Award-winning journalist, John Pilger, investigates the realities of globalization…
The Water Front
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
What if you lived by the largest body of fresh water in the world but could no longer afford to use it?
With a shrinking population, the post-industrial city of Highland Park, Michigan is on the verge of financial collapse. The state of Michigan has appointed an Emergency Financial Manager who sees the water plant as key to economic recovery. She has raised water rates and has implemented severe measures to collect on bills. As a result, Highland Park residents have received water bills as high as $10,000, they have had their water turned off, their homes foreclosed, and are struggling to keep water, a basic human right, from becoming privatized.
The Water Front is the story of an American city in crisis but it is not just about water. The story touches on the very essence of our democratic system and is an unnerving indication of what is in store for residents around the world facing their own water struggles. The film raises questions such as: Who determines the future of shared public resources? What are alternatives to water privatization? How will we maintain our public water systems and who can we hold accountable?
'This water issue is so profound I had no idea that we would be engaged in this horrific fight to have water acknowledged as a human right.' Maureen Taylor, Michigan Welfare Rights
'Water is not only an issue affecting poor countries. Everywhere in the world, people are facing a diversity of difficulties in accessing water. And the characters Liz Miller chose to portray in her film are particularly strong, in their interesting way of facing up the situation, reacting, gathering, getting involved and fighting together. Covering all water issues, from pricing to privatization and--above all--the human right to water, this film sends a strong message on the way public participation and action can overcome problems.' Melanie Giard, Communication Officer, World Water Council and Kostas Vassilakis, Official Secretary, Special Permanent Environment Protection Committee, Greek Parliament
'Miller's film does precisely what documentaries do best: it introduces us to a problem, sticks with it without losing focus and somehow makes us care deeply about the struggles of the people in front of the camera.' Montreal Gazette
'When Highland Park's residents stand at their kitchen sinks, they confront deindustrialization, capital flight, suburbanization, neoliberalism, and profound inequality in the period of late capitalism. Rather than exploring these issues in the abstract, Liz Miller offers thoughtful, poignant portraits of the Black women and men on the ground. As the scenes move from their living rooms, through the city's water treatment plant, and to city council meetings, The Water Front illumines how public policies influence the lives of everyday people, and, importantly, how everyday people can organize to influence public policies. Miller's imagery calls into question Americans' habits and chores: viewers are compelled to reconsider quotidian acts like bathing, flushing, washing, and watering after watching the film. The Water Front will inspire conversations and debates about public services, human rights, and community organizing.' Dr. Kelly Quinn, Assistant Professor of American Studies, Miami University
'Undoubtedly water will be one of the key issues to be fought over in the 21st century -whether you live in Highland Park, Michigan or Soweto, South Africa. To date people in Highland Park struggle to pay their highly inflated water bills in order to stay in their homes and keep their families together. The Water Front is an amazing movie that chronicles the institutional abuses of citizens in a city where fresh water resources are abundant. The threat of privatization and the commoditization of water strike a devastating blow to the working class and those least able to eke out a living. This movie should be viewed by everyone concerned about the survival of our communities and the just and equitable distribution of water resources.' Bunyan Bryant, Ph.D., Director of the Environmental Justice Initiative, University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment
'Powerful and moving.' Martha Saxton, Associate Professor of History and Women's and Gender Studies, Amherst College
'Brilliant and engaging.' Professor Bruce Pietrykowski. Director of Urban and Regional Studies, University of Michigan-Dearborn
'The Water Front depicts the result when cities with single industries lose both jobs and tax base. With insufficient capital, but an intact infrastructure, Highland Park, Michigan attempts to revitalize its coffers by using city water as a marketable commodity. The film examines the controversy between city officials and residents, who perceive city services from opposite points of view, respectively, as a source of funds, and as a right. This film will generate much discussion on the nature of political participation, the interlinking roles of local and state government, and the function of publicly owned utilities.' Kate Foss-Mollan, PhD, Dept of History, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Author, Hard Water: Politics and Water Supply in Milwaukee
