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by <.ARY WATKINS
Business Writer
HP DEVCO ponsored a '
thank you reception -at
Ma n uf a c t u r c r s National
Bank.in HIghland Park, pn Wed
ne day February 13, for orne of
the people who were in trumen
tal in the production of the
Highland Park Stategic Plan.
The reception included an over
view or the plan itself along
with. progress report on the ac
tion that were recommended in
the report.
According to Harriet Sap- Perrin m nuel (I), and Martha cott (r).
per tein of HP DEVCO, "if we
stopped with the document on
the shelf. we will have wa ted Mr Prat Parekh Bu Inas man of the W k
our time. The reception allowed
for u. to do some of the follow
up til ks that must be done in
order to make the Strategic Plan
work."
In brief. the Highland
SIr tcgtc pi n cnccmpa
��f' �� .. _
development. com
retail deverorment-·\fI ........ ���';
borhoou revitalization. ,
Copies of the Highland Park
Sfrategie plan arc being mailed
to those who have already re
quested a copy, and there are
additional copies at the High
land Park Branch of the Detroit
Public Library.
WANTED.
Information leading to
the arrest of the driver of a
)990 or 1991 Corvette
Convertible in the fatal hit
and run of 20 year old Kara
Lynn Jenkin .
Ms. Jenkin was truck
on East 7 Mile at Buffalo on
February 6, 1991 around
11:15 P.M.
Anyone wi th any
information should contact
the Detroit Po li ce Fatal
Squad at 596-2560 between
the hours of 8:00 A.M.
4:00 P.M. Mon - Fri.
Prat Parekh i the only member of the Multi Cultural
Community withu Buick dealer hip in the city of Detroit.
Prut states that his success hinges on the fact that he tays In the
. community, i active in the community, and he pend his money
In the community. He ha been sucessful because he did not
follow the trend of leaving Detroit. He states the more money
pent In the community, the better off that community Is going
to be. It creates jobs and gives hope. Prat Parekh ha been in the
automobile busines for three years and four months, he ha
plan to expand his dealership and he say that he is here to stay.
Prat i ued a challenge to the new car buyers reading thl
newspaper. Make your be t deal out ide the city, get it in writing,
and bring it to him. "We will ee who give you the better deal!"
Prat Buick is located: 14�OO West Seven MUe Road, Detroit
Affordable Hou
•
Ing
for Highland Park
Is the topic of' a
TOW M TING
5:00 P.M. Friday, March 1, 1991
Highland Park Community College Auditorium
(GLENDALE AT THIRD)
To announce the new housing being developed in
Highland Park by a Joint Venture of the City, 6f Highland
Park, the Chamber of Commerce and !'tal-Bilt Homes.
Gu •• t Speaker: PETER SARTORIUS, Director of Planning, City of Mu k gon
Heights who will describe the ucce sful Joint Venture between hi city and
Hal-Bllt Hom s wh r 52 single-f mily homes ar being built. AI 0, LEROY
HUGHES, Chi f Building Inspector for th City; local and buHd r r pre �ntatlv s
�ny on. Interest d In affordable hou Ing In Highland Park Is welcome to ttend.
pon.ored by HPChamber of Commerce
FE
d ughter, Somal i .
Coltr n ' 'Alley opened
J nuary 15 of this year, Carter
aid. The init I re pon e, from
"our univer. I clientele," ha
been great. And Judging by the
unci uttered. ta tcfully decor ted
?
re ident ' property taxe be
has promised, elimination of the
abatements to bu messes could
provide at least orne 0 the 10 t
revenue. Still, Wa mer aid the
abatement retain the potential
to help the depre ed areas for
which they were de igned.
"Citie have used them too'
much, 0 the depre sed .areas
lose the advantage that was
meant for them," Wassmer said.
"But if you eliminate abatements
you eliminate that development
tool for depressed cities. They
won't be able to use that tool at
all.
WASSMER
SAID
nd the w rm atmo phere of the
hop., Coltrane' Alley will blo -
om, and add to it mixed b g of
goodies.
du trie .
Hillegonds agree that cuttiDg
off tax a.�tements altogether r.
not nece arily the best solution.
"I believe �e shouldn't
eliminate abatements," Hil
legonds aid. "I don't believe
we can pull the rug out from:
under those communities who've
alreadf offered batements to in
dusty. "
There are politic I re ons
why abatements seem a good
idea. The tax breaks encourage
good relations between industry
and cities, and keep both ide
happy.
BUT MANY ECONOMISTS
maintain the abatements don't
do what they are suppo ed to do;
that i ; encourage economic
development, maintain jobs, and
help companies determine where
to locate to achieve the best tax
deal. A 1986 report by Public
Scctot COD ultaDta in LaD In .
cOt1<m1� dJa bate til - )
very I i lYe to influence rne
decisions and success of in
dustries.
