MichiganRadio

Flint Residents Worry About More Public Safety Cuts FLINT, MI (Michigan Radio) - The city of Flint is about to lay off 57 police officers and 23 firefighters because it can't afford to pay them.

That means the level of public safety staffing in Flint will be about one-third of the national average.

Forbes magazine calls Flint the "third most-miserable city in America," thanks to unemployment, foreclosures and crime.

Toss in more personnel cuts to Flint's fire and police departments, and you might wonder why anyone would want to live here.

But people do.

Like Patty Warner, a regular at The Good Beans Caf . It's a coffee shop in Carriage Town, a historic but struggling neighborhood just a a few blocks from downtown Flint.

Warner is a graphic artist. She admits the latest public safety cuts will hurt the city, but she's an optimist and she's looking for answers.

"My husband and I were laughing. We came up with Adopt-a-Cop," she says. "Maybe these businesses could somehow adopt, sponsor a policeman's salary, for maybe a year until we get on our feet again."

Raul Garcia is president of the Flint Firefighters Union Local 352.

He says the city had more than 230 firefighters when he arrived 14 years ago.
Now there will be just 66 firefighters, for a city with more than 110 thousand residents. Garcia says they've already taken concessions, but more pay cuts and increased contributions toward health care and retirement are too much.

"All I'm doing is asking for the community to support us, Garcia says. "We will continue to do the best that we can with all the resources that we have. Even the police union people have said, "pray for us."

Tim Monahan is president of the Carriage Town Neighborhood Association.
He buys houses and fixes them up for a living. He's put a lot of time, work and money into his own his 130-year-old home, which he fell in love with five years ago.

"Every time I'm away from my house, I worry, Monahan says. "I tell you what, when I turn down University, and I see my house, every single time I go, Oh, thank God, it's still standing.'"

Carriage Town, like many areas of Flint, is riddled with vacant homes. Many are in such poor condition they can't be saved.

So of all the careers to choose, Ryan Easchoo became a Realtor. He says instead of laying off police and fire personnel, city hall should eliminate some newly created positions -- such as its communications director and green czar.

"In order for the city to change its perception and attract businesses, young professionals and homeowners, we need to deal with the top three issues," Easchoo says. "And when you're in the top ten in crime in the country, you don't cut public safety."

Ken Van Wagoner co-owns The Good Beans Caf , which is marking its ten-year-anniversary. From his post behind the bar, he can watch drug transactions happening in two known crack houses right across the street.

Still, Van Wagoner seems to take the latest cuts to public safety in stride.

"Don't complain. Try to be a part of the solution. Otherwise, move on."


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