'Films like this are a way of putting a mirror to our society.' Elaine S. Charnov, Co-Director, Margaret Mead Video and Film Festival, in The New York Times
'The life of a documentary lies in the stories of the public. The Water Front project is a compelling case that reveals how true this is.' Center for Social Media at American University
'Arguments are rarely black and white, and Liz Miller skillfully interviews everyone involved. We are able to walk through Highland Park, go into people's homes, and visit government offices. Miller weaves images of water, hooking you with its beauty and vital necessity. She makes you weep for these people. With the world in crisis, particularly the current economic and environmental mess, this is a must see film. At fifty-three minutes, educators should use this film in the classroom to show how a real democracy can and should function. We can fight the system, we just need to learn how to do it!' Feminist Review
'The residents of Highland Park are allowed to tell their stories for themselves, with little intrusion by the filmmakers. The social implications of this struggle are suggested rather than belabored. While the city's consultants want to run the water works like a business, the filmmakers ask if the necessities of life should be sold for a profit...This would be useful in college-level courses that deal with race and class, privatization, leadership, local government, grassroots organizing or economics.' Katherine Walker, Virginia Commonwealth University, Anthropology Review Database
'Rather than a sense of hopelessness, The Water Front delivers the message that the people of a community can retain control of their fate if they join forces in resistance to outside interests that try to gain control of a resource as precious as water.' Metro Times Detroit (6/5/2007 article)
'Deeply moving and incisive...The film has been out for a while now...Over time, though, it has only become more pertinent...This film is about much more than water. It gets to the essence of democracy itself, and how an essential natural resource that has no substitute is controlled...One way or another, this is a film you should see.' Metro Times Detroit (11/11/2009 article)
Citation
Main credits
Miller, Liz (Director)
Miller, Liz (Producer)
Powell, Achebe (Narrator)
Brennan, John (Composer)
Other credits
Cinematographer: Liz Miller; editors: Liz Miller, Susan Shanks, FrÈdÈric Moffet, Etienne Gagnon; original music, John Brennan; theme music, Joe L. Carter.
Distributor subjects
African-American Studies; American Democracy; American Studies; Anthropology; Capitalism; Citizenship and Civics; Class Structure; Environment; Environmental History; Environmental Justice; Geography; Government; Human Rights; Humanities; Infrastructure; Local Economies; Natural Resources; Political Science; Race and Racism; Social Justice; Sociology; Sustainability; Urban Studies; Urban and Regional Planning; Water; Women's StudiesKeywords
WEBVTT
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(instrumental)
00:00:13.792 --> 00:00:18.792
(instrumental)
00:01:07.584 --> 00:01:11.082
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
00:02:01.292 --> 00:02:02.998
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
00:02:07.126 --> 00:02:08.998
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
00:02:19.626 --> 00:02:21.750
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,
00:02:37.125 --> 00:02:38.333
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
00:02:47.125 --> 00:02:48.541
and we are just being pushed out
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because of the water situation.
00:02:50.667 --> 00:02:53.250
(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
00:03:00.125 --> 00:03:02.082
was once a thriving community.
00:03:02.083 --> 00:03:04.333
(instrumental)
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It is known as the birthplace
00:03:05.210 --> 00:03:06.791
of mass production
00:03:06.792 --> 00:03:07.998
and Henry Ford\'s assembly line.
00:03:07.999 --> 00:03:10.125
Vallory Johnson: My dad worked
00:03:11.083 --> 00:03:12.625
for the Ford Motor Company,
00:03:12.626 --> 00:03:13.875
my brother worked
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for the Ford Motor Company,
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this is what everyone did,
00:03:17.667 --> 00:03:20.333
you worked for one
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of those auto companies.
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Yes you did.
00:03:22.460 --> 00:03:23.917
♪ (Blues)
00:03:23.918 --> 00:03:24.999
♪ 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
00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:42.998
the Chrysler plant employed
00:03:42.999 --> 00:03:44.998
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:
00:03:52.626 --> 00:03:53.998
\"We are moving to
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Auburn Hills next year\".
