By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — City Council members Lisa Hicks-Clayton, 55, and Robert Constan, 61, are the two candidates running for city treasurer in the Nov. 3 general election.
Currently, Constan is an attorney and counselor at law with Rock & Borgelt P.C. and Hicks-Clayton is a constituent services-community liaison for state Sen. Betty Jean Alexander.
The open city’s treasurer seat is for a partial term after the retirement of John O’Reilly II.
Zouher Abdel-Hak was appointed to the position until the election.
Both candidates were asked to respond to questions with responses limited to a 120-word count for each. All responses exceeding that limit were edited. Their answers are below.
Question 1: List your education, experience or skills you posses that make you a qualified candidate.
Constan: I am a lifelong resident of Dearborn Heights, a homeowner and a taxpayer. Retired Dearborn Heights Treasurer John Riley has endorsed my candidacy for treasurer. So have local organizations like the Dearborn Heights Police Officers Association and the United Auto Workers. I earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Mercy College of Law. I have been licensed to practice law in Michigan for 32 years. I have real business experience. I own and operate a law practice in the law office of Rock & Borgelt P.C. in Dearborn Heights. I manage several employees. I pay overhead expenses and employees each month. I was elected 16th District state representative in 2006. I achieved a 100 percent perfect attendance and voting record while serving as state representative. I serve as a court appointed conservator in the Wayne County Probate Court. I have an A-1 credit rating. I qualify for a surety bond. I have never had to file for bankruptcy. I have successfully inventoried and managed probate estates for over 20 years. I am the candidate with the education, expertise, and experience necessary to serve as the Dearborn Heights treasurer.
Hicks-Clayton: I bring 37 years of experience in sales, business finances, management, and public service. I am currently a city councilwoman and work as the Constituent Services-Community Liaison for Michigan state Sen. Betty Jean Alexander. I have also held the positions of regional business manager, bookkeeper, learning center director, bank teller, and political organizer. This experience includes managing and overseeing daily operations of multiple businesses; hiring, training and supervising staff; creating financial reports including expenditures and balance sheets; administering cash flow, deposits, accounts receivable/payable, and employee payroll; coordinating the needs of residents; and participating in community service.
Question 2: If elected, what are three issues facing your constituents would you work to address and how?
Constan: Dearborn Heights is facing a reduction in revenue, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. Also, the number of participants in the city’s Police and Fire and General Government pension plans is declining. There are fewer employees paying into the plan, resulting in less money available for retiree legacy costs. In July 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in Rafaeli, LLC v Oakland County that the money from a tax foreclosure sale that is more than the tax owed must be returned to the taxpayer. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in Oakland County Circuit Court that challenged one part of Michigan’s tax foreclosure law. That provision allows county treasurers – who collect delinquent taxes on behalf of cities – to pocket all the money from auctioned properties, regardless of the amount of the delinquent tax debt. The Michigan Supreme Court unanimously ruled that this aspect of the Michigan Tax Foreclosure Law was an unconstitutional taking not allowed under the Michigan Constitution. This ruling means that the Wayne County Treasurer may have to refund close to $3 million collected from Wayne County’s property tax foreclosures. This means less money available for Wayne County cities like Dearborn Heights.
Hicks-Clayton: In 2012, the city CSO bond account balance had an enough money to retire the bond, but continued to request the Council to levy unnecessary tax. It is the treasurer’s duty as custodian of the city funds to make sure, advising in detail, the City Council of all city funds status, as outlined the City Charter. Since reviewing the Plante Moran audits, records show the residents of Dearborn Heights were over levied since 2007. The treasurer must provide monthly reports on balances for all restricted funds, as listed in the City Charter. As treasurer, I will be fully transparent with all fund balances and reporting monthly for the benefit and knowledge of the elected officials and the city of Dearborn Heights’ taxpayers. The treasurer’s responsibility is to collect the city revenues and deposit/invest them according to the City Council directions, City Charter, state and federal regulations. In addition, as treasurer, I will work with our residents experiencing financial hardships, due to the unprecedented pandemic, work with the Wayne County treasurer, and assist with keeping people in their homes, developing solutions which work for our residents and the city of Dearborn Heights. Residents deserve transparency, accountability and honesty.
Question 3: Why are you seeking election? Why should people vote for you?
Constan: Our long serving Treasurer John J. Riley II C.P.A. resigned three years into his four-year term. The Dearborn Heights treasurer’s position is an open position. There is no incumbent. Retired Treasurer John Riley has endorsed my candidacy for treasurer. I earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Mercy College of Law. I have been licensed to practice law in Michigan for 32 years. I have real business experience. I own and operate a law practice in the law office of Rock & Borgelt P.C. in Dearborn Heights. I manage several employees. I pay overhead expenses and employees each month. I was elected 16th District state representative in 2006. I achieved a 100 percent perfect attendance and voting record while serving as state representative. I serve as a court appointed conservator in the Wayne County Probate Court. I have an A-1 credit rating. I qualify for a surety bond. I have never had to file for bankruptcy. I have successfully inventoried and managed probate estates for over 20 years. I am the candidate with the education, expertise, and experience necessary to serve as the Dearborn Heights treasurer.
Hicks-Clayton: As a city council member, I have always worked to improve our community and improve the quality of life for others. I believe in hard work, seeking resources, and fostering collaboration providing results which work for all. As city treasurer, I will accurately inform the city council about the status of funds, as indicated in the City Charter. In addition, monthly reports should be submitted, detailing, and separating the restricted funds from non-restricted funds, to allow the city council to make informed financial decisions. These decisions must be based on accurate and transparent data, to prevent overcharging our taxpayers (as witnessed in the CSO millage for four consecutive years in violation of the City Charter and state laws). Cash flow and management is imperative to avoiding inter-fund loans from restricted funds, such as the library fund and the water fund. I will use my years of experience managing all aspects of business finances. If elected to the position of treasurer, I plan to implement periodic reviews, as well as cash flow forecasts, to ensure that real time challenges are addressed proactively versus reactive. As I have also been shadowing the current treasurer since August and I have learned precise aspects of the Treasury Department, so I may be informed and engaged with the staff, while we work for a smooth transition.
For more information on the election or candidates go to www.lwvddh.org or www.vote411.org.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])