Councilmember’s past debt casts doubt on his election
Councilmember Anam Miah lost property he owned in 2015 for unpaid taxes. A Hamtramck resident said that according to the city charter he is a defaulter and his election that year should be voided.
(Editor’s note: This is an edited version of what appeared in the print version of The Review.)
By Charles Sercombe
A Hamtramck resident is seeking the removal of Councilmember Anam Miah.
Carrie Beth Lasley says Miah, who is Mayoral Pro Tem, should never have been allowed to run for election in 2015 because a piece of property he owned in Detroit was foreclosed for non-payment of taxes.
That made him a “defaulter,” Lasley said.
The city charter says this about being a defaulter:
“No person shall be elected or appointed to any office who is a defaulter to the City or to any board, or office, or department thereof, or to any school district, county, or other municipal corporation of the State, now or heretofore existing. All votes for the election or appointment of any such defaulter shall be void.”
Lasley submitted documents to back up her assertion at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the state-appointed Receivership Transition Advisory Board.
The RTAB, however, only oversees city financial matters.
Lasley also wants the city attorney determine if all votes Miah participated in after the election to be “re-tallied” and any resolution he sponsored to be “re-legislated.”
She further urged Miah “to abstain from participating in government actions until his eligibility has been determined.”
Miah declined to comment on the matter.
Acting City Manager Kathy Angerer said the city attorney is reviewing the issue, and declined to comment further.
According to the Wayne County Treasurer records that Lasley submitted, Miah was co-owner of a property at 5664 Harold. In March of 2015 the county foreclosed on the property.
The Detroit Land Bank Authority later became the owner of the property.
The issue of city officials being in default is not new.
The Review has shown in recent years that other councilmembers have fallen behind in property taxes and water bills.
Despite that evidence the city declined to take action. It was said that the city charter is unclear on who starts the process of removing an official who is a defaulter.
Those revelations about elected officials falling behind on their bills to the city and other government entities prompted a new procedure in city hall.
In recent elections, the city clerk now informs candidates to first make sure they are not potential defaulters. If overdue bills are not taken care, the city clerk will now not include the candidate on the ballot.
14 Responses to Councilmember’s past debt casts doubt on his election
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guest
September 29, 2017 at 10:34 pm
Illogical. The county already repossessed the house in return for the debt. And that is how the aystem works. You do not pay your taxes, the county confiscates and resells your house In exchange for taxes owed which is usually less what the house is worth.
Guest
September 30, 2017 at 1:06 pm
Andrea has an overdue water bill on the city’s website, wouldn’t the same thing apply to her.
Uncle Cooter
September 30, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Who is Carrie Beth Lasley?
A Hamtramck resident and zoning board member who works the Wayne County Land Bank.
Does she have a connection with Mayor Karen Majewski?
Why has not anyone looked into formally the defaults of Andrea Karpinski on her home’s water bill?
Stan Zelmanski
September 30, 2017 at 6:40 pm
Guest:
“Andrea has overdue bill on city’s website…..”
Here are some recent ledger entries for the Water Department for Andrea Karpinski’s residence:
7/7/2017 – Shutoff notice sent
7/11/2017 – Non-payment penalty assessed
8/10/2017 – Non-Payment penalty assessed
9/12/2017 – Non-payment penalty assessed
9/15/2017 – $115.08 balance
Is Ms. Karpinski a “defaulter” under the City Charter disqualifying her for her current term of office AND to be on the ballot this November in her re-election bid?
Nasr Hussain
October 1, 2017 at 1:21 pm
A “defaulter” definition is very easy to determine.
The government entity you owe money to takes you to court and gets a judgement that you are “at default” ,all the way through the appeal process.
Otherwise, any debt can’t be considered a default. A government entity can claim that someone is a “defaulter”, but without a court judgement, their claim can be false.
I personally know someone who the city claimed owed thousands on their water bill and that he was in default, but it turned out that his meter was malfunctioning.
Neighbor
October 2, 2017 at 3:44 pm
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170829/news/637586/detroit-suing-700-property-investors-for-unpaid-taxes
Carrie Beth Lasley
October 2, 2017 at 6:14 pm
I am Carrie Beth Lasley, but Dr. Lasley to you, Uncle Kooter. I don’t hide behind stupid nicknames.