00:03:55.292 --> 00:03:56.998
Well the bottom started
00:03:56.999 --> 00:03:58.041
to drop out because it was
00:03:58.042 --> 00:03:59.666
a singular industry.
00:03:59.667 --> 00:04:01.166
That meant the tax base
00:04:01.167 --> 00:04:03.875
of individuals left,
00:04:03.876 --> 00:04:05.708
the taxes the corporation
00:04:05.709 --> 00:04:07.374
was paying left too,
00:04:07.375 --> 00:04:09.374
so it started the demise of
00:04:09.375 --> 00:04:11.583
Highland Park too.
00:04:11.584 --> 00:04:12.624
(Guitar with instrumental)
00:04:13.042 --> 00:04:16.625
Maureen: Today you have
00:04:16.626 --> 00:04:18.082
about 16,000 residents
00:04:18.083 --> 00:04:20.998
that still live there.
00:04:20.999 --> 00:04:22.375
(Guitar with instrumental)
00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:27.750
Narrator: The drastic decrease
00:04:27.751 --> 00:04:28.958
of Highland Park\'s population
00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:30.998
combined with the loss
00:04:30.999 --> 00:04:32.249
of industry
00:04:32.250 --> 00:04:33.167
has left a costly infrastructure
00:04:33.168 --> 00:04:35.998
and no tax base to maintain it.
00:04:35.999 --> 00:04:38.584
(moody instrumental)
00:04:43.876 --> 00:04:47.374
Highland Park came to a point
00:04:47.375 --> 00:04:49.333
they could no longer provide
00:04:49.334 --> 00:04:51.583
police department services.
00:04:51.584 --> 00:04:53.708
There was no tax base
00:04:53.709 --> 00:04:54.998
to pay the fire department.
00:04:54.999 --> 00:04:56.416
There was no money.
00:04:56.417 --> 00:04:58.833
Narrator: Years of mismanagement
00:04:58.834 --> 00:05:00.124
and soaring debt
00:05:00.125 --> 00:05:01.416
leave Highland Park
00:05:01.417 --> 00:05:02.541
on the verge of bankruptcy.
00:05:02.542 --> 00:05:04.500
The mayor calls out for help
00:05:04.501 --> 00:05:06.833
and the state sends in
00:05:06.834 --> 00:05:08.208
an Emergency Financial Manager:
00:05:08.209 --> 00:05:10.458
Ramona Pearson,
00:05:10.459 --> 00:05:11.750
a corporate accountant
00:05:11.751 --> 00:05:13.375
Ramona: This is really bad here
00:05:13.999 --> 00:05:15.999
I didn\'t realize this was so
beat up.
00:05:17.501 --> 00:05:18.501
I have the responsibility
00:05:20.999 --> 00:05:22.998
to get the city
00:05:22.999 --> 00:05:26.374
financially healthy again.
00:05:26.375 --> 00:05:27.708
And in that capacity
00:05:27.709 --> 00:05:30.374
I have all of the powers,
00:05:30.375 --> 00:05:32.998
that the mayor had,
00:05:32.999 --> 00:05:35.249
and that the council has,
00:05:35.250 --> 00:05:37.998
and I assume that the purpose
00:05:37.999 --> 00:05:39.958
of creating this
00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:40.999
sort of dictatorship,
00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:42.000
which is what it is,
00:05:42.001 --> 00:05:43.666
is to make sure
00:05:43.667 --> 00:05:45.208
that it gets done fast.
00:05:45.209 --> 00:05:46.999
(moody instrumental with guitar)
00:05:51.167 --> 00:05:54.750
Narrator: Fred Durhal
00:05:54.751 --> 00:05:55.998
has been sent in by the state
00:05:55.999 --> 00:05:57.875
to come up with an economic plan
00:05:57.876 --> 00:05:59.416
for Highland Park.
00:05:59.417 --> 00:06:00.999
Fred: What we have here
00:06:01.876 --> 00:06:03.501
is a failure of government
00:06:03.918 --> 00:06:07.501
to keep pace with the decay.