"There is Ii ttIe or no evidence
that abatements have furthered
Michigan's economic develop
ment by influencing businesses'
decisions to locate within or out
side Michigan," the report said.
"If Michigan wants to improve
both the image and the substance
of the state's busines climate, it
would be wiser to lower business
taxes for everyone. "
f r, 'I' c,( 111 HI J' .111,.. (. II 1
Buy 500, Get !500 free 21.85
RaMd Black Ink on WhIte c.d
F & S Publlahlng
1553 Woodward, SUte 202
313-964-4247
GRAND RAPIDS HAS tradi
tionally been prolific in granting
abatements. Ci ty officials say
the abatements have paid off in
more jobs and a stabilized
economy.
"I was rather surprised at the
talk of eliminating abatements,"
's '4 ��� . � h lbeen one of
Hie tietter, U m)o�e effective
program .'. "
n Wednes ay February 13, Wassner said Grand Rapids'
at the own Bag Eatery in d
Hig and Park, Michco n Gas' experience should not be use as
the standard" for evaluating
sponsored it's annual com- abatement effectiveness. Ernst
munity luncheon, which brings
community leaders up-to-date acknowledged that Grand
on the current economic Rapids' commerical-based
development plans of the com- economy has accounted for
pany. much of the city's recent succes-
Michcon Gas President, ses.
Steve Ewing touched on the Wassmer suggests that rather
problems that have developed than eliminate abatements, the
when companies break ground state should revise its approach
outside of the existing in- to taxation of industry.
frastructure.
One of the solutions 'Ewing "My suggestion is that the
state needs to have more control
suggested would be a light rail ..
line down Woodward Avenue. over what cities can gran: abate-
This would mean the renewal of .. ments, "Wassmer said.
existing tructures for retail and
other uses.
Ewing also addressed the
cuts in federal assistance and
s u g g est edt tra t the t hi n kin g
should change from home heat
ing to people comfort.. People
are enti lied to basic necessi ties,
he said.
conti nued from P g 1
Le than two month into the
Engler Admini tr uon, leader
at the 'Capitol lready are look
ing at the po ibility of eliminat
ing the abatement. Senate
leader are calling on leading
economic expert to erve on the
Senate Fin nee Committee Ta k
Force on Taxation. Two of the
issue discussed t their first
meeting Feb. 6 were property tax
reduction and the elimination of
abatements.
"The number one go I of the
Engler administration is to cut
the Ize of state government, and
property tax reform fits right
in to tha t goal," s id Robert
Wa smer, assistant pPCSfe sor of
economics at Wayne State
University, and a member of the
enate tas force.
aid if Engler cuts
U'L Black
History Quiz
In celebration of Black His
tory Month, the Detroit Urban
League in conjunction with 7
UP IRCICanada Dry, are once
aga i n co-sponsori ng the 1991
Black History Contest during the
month of February. This.years
theme is "Keep the Dream
Alive".
The contest is open to elemen
tary, middle and high school stu
dents from the Detroit
metropclltan area.
Elementary and middle school
students will receive multiple
choice and short answer quizzes,
while high school students will
be asked to write an ess y, poem,
or deliver a creative- art perter-
#
mance on a predetermined topic.
Prizes to be awarded will in
clude a Fisher Price Camcorder,
6 peed bike, a $65 Reebok's Gift
Certificate, and a Perry Drug and
Little Cae ars Gift Certificates.
The contest ends March 1,
1991. The awards ceremony is
scheduled for March 17, 1991, at
4:00 p.m. at 208 Mack Avenue. .
, For information, contact Lisa
Fuller 'at the Detroit Urban
League Education Office, (313)
571-5600.
Re.publicans are promoting the
concept of "enterprise zones" as
a possible replacement for the
abatement process. Enterprise
zones would be depressed, un
derdeveloped geographical areas"
identified by the state. Only in
these areas would tax breaks be '
granted to newly-locating in-
New Directory of African
American Print. & Craft
Dealers ( 19.95)
.D 'lid Alak. Bakar1 L.ewIa Publishing
1553 Woodward 1202 - Box 711
(313) 964-4247
AAC
CI-IICAGO REGIONAL
FRANCHISE &
TRADE SHOW
WHEN: SATURDAY, MARC 1-1 2
lOAM-SPM
WHERE: HOLIDAY INN, MARJ' PLAZA
CHICAGO
• Pranchlse nade Show Includes VIP Receptlon Friday,
March 1. 7PM - 9 I'M '
• VIP Luncheon. Saturday. March 2. 12·2 PM
• Entrance to exhibit orca,
(2V· 25 �or Franchise Comp nics)
VIP REGISTRATION - $50.00
Call to confirm attendance
(312) 363 .. 8600 (904) 723-5673
•