Comments about millage lead to call for commissioner to resign

WARREN — A recent live “community town hall” posted on social media led to a Warren City councilman calling for the resignation of a city planning commissioner.

Following a livestream hosted Thursday, Aug. 28 by Warren Planning Commissioner Delwar Ansar, Councilman Jonathan Lafferty demanded Ansar resign from his position after Ansar allegedly disseminated misinformation.

Through the video, Ansar reportedly told viewers to vote no on a police and fire millage appearing on the Nov. 4 ballot. In a statement posted on Facebook on Aug. 29, the day after the session, Ansar said his town hall was an effort to address high property taxes in Warren and discuss options for residents to reduce them.

Ansar said he had been hearing from a lot of residents about high taxes, and he felt the need to do the town hall to help educate residents to help them make informed decisions for the upcoming elections.

“I’m a planning commissioner. Out of that, I’m also a community activist, also a resident of the city of Warren,” he said. “So as a community activist, always, I try to educate our community.”

However, Lafferty, who has been a public advocate for the passage of the millage, alleges Ansar is giving out misinformation about it.

“As an appointed officer of the city, Mr. Ansar’s advocacy to defund the police and fire department is an abhorrent contradiction to the best interests of our community,” Lafferty said in a statement. “His comments are detrimental to the health, safety and well-being of its citizens.”

The millage in question was first established in 2012 as a levy of about 4.6 mills, or $4.60 per $1,000 of taxable property value, dedicated to funding police and fire safety protection. In April, the City Council unanimously approved putting the renewal question on the November ballot.

Ansar said in an Aug. 29 statement that he recognizes the need for public safety. However, in an interview Sept. 2, he stated the millage can create an additional burden on residents.

“Right now, (SEV) is so high, it is 200% more than at that time. So I personally think it’s becoming a burden for the residents,” he said.

Ansar’s Aug. 29 statement was made as a Facebook post. Several Warren residents — including City Treasurer Lorie Barnwell and resident Lori Harris — responded to Ansar’s Aug. 29 statement on Facebook, stating his post contains misinformation.

In her comment, Barnwell said that despite taxes being “not low,” they aren’t what Ansar claims.

“Are our taxes high? Yes. Should we work as a city to make sure residents are getting the services that match their taxes? Absolutely,” she said in her post. “But cutting police and fire aren’t the answer.

“You’re not a tax or finance expert and what you are doing is misleading,” she added.

Barnwell claimed property taxes are increasing in part because real estate agents and mortgage companies aren’t disclosing information about the tax implications of property transfers to residents, which is something she said herself and state Rep. Mike McFall, D-Hazel Park, would address at their own town hall session at 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at 27800 George Merrelli Drive, in Warren.

Ansar said nobody who commented on his post cited a specific piece of information that was wrong.

“I put my statement out there and my account is public,” he said. “None of them have pointed out where the wrong information is provided.”

In Lafferty’s statement, he claims Ansar hasn’t had any meetings with city officials, including the police and fire departments.

Ansar said he currently had no plans to meet with any of them, but if he feels it is needed, he will arrange those meetings.

“I didn’t think about it, but if I see that it is needed, basically whatever is best for the city, for the residents, if something comes up, of course I will do it as a community activist,” he said.

In a press release sent by Lafferty, he said Warren Mayor Lori Stone claimed she had taken action by posting a response to Ansar’s Facebook page.

Stone did not comment when asked about Ansar’s statement and her response.

The leaders of Warren’s police and fire unions urged residents to back the renewal. In a release provided to the Warren Weekly, they said public safety is “not an area where we can afford to cut corners.”

“This millage isn’t about politics — it’s about people,” said Mike Sauger, president of the Warren Police Officers Association, in text included in the release. “Every officer depends on this funding to respond quickly and effectively. Without it, our ability to keep Warren safe would be compromised.”

Joe Schehr, president of Warren Professional Firefighters Local 1383, said, “When someone’s having a heart attack or when a family’s home is on fire, seconds matter. This renewal ensures we have the staffing and equipment to respond in time to save lives. Help us, help you and your family.”

The release from the union leaders continued, “In Warren, public safety has always been a cornerstone of our community. Families, businesses, and neighborhoods thrive when they know help is just a call away. On the upcoming ballot, you, the voters, will decide whether to renew the Police and Fire Millage — a measure that ensures our first responders have the resources they need to keep us safe.

“This renewal will not raise taxes,” the letter stated. “Instead, it continues existing funding that supports staffing, equipment, training, and emergency response. Without it, both departments face budget shortfalls that could mean fewer officers and firefighters, slower response times, and reduced readiness in emergencies.”