00:06:07.999 --> 00:06:11.167
(moody instrumental)
00:06:11.375 --> 00:06:13.083
No city should look
00:06:13.250 --> 00:06:14.458
like this city looks.
00:06:14.459 --> 00:06:15.959
And no city should operate
00:06:17.999 --> 00:06:20.541
the way this one did.
00:06:20.542 --> 00:06:22.291
It failed its citizens
00:06:22.292 --> 00:06:24.708
and now we are trying to
00:06:24.709 --> 00:06:25.998
pick up the pieces
00:06:25.999 --> 00:06:26.792
and put it back together.
00:06:26.793 --> 00:06:28.292
(moody instrumental)
00:06:29.999 --> 00:06:33.292
I personally wouldn\'t like
00:06:33.626 --> 00:06:36.166
to live in a neighbourhood
00:06:36.167 --> 00:06:37.374
like this. Look at this crap!
00:06:37.375 --> 00:06:38.999
(moody instrumental)
00:06:39.250 --> 00:06:42.209
We have 3 pension plans unfunded
00:06:42.417 --> 00:06:45.625
and 600-700 pensioners
00:06:45.626 --> 00:06:47.875
who expect the pay
00:06:47.876 --> 00:06:49.208
and you have to keep
00:06:49.209 --> 00:06:50.458
the doors open
00:06:50.459 --> 00:06:51.583
and pay those who are here now,
00:06:51.584 --> 00:06:53.291
and once you pay the pensioners
00:06:53.292 --> 00:06:56.041
and the people who are here,
00:06:56.042 --> 00:06:57.998
you don\'t have enough resources
00:06:57.999 --> 00:06:59.998
to pick up trash
00:06:59.999 --> 00:07:00.999
or do anything else
00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:02.280
It\'s like being in a trauma unit
00:07:03.250 --> 00:07:05.751
(whining machine sound)
00:07:07.083 --> 00:07:10.542
Yea 100, we had 2426 Highland
00:07:10.834 --> 00:07:13.999
and we can\'t find the stop box.
00:07:16.250 --> 00:07:17.530
People have a lot of pride here.
00:07:19.999 --> 00:07:22.291
You can see it in their homes,
00:07:22.292 --> 00:07:24.626
and I grew up here.
00:07:24.792 --> 00:07:26.542
Resident: Let\'s get
00:07:28.083 --> 00:07:28.876
on these curbs.
00:07:28.876 --> 00:07:29.792
(Tom laughs)
00:07:29.793 --> 00:07:30.999
One of the first things
00:07:31.125 --> 00:07:31.999
the Financial Manager did
00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.708
when she came into the city
00:07:33.709 --> 00:07:35.333
was close a lot of things.
00:07:35.334 --> 00:07:37.459
Another one of our schools
00:07:38.626 --> 00:07:40.082
is closed up, boarded up.
00:07:40.083 --> 00:07:42.083
The recreation department
00:07:43.083 --> 00:07:44.666
is open,
00:07:44.667 --> 00:07:45.833
but now you have a library
00:07:45.834 --> 00:07:46.998
that is closed.
00:07:46.999 --> 00:07:48.249
And as bad as we need education,
00:07:48.250 --> 00:07:50.166
we couldn\'t find a way
00:07:50.167 --> 00:07:51.750
to keep our library open,
00:07:51.751 --> 00:07:52.998
that is sad, that is real sad.
00:07:52.999 --> 00:07:55.834
(moody instrumental)
00:07:57.459 --> 00:08:00.998
Narrator: The closing of
00:08:00.999 --> 00:08:03.416
public facilities is not
enoughto put Highland Park\'s
00:08:03.417 --> 00:08:04.541
finances back on track.
00:08:04.542 --> 00:08:06.083
Ramona Pearson lays off
00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:08.708
city workers.
00:08:08.709 --> 00:08:09.834
Gloria Pogue who works in
00:08:10.626 --> 00:08:12.416
the city\'s aging water plant
00:08:12.417 --> 00:08:14.166
is now obliged to work
00:08:14.167 --> 00:08:15.958
seven days a week,
00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:17.041
eight hours a day.
