Letter to the Editor: 'Janice Daniels – Too Little Integrity, Too Much Ideology'

Dear Editor:

There is much that I take issue with as Janice Daniels for mayor.  To most people, the big controversies involving Mayor Daniels concern the library and the transit center.  My objections with Daniels started with the battle she waged to become Mayor.  From the very start, she has resorted to distortion, embellishment, confusion, and outright lies to make her points.  This is a character quality that disgusts me.  To me, Janice Daniels lacks uprightness, honesty, and sincerity; all definitions of integrity.

When she ran for Mayor, Daniels distributed a brochure claiming her opponent wanted to give Troy employees one of the most expensive pension benefits in Michigan.  In fact, between 1997 and 1998, Troy initiated a new pension policy for all new employees, and was an early leader in implementing best practices in addressing legacy costs.  Either Daniels lied or she failed to know what she was talking about.

Daniels also stated that her opponent supported $250,000 in pay to our then Troy City Manager.  But what was our then city manager being paid?  His actual salary was $130,473.  After she forced him out, we hired a new city manager.  He receives $149,000 plus benefits.  Why isn't Daniels complaining about costs now?  Because she's hypocritical and has little integrity.

During her campaign, Daniels accused her opponent of being a pro-Big Government advocate, promoting tax and spend policies through lobbying.  What Daniels failed to explain is that her opponent worked for the Michigan Municipal League, a non-profit community networking organization.  The MML works with local communities to bring them together to exchange information, to learn from one another, to develop unified policies on municipal concerns, and to speak as a collective voice for local government in Lansing.  Daniels ignored these facts because she thinks that just because you say something is fact, it makes it true.  Again, Daniels demonstrates a lack of integrity.

And Daniels lied about the library millage.  Daniels cited an 11 percent tax increase regarding a 0.7 mil increase.  WRONG.  The total city millage before the library millage was 9.78 (general, capital, refuse & debt).  A 0.7 mil increase represents a 7.16 percent increase – not the 11 percent she claimed.  She either can't or won't get the math right.  And I need not mention Daniels' cronies engaging in purposeful voter confusion by introducing competing ballot proposals of different millage amounts.  Are you seeing a character pattern here?

Just look at her recent literature against the recall. She refers to her “conservative leadership.”  How about just strong leadership period? 

At her State of the City address, Daniels said that we (the People of Troy) don’t have the money for the transit center.  She doesn't understand that a federal grant is paying for the construction of the transit center; it's not coming out of the budget of Troy.  (If you want to argue the merit of federal government programs, that debate is for another time.)  The business community, through the Troy Chamber of Commerce, expressed their strong desire for the transit center.  They went as far as pledging to contribute to the annual maintenance of the center.  Nonetheless, Daniels' absurd ideology wouldn’t let her support it.  One major manufacturer in Troy was so irritated by Daniels' positions, they threatened to move.  Clearly, she is not good for Troy business.

In my 18 years in Troy, there have always been politics connected with city business.  But it was never partisan party politics until Janice Daniels and her friends arrived on the scene.  With Daniels, people are judged by what party they belong to, not their views in the issues.

What I’m looking for in my Mayor is someone who is focused on Troy issues and who represents all the people.  I want someone who is a realist, not an idealist.  I want someone who represents mainstream Troy.  Daniels' views and ideology are far too rigid.  She is not for me; she is not for Troy.  Vote YES to RECALL JANICE DANIELS.

Greg Sherman

Troy Patch accepts letters to the editor. Send yours to jen.anesi@patch.com; please include your full name and hometown. Letters may be edited for clarity.