As always, the mayor’s speech drew a big crowd — more than 400 people attended the event at Andiamo Italia — but County Executive Mark Hackel was, by far, the most popular person in the room.
After the speech, while Fouts stood off to the side chatting with one of Sandy Levin’s aides, Hackel was interrupted perhaps 50 times with greetings, handshakes and back slapping from people in the crowd as they filed out.
Of course, Fouts’ speech did little to ingratiate the outspoken mayor with his fellow government officials.
In particular, he said some of Warren’s school superintendents are “in denial” about the city’s drug problems and should be fired.
As is the case with all mayoral speeches, Fouts boasted about his city’s management and finances and services. But that wasn’t sufficient. He twice mentioned that he had not raised taxes — unlike Sterling Heights. He made a snide remark about Center Line’s financial situation. And, for some reason, he twice mentioned, in a tutorial tone, that the city of Royal Oak has switched to a 4-day work week because of depleted funds.
He also criticized the governor, attorney general, state judiciary and Legislature because they are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. He referred to a 2011 court fight Warren was engaged in over FOIAs that was handled by Macomb Circuit Judge Ed Servitto (a former high-ranking member of the Warren City Attorney’s Office).
“I wonder if that same judge would be willing to deal with all the FOIAs that we do? I bet you not,” Fouts said.
The mayor also took a second slap at the Legislature while praising the city’s lobbyist, former Senate Leader Art Miller.
“Art Miller gets more accomplished in Lansing than all the representatives and senators put together,” he said.