I understand the difference between a lien and a default as described by Michigan. This is not like a certificate of foreclosure or water lien. Those can be paid back or even sold with the house. A Judgment of Foreclosure is a court taking the property because of a defaulted debt. It is the timing of the JOF that triggers their sure ineligibility according to charter.
And yes, uncle Kooter, all of those things.
I am on zoning. As you can see I love law. I have a public job that I’m proud of. Go Team Evans! I’m “connected” to half this community but not embarrassed at all to associate with Dr. Majewski. I am also an instructor at Wayne State, card-carrying member of the Democratic Party and a Whiskey in the Jar regular.
Yet, despite your insinuation, intelligent and capable of reading the charter and public documents independent of all of these associations.
So thanks for the bio, but they let women learn and speak for themselves now.
Carrie Beth Lasley
October 3, 2017 at 6:32 am
Since my local paper erased my comments, I’ll try again. Guess the owners would prefer conspiracy theories an inaccurate descriptions of the truth.
I am Carrie Beth Lasley. I’m not hiding. I’m associated with many people in this town because I’m a social person. I do love Dr. Majewkski.
However, I am an educated woman capable of reading an acting without any assistance from Dr. Majewski, the zoning board or WCLB. To say otherwise is insulting to my intelligence and to the patents who valued my education.
A lien and a default are legally very different. You can sell a house with its liens. You can repay a lien. If we want to list liens, council will not make quorum. A default means the loan is settled without the exchange of money, through a court action, such as this court seizure of proprty which occurred DURING his election process.
csercombe
October 3, 2017 at 12:28 pm
the “local paper” did not erase any of your comments. What are you talking about? Comments don’t appear until they are read by us first. If not deemed to be trash talk, libelous, or spam, comments are then published.
cs
Carrie Beth Lasley
October 5, 2017 at 12:13 pm
Chip, apologies. I also told John he could erase the second one.
Nasr, the charter doesn’t specify timing.
Roadman
October 5, 2017 at 1:51 pm
@Carrie Beth Lasley:
Do you have any position on the water bill delinquencies Councilperson Andrea Karpinski has had for years that still may be active?
I this something that should disqualify her from office or perhaps being on the November ballot.
Should the city be paying an outside law firm that City Attorney John Clark is with to conduct an “investigation” of Miah?
Did the city pay $50,000 in fees to then-City Attorney Jim Allen to remove Cathie Gordon from a City Council seat – but never won the case before Judge Torres?
Check to see how many hundreds of thousands of dollars have been paid to City Attorney John Clark’s law firm since 2013 when he replaced Jim Allen as City Attorney.
The fees of Allen Brothers have been audited by an outside auditing firm – but not those of John Clark’s law firm (Giarmarco Mullins & Horton). Why not?
Roadman
October 6, 2017 at 7:50 pm
Councilman Karpinski must have read my post yesterday.
For the first time since August 12th of this year, she achieved a ZERO balance on her obligations a payment posted yesterday of the $115.08 amount referenced above.
Congratulations, Andrea!
Beverly
October 7, 2017 at 8:17 pm
Carrie:
I wish to thank you for your efforts in targeting Anam Miah for this investigation as to property taxes.
I love Karen Majewski too!
Earlier, Hamtramck School Board member Mohammad Huda was taken to court due to the diligent efforts of David Adamczyk – formerly one of the Hamtramck P.D. – and his private detective agency, Michigan Investigators Group, who uncovered powerful evidence that Huda really resided in Warren, as opposed to Hamtramck.
A judge agreed and removed Huda from office.
Anam Miah needs to come down off his high horse and stop being confrontational with other city officials, such as Mr. Perrotta and as he did also with Katrina Powell and her computer and other issues. This investigation of Miah’s property taxes is well taken and the City Attorney needs to undertake all serious investigatory steps and take the appropriate action.
Councilperson Miah will hopefully receive his comeuppance and be made an example of as Mr. Huda was.
There has been a groundswell of public support for Ian Perrotta and the mayor in recent weeks and the public is likewise applauding the complaint you have statrted against Anam Miah. Keep us abreast of developments in this matter.
Guest
October 8, 2017 at 2:04 pm
What Carrie is proposing in nonsense. If you forget to pay a parking ticket or a water bill then you will be expelled from the council and all your old votes will be invalidated.
That’s plain crazy. Even the mayor who did not pay for her water will lose her position.
Please Carrie, we do not need more loonies in city hall.