00:08:17.042 --> 00:08:18.459
Gloria: They got rid of
00:08:19.292 --> 00:08:20.625
one person, two people...
00:08:20.626 --> 00:08:22.998
The last time they down sized
00:08:22.999 --> 00:08:24.998
they got rid of the people
00:08:24.999 --> 00:08:26.291
working in the pump station.
00:08:26.292 --> 00:08:28.459
Well now we have
00:08:28.792 --> 00:08:29.709
one person for each shift,
00:08:29.710 --> 00:08:31.500
and that makes it hard
00:08:31.501 --> 00:08:33.249
for anybody, because anything
00:08:33.250 --> 00:08:34.998
could happen on a shift
00:08:34.999 --> 00:08:35.999
This is a water department,
00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:37.500
it services the whole community
00:08:37.501 --> 00:08:39.583
and to have one person
00:08:39.584 --> 00:08:40.998
on an eight hour shift
00:08:40.999 --> 00:08:42.082
is asking
00:08:42.083 --> 00:08:44.417
for something to happen.
00:08:45.876 --> 00:08:49.124
Ron: They have basically
00:08:49.125 --> 00:08:50.083
gotten rid of
00:08:50.084 --> 00:08:52.918
all the employees in the city.
There are only four of us
00:08:52.999 --> 00:08:54.124
in the water department,
00:08:54.125 --> 00:08:55.625
you know,
00:08:55.626 --> 00:08:56.459
in the plant part of it,
00:08:56.460 --> 00:08:57.750
there is meter readers.
00:08:57.751 --> 00:08:58.998
There are only four of us
00:08:58.999 --> 00:09:00.082
that actually run the plant,
00:09:00.083 --> 00:09:01.458
that keep the plant going.
00:09:01.459 --> 00:09:02.791
And we have stuck it out.
00:09:02.792 --> 00:09:04.501
When I hired in, the place
00:09:05.042 --> 00:09:06.458
was in perfect condition
00:09:06.459 --> 00:09:08.124
and if they had kept spending
00:09:08.125 --> 00:09:09.583
the money on the plant
00:09:09.584 --> 00:09:10.917
it would be
00:09:10.918 --> 00:09:11.998
in perfect condition now.
00:09:11.999 --> 00:09:13.584
(moody instrumental)
00:09:17.459 --> 00:09:20.834
Ramona: Did you see
00:09:20.999 --> 00:09:22.291
this deal on the Wayne County
00:09:22.292 --> 00:09:23.791
abandoned property
00:09:23.792 --> 00:09:24.584
I think we just mentioned that..
00:09:24.585 --> 00:09:27.208
Narrator: Ramona Pearson hires
00:09:27.209 --> 00:09:28.998
consultants to help resolve
00:09:28.999 --> 00:09:30.291
resolve the crisis.
00:09:30.292 --> 00:09:31.416
She brings in Jan Lazar
00:09:31.417 --> 00:09:33.124
to manage the city
00:09:33.125 --> 00:09:34.541
on a daily basis.
00:09:34.542 --> 00:09:35.876
Jan: She brought me in to be the
00:09:36.375 --> 00:09:37.833
equivalent to a city manager,
00:09:37.834 --> 00:09:39.583
a city administrator
00:09:39.584 --> 00:09:40.542
to run the operation because
00:09:40.543 --> 00:09:41.998
I have a lot of background
00:09:41.999 --> 00:09:43.583
in city management
00:09:43.584 --> 00:09:44.998
and governmental finance
00:09:44.999 --> 00:09:45.999
and pension administration
00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:47.416
all of which are issues
00:09:47.417 --> 00:09:48.625
in the city.
00:09:48.626 --> 00:09:49.666
Everybody understands that
00:09:50.626 --> 00:09:51.666
the situation is undesirable.
00:09:51.667 --> 00:09:54.666
The debate is
00:09:54.667 --> 00:09:55.958
what kind of solution.
