01.084 --> 00:45:02.249
you should have been talking

00:45:02.250 --> 00:45:03.167
to us years ago.

00:45:03.167 --> 00:45:04.167
You are not getting any relief,

00:45:04.168 --> 00:45:05.998
you talk a game

00:45:05.999 --> 00:45:07.041
but you didn\'t come

00:45:07.042 --> 00:45:07.999
with a proposal...

00:45:07.999 --> 00:45:08.834
We did come up with one,

00:45:08.835 --> 00:45:10.291
he has it in his pack!

00:45:10.292 --> 00:45:12.082
Nobody wanted to listen

00:45:12.083 --> 00:45:13.998
to what we had to say.

00:45:13.999 --> 00:45:15.917
(audience applauds loudly)

00:45:15.918 --> 00:45:18.833
Vallory: Don\'t lie,

00:45:18.834 --> 00:45:20.208
do not lie!

00:45:20.209 --> 00:45:21.998
(audience applauding)

00:45:21.999 --> 00:45:23.998
I think the notion of a

00:45:23.999 --> 00:45:25.416
management company coming in,

00:45:25.417 --> 00:45:27.249
I find it very appealing,

00:45:27.250 --> 00:45:29.291
and it could work.

00:45:29.292 --> 00:45:30.999
But what won\'t work is what

00:45:31.000 --> 00:45:32.958
you have given me tonight.

00:45:32.959 --> 00:45:34.751
(audience applauds loudly)

00:45:34.999 --> 00:45:38.333
There is no way

00:45:38.334 --> 00:45:39.708
she could pass this...

00:45:39.709 --> 00:45:41.208
Narrator: The council now votes.

00:45:41.209 --> 00:45:42.998
Councilwoman Lewis?

00:45:42.999 --> 00:45:44.082
No.

00:45:44.083 --> 00:45:45.666
Councilman Ross?

00:45:45.667 --> 00:45:46.584
Yes.

00:45:46.584 --> 00:45:47.459
Council Protiem Thompson?

00:45:47.460 --> 00:45:49.082
No.

00:45:49.083 --> 00:45:50.998
Councilman Gab?

00:45:50.999 --> 00:45:51.999
No.

00:45:52.000 --> 00:45:53.041
President?

00:45:53.042 --> 00:45:54.000
No.

00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:55.000
(laud applause, cheering)

00:46:03.876 --> 00:46:07.291
Vallory: Thanks Norma.

00:46:07.292 --> 00:46:09.750
Norma: Do the right thing

00:46:09.751 --> 00:46:10.667
that\'s all.

00:46:10.667 --> 00:46:11.501
Good job.

00:46:11.502 --> 00:46:12.998
Vallory: Thank you.

00:46:12.999 --> 00:46:15.125
(upbeat instrumental)

00:46:15.792 --> 00:46:18.334
[music]

00:46:20.999 --> 00:46:24.333
Jan: I was showing Fred

00:46:24.334 --> 00:46:25.416
the thing about...

00:46:25.417 --> 00:46:26.417
Narrator: Ramona Pearson

00:46:26.667 --> 00:46:27.875
receives a notice from the state

00:46:27.876 --> 00:46:29.082
regarding the high salaries

00:46:29.083 --> 00:46:30.875
of her consultants.

00:46:30.876 --> 00:46:31.999
They have cost the city

00:46:32.292 --> 00:46:33.500
more than a million dollars

00:46:33.501 --> 00:46:34.875
over a four-year period.

00:46:34.876 --> 00:46:36.459
Senator Scott says:

00:46:37.999 --> 00:46:39.998
\"I am concerned that we are

00:46:39.999 --> 00:46:40.999
spending a lot of money

00:46:41.000 --> 00:46:42.124
on consultants,\"

00:46:42.125 --> 00:46:43.125
\"we are going into our

00:46:43.959 --> 00:46:44.751
fourth year and paying

00:46:44.751 --> 00:46:45.459
people too much for

00:46:45.460 --> 00:46:46.917
a city of 16,000.\"

00:46:46.918 --> 00:46:48.334
Senator Scott should take

00:46:49.667 --> 00:46:51.875
a poll of qualified people

00:46:51.876 --> 00:46:53.998
outside of the city

00:46:53.999 --> 00:46:54.999
of Highland Park

00:46:54.999 --> 00:46:55.999
to find out how many of them

00:46:56.000 --> 00:46:57.917
won\'t come into Highland Park.

00:46:57.918 --> 00:46:59.667
Ramona: I wish we had

00:47:00.876 --> 00:47:02.167
that one nailed down...

00:47:03.375 --> 00:47:06.998
Narrator: The governor asks

00:47:06.999 --> 00:47:07.999
Ramona Pearson to resign

00:47:08.000 --> 00:47:09.791
and she and her consultants

00:47:09.792 --> 00:47:11.541
leave Highland Park.

00:47:11.542 --> 00:47:13.167
(slow instrumental)

00:47:13.334 --> 00:47:15.792
[music]

00:47:19.501 --> 00:47:22.998
(uplifting guitar)

00:47:22.999 --> 00:47:24.625
They left and we\'re still not on

00:47:24.626 --> 00:47:27.541
a good financial footing yet,

00:47:27.542 --> 00:47:29.458
it just has not happened.

