State Rep. says big bucks coming to city

State Rep. Abraham Aiyash

By Charles Sercombe
For the past few weeks, State Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) has hinted at a financial windfall coming to Hamtramck.
And by big, he said state funding will be to the tune of millions of dollars.
In a June 29 posting on Facebook, he said that day was a “historic” moment for Detroit and Hamtramck, as the state legislature was wrapping up a budget.
“We secured tens of millions of dollars in funding for our schools, infrastructure, for revenue sharing and this will be a very historic budget that the governor will be signing soon,” he said.
In about a two-minute message he recorded while in a budget session in Lansing, he added:
“Hamtramck and Detroit are set to get a whole lot of money to start fixing the problems that have plagued (these) communities for so long.”
Hamtramck has no shortage of needs, with the greatest being then updating of its sewer service. The city has suffered from widespread flooding in basements because of the current sewer system configuration.
The estimated cost to fix the flooding problem (caused by the sewer system being over loaded during heavy rains) is about $50 million. Hamtramck has already taken some initial steps toward fixing the problem, thanks to various grants.
The city is under a court settlement agreement to fix the problem, but there has been no funding source offered.
Aiyash addressed the big news again on July 14 with another Facebook posting, saying:
“I am proud to have lead the negotiation to secure one of the largest infrastructure investments in Hamtramck’s history.”
Aiyash went to say that this is the first time in 40 years “Michigan’s budget finally addresses some of the state’s biggest challenges caused by decades of detrimental under-funding.”
The 40-year reference is to this being the first time in 40 years that Democrats control both the legislature and occupy the governor’s office.
Aiyash ended that Facebook post with the tease: “Stay tuned for more announcements in the coming weeks,”
Aiyash is the city’s first Yemeni-American voted into the legislature, and is the state’s first Arab-American to be appointed as Majority Floor Leader.
The Review reached out for more details, and Aiyash said he would get back. As of Thursday, the day The Review went to press, there had been no follow-up.
In the meantime, not everyone welcomed the good news.
Aiyash has been getting backlash from some in the local Yemeni community for co-sponsoring a bill to include LBGTQ civil rights protection in the state’s Elliot-Larson Civil Rights Act.
Commenting on Aiyash’s recent Facebook posts about the financial news, a person who goes by the name of Fares Alhalemi said:
“He thinks that he can buy our votes and trust by getting more infrastructure budget for the city, but he forgot that humanity comes first. Nothing worth risking our kids future.”
He added: “I can’t vote for him again and trust him for our kids future.”
Stephanie Butler of Dearborn, who has been leading a crusade against LGBTQ literature in schools, and is an opponent to having a pride flag on city flagpoles, also weighed in:
“Once a traitor, always a traitor!!!”
Aiyash has not spoken publicly about the mayor and city council banning the display of pride flags on city property.
In the meantime, Aiyash is hosting a “coffee hour” this Saturday, July 22, at Kitab Café (2727 Holbrook) this Saturday, July 22 from 9 to 11 a.m.
The event is open to the public.
Posted July 21, 2023