City wants tax hike to pay for a lawsuit settlement (1 Viewer)

[Foosball God]

Cop beats man. Man sues city and wins 1.4 million settlement. City wants to raise taxes to pay for it.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2015/06/02/inkster-residents-face-tax-hike-beating-settlement/28339017/

Inkster residents face tax hike in beating settlement

Mark Hicks, The Detroit News 12:50 a.m. EDT June 2, 2015

The city of Inkster is seeking a one-time tax hike this summer from residents to help pay for a million-dollar settlement with a motorist filmed being beaten by a police officer during a traffic stop.

The July 1 tax bill levies 6.45 mills, city treasurer Mark Stuhldreher said Monday. For a resident who has property with a $40,000 market value, that means roughly $130 more, he said.

Mayor Hilliard Hampton said the city needed to generate enough for the nearly $1.4 million settlement with Floyd Dent, who sued the city over the videotaped beating.

Inkster's liability insurance policy allows only for payouts above $2 million, Stuhldreher said.

Although the city has a surplus and is out of debt, a consent agreement it has operated under for several years restricts tapping the general fund to finalize such settlements, Hampton said. "Our options are limited."

The higher tax is due by Aug. 31, Stuhldreher said. Citing the city's average delinquency rate, he expected 70 percent to be paid through February before delinquent taxes are turned over to the county, with the rest by late June 2016.

The tax hike is the latest fallout from the January beating incident.

Last week, a judge ordered the former police officer captured on video striking Dent to stand trial on charges of misconduct in office and assault with intent to do great bodily harm. Judge Sabrina Johnson also allowed the prosecution's request for an additional charge of assault by strangulation: a 10-year felony.

Dent was the lone witness called during former Officer William Melendez's preliminary examination.

Melendez, who faces arraignment in Wayne County Circuit Court next week, was fired from the Inkster Police Department in April. Two other officers were suspended up to 30 days for their roles in the incident.

Vicki Yost, the city's police chief at the time of the beating, resigned days after Melendez was charged. Joe Thomas was named Inkster's interim police chief last month.

 

[Zow]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

 

[Foosball God]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

 

[jonessed]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Red light cameras.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

Or make them sell donuts door to door.

 

[Foosball God]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

Or make them sell donuts door to door.

Who doesn't love donuts right?

 

[msommer]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

Or make them sell donuts door to door.

Who doesn't love donuts right?

Imagine the crime wave that will happen while they a doing that, though

 

[Guest]

Cop beats man. Man sues city and wins 1.4 million settlement. City wants to raise taxes to pay for it.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2015/06/02/inkster-residents-face-tax-hike-beating-settlement/28339017/

Inkster's liability insurance policy allows only for payouts above $2 million, Stuhldreher said.

Looks like the plaintiff should have asked for more.

 

[mquinnjr]

To me, this is like airlines charging to use pillows. Of course it's going to enrage me. Just bake it into the cost of the flight (e.g., a normal tax hike, real estate tax assessment, etc.) and don't make me swipe my CC on the flight if I want a pillow. People would be none the wiser.

 

[Rayderr]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

Or make them sell donuts door to door.

"Here's your dozen donuts, maam."

"Hey! There's only 3 donuts in here!"

"Oh. uh... *BURP* The other 9 must've been stolen."

 

[matttyl]

Cop beats man. Man sues city and wins 1.4 million settlement. City wants to raise taxes to pay for it.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2015/06/02/inkster-residents-face-tax-hike-beating-settlement/28339017/

Inkster's liability insurance policy allows only for payouts above $2 million, Stuhldreher said.

Looks like the plaintiff should have asked for more.

Or the defendant should have had a policy with a lower deductible. Why is that now the resident's problem?

 

[dhockster]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

Or make them sell donuts door to door.

"Here's your dozen donuts, maam."

"Hey! There's only 3 donuts in here!"

"Oh. uh... *BURP* The other 9 must've been stolen."

I was going to post "Cops selling donuts? I think they might eat into the profits" but you basically beat me to it. Good Job.

 

[Brony]

"Buy a dozen donuts, get a free cheap pillow. " This will please everyone, esp. Mjquinnr

 

[spreagle]

It is interesting that Inksters population is 75% black and they will be voting (I assume there will be a vote) for a tax hike on themselves to pay for the big winner of the legal lottery.

 

[NCCommish]

It is interesting that Inksters population is 75% black and they will be voting (I assume there will be a vote) for a tax hike on themselves to pay for the big winner of the legal lottery.

Yeah I don't consider being beaten by a cop a lottery win personally.

 

[Zow]

It is interesting that Inksters population is 75% black and they will be voting (I assume there will be a vote) for a tax hike on themselves to pay for the big winner of the legal lottery.