00:47:29.459 --> 00:47:31.374
There was a lot of money

00:47:31.375 --> 00:47:33.791
going out but that money

00:47:33.792 --> 00:47:35.998
was not going out to pay

00:47:35.999 --> 00:47:38.708
the bills that needed to be paid

00:47:38.709 --> 00:47:40.708
for the city of Highland Park.

00:47:40.709 --> 00:47:41.998
It was going into their pocket

00:47:41.999 --> 00:47:43.374
to pay their salaries,

00:47:43.375 --> 00:47:44.875
no doubt about it.

00:47:44.876 --> 00:47:46.374
(slow instrumental)

00:47:46.375 --> 00:47:48.876
[music]

00:47:48.999 --> 00:47:52.374
Vallory: I never sold

00:47:52.375 --> 00:47:53.167
this house at all...

00:47:53.168 --> 00:47:54.458
[music]

00:47:54.459 --> 00:47:56.249
Everything does happen

00:47:56.250 --> 00:47:57.374
for a reason

00:47:57.375 --> 00:47:58.458
and there was a reason

00:47:58.459 --> 00:47:59.875
this house did not sell:

00:47:59.876 --> 00:48:01.250
so that I had somewhere to

00:48:01.876 --> 00:48:03.625
spend the rest of my life.

00:48:03.626 --> 00:48:05.125
(quiet instrumental)

00:48:05.751 --> 00:48:09.249
The person that is supposedly

00:48:09.250 --> 00:48:12.291
to replace Pearson

00:48:12.292 --> 00:48:14.041
was raised in Highland Park.

00:48:14.042 --> 00:48:16.416
His mom and dad still live

00:48:16.417 --> 00:48:17.998
here in this city,

00:48:17.999 --> 00:48:19.416
I hope that means something.

00:48:19.417 --> 00:48:21.291
That he will look out after us

00:48:21.292 --> 00:48:24.166
and that he will do the best

00:48:24.167 --> 00:48:26.998
that he can do for this city.

00:48:26.999 --> 00:48:28.751
And if he doesn\'t do right

00:48:29.667 --> 00:48:31.541
I will be on the picket line

00:48:31.542 --> 00:48:33.291
with my sign with him too.

00:48:33.292 --> 00:48:34.999
(medium instrumental)

00:48:35.042 --> 00:48:37.667
[music]

00:48:46.125 --> 00:48:49.501
Gloria: Anyone that knows

00:48:49.792 --> 00:48:50.875
about water knows that probably

00:48:50.876 --> 00:48:52.998
in the next 5-10 years

00:48:52.999 --> 00:48:54.374
it will be like gold.

00:48:54.375 --> 00:48:55.999
Anyone that has a water plant

00:48:56.999 --> 00:48:58.625
is going to have some gold.

00:48:58.626 --> 00:49:00.124
Why would you want to give

00:49:00.125 --> 00:49:02.374
your personal gold away?

00:49:02.375 --> 00:49:05.125
The fight in Highland Park

00:49:06.042 --> 00:49:07.541
is also the fight in Detroit.

00:49:07.542 --> 00:49:09.500
The fight in Highland Park

00:49:09.501 --> 00:49:10.917
is the fight in Hamtramock,

00:49:10.918 --> 00:49:11.998
in Benton Harbor,

00:49:11.999 --> 00:49:13.082
in Flint,

00:49:13.083 --> 00:49:15.998
in Johannesburg, South Africa,
in China, and all the places

00:49:15.999 --> 00:49:17.166
when it comes to

00:49:17.167 --> 00:49:18.374
the question of water.

00:49:18.375 --> 00:49:19.833
It becomes a global problem.

00:49:19.834 --> 00:49:22.167
Vallory: The only thing I think

00:49:22.751 --> 00:49:23.667
people can do

00:49:23.668 --> 00:49:24.791
is to band together.

00:49:24.792 --> 00:49:25.999
They are going to have to

00:49:26.667 --> 00:49:27.708
do that around water.

00:49:27.709 --> 00:49:28.751
Maybe they don\'t think so

00:49:29.417 --> 00:49:30.583
but they are

00:49:30.584 --> 00:49:31.875
and people need to pay

00:49:31.876 --> 00:49:33.708
attention and wake up.

00:49:33.709 --> 00:49:35.584
(slow instrumental)

00:49:35.959 --> 00:49:38.792
[music]

00:49:44.083 --> 00:49:49.083
[music]

00:50:01.959 --> 00:50:05.250
♪ Mr. Waterman, Mr.
Waterman

00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:08.834
[ ♪ ]Please don\'t turn my

00:50:10.626 --> 00:50:12.458
water off today...

00:50:12.459 --> 00:50:15.998
(blues voice, guitar)

00:50:15.999 --> 00:50:18.334
♪ Mr. Waterman, Mr.
Waterman

00:50:18.959 --> 00:50:21.998
[music]

00:50:21.999 --> 00:50:23.998
♪ Please don\'t turn my

00:50:23.999 --> 00:50:25.791
water off today...

00:50:25.792 --> 00:50:28.458
(faster pace)

00:50:28.459 --> 00:50:30.918
[music]

00:50:35.999 --> 00:50:40.999
[music]