In Hamtramck new school board members elected; tax millage OK’d

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck stayed true to its blue Democratic roots.
But just barely.
While Hamtramck voters threw their support to Democrats, the rest of the nation voted for Donald Trump, the former president, to go back into the White House, stunning many political observers.
Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib, who bucked Hamtramck’s long tradition of elected officials being solidly Democratic, couldn’t be more pleased.
“Mission accomplished. Congratulations, Mr. President,” he said on his Facebook page.
A slim majority of Hamtramck voters gave their support to Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
In Hamtramck, Harris won with 3,266 votes, compared to Trump’s 3,017 votes.
(In the 2020 presidential election, Trump received a little over 1,000 votes, and Biden got over 6,000.)
Green Party candidate Jill Stein peeled away 633 votes — votes that may have normally gone to the Democratic candidate in past elections.
Michigan voters also supported Trump, by a slim majority of 49.9 percent of the vote total, barely edging out Harris, who garnered 48.2 percent. In the early morning hours of Wednesday, Wisconsin voters put Trump over the threshold to win.
For decades, Hamtramck has been a Democratic stronghold. That tradition has been shattered by a new demographic majority living here: Conservative Muslims.
Locally, the school board now has two new members: Linda Wolyniec and Mohamed Algaheim.
School Board President Jihan Aiyash lost her bid for re-election.
In a surprise move, Hamtramck voters finally met a property tax they could get behind: namely, the tax millage renewal for the public school district, which will mean the district will continue to receive $2.7 million a year for up to 10 years.
The millage likely succeeded because homeowners do not pay this tax. Instead, the tax burden is on commercial property owners and those who own rental units.
Hamtramck voters also supported a countywide education millage. Other county voters outside the city also said yes to the millage renewal.
The district thanked voters for their support on its Facebook page, saying:
“Hamtramck, your support means the world! … Thank you to our incredible community for your support. Together, we’re shaping brighter futures for our students. Let’s keep building a stronger Hamtramck!”
As for the city turning Republican, that came about largely because Mayor Ghalib galvanized local support for Trump. Ghalib made national and international news for his endorsement.
Normally, a Hamtramck mayor doesn’t draw much attention – if any — over their endorsements, but this time it signaled a significant cultural and political shift.
The endorsement drew the media spotlight because Ghalib is an Arab and a Muslim. During Trump’s presidential term, he drew the ire of Muslims in the country for his travel ban on Muslim countries, and his strong support of Israel.
But a number of those in the Muslim communities of Hamtramck, Dearborn and Dearborn Heights turned against President Biden and his administration because of Biden’s continued supplying of military aid to Israel as its invasion into Gaza continues. That war has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinians being killed.
However, Trump is also a supporter of Israel, and has told Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “finish the job” in Gaza.
Muslims also turned away from the Democratic Party over cultural issues, such as LGBTQ rights.
Ghalib has acknowledged that his support of Trump has come at a price for the city, saying that the Democratic-controlled state legislature withdrew an expected grant for street repairs.
Ghalib became increasingly hostile toward Democratic leaders in the state, and seemed to suggest, on his Facebook page, that those who voted for Harris did so to spite him.
“I felt sorry and disappointed that many of our fans and supporters chose to stay at home or throw their votes to the garbage, and parties that have no luck in winning, while the opposition party to the mayor chose to go out in full force just because the mayor chose this path, so they decided to go the other path!” he said.
As for election day in the city, there was a steady and heavy stream of voters heading to precincts to cast their votes.
At the housing project and senior apartments, DJs provided entertainment. They were part of a broader effort to lure voters out called “DJs at Polls.”
Besides the festival feel of the day, voters were also greeted by unseasonably balmy temperatures, even though it was also mostly cloudy.
Over at the High School Community Center, there were several Yemeni men dressed in black suits and wearing red ties, there to promote Trump.
Also at the polls were federal monitors, sent by the Department of Justice, to make sure there was no voter interference.
Hamtramck election results were available by 11:30 p.m.
Updated Nov. 8, 2024