 

[Cjw_55106]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

When has any government entity done that?

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

It is interesting that Inksters population is 75% black and they will be voting (I assume there will be a vote) for a tax hike on themselves to pay for the big winner of the legal lottery.

Yeah I don't consider being beaten by a cop a lottery win personally.

I do. I like to antagonize them by flipping them the bird. I do this from an area I know to be just off security camera view at a public venue. When they approach I start blowing them kisses and make B.J. gestures. I then step into the camera's field of view and hope for the best.

 

[Foosball God]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

When has any government entity done that?

Exactly. Instead lets just raise taxes!!! Bastards.

 

[Annyong]

To me, this is like airlines charging to use pillows. Of course it's going to enrage me. Just bake it into the cost of the flight (e.g., a normal tax hike, real estate tax assessment, etc.) and don't make me swipe my CC on the flight if I want a pillow. People would be none the wiser.

With all these air fare sites, hey need to advertise the cheapest rates to get people on their planes.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

This is a great idea.

Unfortunately the cops have a union, while the tax payers don't.

If the city does something the cops' union doesn't like, they will go on strike. If the tax payers decide to "go on strike" by doing something like, say, refusing to pay taxes, they will be arrested. By the same cops who have a union that protects them and their salaries...even when they savagely beat citizens for no reason.

America, Land of the Free

 

[Thorn]

*make do

 

[MikeMan]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

This is a great idea.

Unfortunately the cops have a union, while the tax payers don't.

If the city does something the cops' union doesn't like, they will go on strike. If the tax payers decide to "go on strike" by doing something like, say, refusing to pay taxes, they will be arrested. By the same cops who have a union that protects them and their salaries...even when they savagely beat citizens for no reason.

America, Land of the Free

Uh - NO!

"Melendez, who faces arraignment in Wayne County Circuit Court next week, was fired from the Inkster Police Department in April. Two other officers were suspended up to 30 days for their roles in the incident."

No different than anything else. Companies get sued and they incorporate all their expenses in their prices. You are paying for the proverbial lady that sues McDonald's due to the coffee being too hot.

The Union protects them from stupid ideas like everyone not involved getting a pay cut.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

When has any government entity done that?

Sure, it is uncommon, but it is a legitimate alternative to suggest and obviously should have been (or was) on the table for this city.

 

[Vanilla Guerrilla]

Have police department crack down on selling loosies on the sidewalk. Increased tax revenue.

I thought governments had a cap on what they could get sued for. Do police departments not fall under that umbrella?

 

[Foosball God]

Maybe they could sell some of the drugs in the evidence locker?

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

The Union protects them from stupid ideas like everyone not involved getting a pay cut.

If cops policed themselves rather than protecting even the worst of their "brother officers" at all costs, there would be a lot fewer incidents of misconduct, fewer innocent citizens beaten, fewer unarmed people shot and fewer dogs killed for no reason at all.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

It is interesting that Inksters population is 75% black and they will be voting (I assume there will be a vote) for a tax hike on themselves to pay for the big winner of the legal lottery.

Yeah I don't consider being beaten by a cop a lottery win personally.

I'd happily take a beating like that for $100k. ####, I'd take that weekly.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Maybe they could sell some of the drugs in the evidence locker?

But then there would be less they could take home to their wives.

 

[pollardsvision]

How else do you think cities get money to pay for things?

That said, my city would just jack up fines even higher for traffic and misdemeanors

Make due with less. The whole police department takes a one time pay cut. Not gouge citizens to pay for a felonious officer.

While I have no idea what the solution to this particular problem is, I'm sure it's not that. When a department just had an officer make a colossal ####up, I don't imagine budget cuts will help. You'll end up with poorer quality officers, whether from inability to attract good people, train them properly, or keep them from being overworked.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Maybe they could sell some of the drugs in the evidence locker?

I like the way you think.

 

[pollardsvision]

Maybe they could sell some of the drugs in the evidence locker?

I like the way you think.

And if you bust'em quick, you could sell the drugs over and over and over and over...

 

[Rayderr]

Seems to me the offending officer should pay at least some if not all of the settlement.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Seems to me the offending officer should pay at least some if not all of the settlement.

You mean the now unemployed guy who probably has two years of junior college?

 

[Rayderr]

Seems to me the offending officer should pay at least some if not all of the settlement.

You mean the now unemployed guy who probably has two years of junior college?

Yup. People have been successfully sued for more money than they have or will ever make before. If they guy has to sell his home and car and rent out a room and take the bus to his job at McDonalds where part of his salary is docked to cover the settlement, then tough #### for him. Shouldn't have beaten the guy.