00:09:55.959 --> 00:09:56.999
Jan Lazar hires
00:09:58.209 --> 00:09:59.833
Steven Egan,
00:09:59.834 --> 00:10:00.751
who is a member of
00:10:00.751 --> 00:10:01.667
her consulting firm
00:10:01.667 --> 00:10:02.584
and has experience
00:10:02.585 --> 00:10:03.875
in public utilities.
00:10:03.876 --> 00:10:05.208
Steve will work
00:10:05.209 --> 00:10:06.458
on a part time basis
00:10:06.459 --> 00:10:07.500
commuting from his home
00:10:07.501 --> 00:10:08.998
in Georgia.
00:10:08.999 --> 00:10:09.999
(upbeat instrumental)
00:10:10.042 --> 00:10:12.998
Steve: The water department
00:10:12.999 --> 00:10:14.249
and the water plant
00:10:14.250 --> 00:10:15.458
are one of the most valuable
00:10:15.459 --> 00:10:16.998
assets that Highland Park has,
00:10:16.999 --> 00:10:18.998
particularly this plant.
00:10:18.999 --> 00:10:21.125
(upbeat, water flowing)
00:10:24.999 --> 00:10:28.000
Narrator: Ramona Pearson
00:10:28.459 --> 00:10:29.541
and her consultants believe
00:10:29.542 --> 00:10:30.791
the water plant can make money.
00:10:30.792 --> 00:10:32.751
They raise the water rates
00:10:32.999 --> 00:10:34.666
and begin a campaign
00:10:34.667 --> 00:10:35.998
to enforce collection.
00:10:35.999 --> 00:10:37.584
(upbeat, water flowing)
00:10:38.999 --> 00:10:42.250
I have been on the run
00:10:42.501 --> 00:10:43.998
I didn\'t have time to get
00:10:43.999 --> 00:10:45.333
the documentation, all she did..
00:10:45.334 --> 00:10:46.999
Jan: We put a real intensive
00:10:47.125 --> 00:10:48.166
effort to get the billings
00:10:48.167 --> 00:10:49.500
up to date and corrected
00:10:49.501 --> 00:10:50.708
where there were problems
00:10:50.709 --> 00:10:52.998
meters checked and verified
00:10:52.999 --> 00:10:54.833
where people said
00:10:54.834 --> 00:10:56.291
their meters were not correct,
although most of the time
00:10:56.292 --> 00:10:57.209
the meters were correct.
00:10:57.209 --> 00:10:58.042
There were other problems
00:10:58.043 --> 00:11:00.500
toilets running, pipes broken
00:11:00.501 --> 00:11:01.999
things like that.
00:11:02.999 --> 00:11:06.708
This is my Highland Park
00:11:06.709 --> 00:11:07.791
water bill
00:11:07.792 --> 00:11:08.792
- $2,251.46
00:11:08.999 --> 00:11:12.542
for a period of six months.
00:11:12.999 --> 00:11:15.584
There is no way
00:11:16.250 --> 00:11:16.999
I used this much water,
00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:18.041
they don\'t have an actual read.
00:11:18.042 --> 00:11:19.958
I scheduled a reading today,
00:11:19.959 --> 00:11:21.249
they are going to come do it,
00:11:21.250 --> 00:11:22.416
but this is astronomical.
00:11:22.417 --> 00:11:24.166
This is insane.
00:11:24.167 --> 00:11:25.792
(client chatter)
00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:30.417
Jan: People watch the cost of
00:11:30.751 --> 00:11:32.999
a movie ticket go up and up
00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:35.791
and they still go to the movies.
00:11:35.792 --> 00:11:37.667
Things like water, people say
00:11:38.334 --> 00:11:40.416
\"I can\'t pay more\" or
00:11:40.417 --> 00:11:41.541
\"I don\'t want to pay more\".
00:11:41.542 --> 00:11:42.542
Well if you can\'t pay more
00:11:42.543 --> 00:11:43.998
or don\'t want to pay more,
00:11:43.999 --> 00:11:45.501
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]
Distributor: Bullfrog Films
Length: 53 minutes
Date: 2008
Genre: Expository
Language: English
Grade: 9-12, College, Adult
Color/BW:
Closed Captioning: Available
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