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Ann Arbor, Michigan
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ANN ARBOR
Discussion of accessory dwelling unit draws crowd
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Dr. Daniel Geary, an assistant professor at Trinity College, discusses the 1965 Moynihan Report and its relationship to current politics at Weill Hall Monday.
Panel discusses legacy of 1965 Moynihan Report Senator argued absence of nuclear families hindered Black communities By ALLANA AKHTAR Daily Staff Reporter
Members of the University community gathered in Weill Hall on Monday evening to discuss the political rhetoric and subsequent policy decisions of
the widely controversial 1965 Moynihan Report. The report, written by Daniel Moynihan, former assistant secretary of labor and U.S. senator, argues that the increasing proportion of single-mother households in the Black community stemmed from a culture with origins in slavery and Jim Crow discrimination, rather than a lack of jobs. The report argued that the absence of nuclear families hindered the ability for Black communities to achieve increased political and economic equality.
Both political liberals and conservatives have used the report to support their policy agendas. The panel featured Daniel Geary, an assistant professor at Trinity College and author of upcoming book “Beyond Civil Rights: The Moynihan Report and its Legacy.” Sociologist Anthony Chen, a former University faculty member, and Sociology and Public Policy Ph.D. candidate Matthew Alemu also contributed to the discussion.
City Council hears opinions on an alternative housing option By ANASTASSIOS ADAMOPOULOS Daily Staff Reporter
Geary said the report hurt efforts working toward racial equality, though it has received praise from both liberals and conservatives, citing conservative Washington Post columnist George Will and liberal New York Times columnistNicholas Kristof. Geary said though both ideologies call for different programs to address inequity along the lines of race and class, they fail to address the underlying causes for Black family dynamics by See MOYNIHAN, Page 3
Citizens packed the Ann Arbor City Council chambers to nearly full capacity during Monday night’s meeting, as they organized to express concerns with an item that was not on the night’s agenda: accessory dwelling units. Accessory dwelling units are additional housing units created within an existing property, either in the main residential house or in an attached, additional house. Legalizing accessory dwelling units is one option council is considering to help increase affordable housing in Ann Arbor. These units would potentially generate revenue to the homeowner and could be less expensive than traditional housing options. Seven of the nine public com-
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Incumbent to face challenger in fourth ward Democrats Eaton and Magiera begin campaigns for August primary By ANASTASSIOS ADAMOPOULOS Daily Staff Reporter
Incumbent Jack Eaton (D– Ward 4) will compete against challenger Jaime Magiera in the August Democratic Primary to represent the 4th Ward on the Ann Arbor City Council. The 4th Ward is in the southwestern part of Ann Arbor and is partly bound by East Madison Street to the north and Packard Street to the east, with the northwest boundary encircled by the I-94 freeway. According to a Michigan Daily analysis, about 20 percent of registered students live in the 4th Ward. Eaton, an attorney, was elected to City Council in November 2013. He said the period since his election to council has not been long enough for him to accomplish all the goals he set out to achieve. “I think I’ve had some impact on the decisions made by council,” Eaton said. “I would like to follow through and just make sure that we really pay attention to the fundamental services that a government should be providing.” One of Eaton’s main concerns is how the city will allocate its money and he noted that the city
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needs to prioritize its spending. “We are coming out of a pretty dramatic recession, and as our revenues increase I’d like to be there to help fashion where we’re going to allocate these resources,” he said. “I think this is a really important time to pay attention where we are spending money.” While Eaton said he has helped rebuild Ann Arbor’s police and fire departments, he said as the city’s budget increases, initial cuts to these departments need to be reconsidered, and the city must decide how much money it should spend on public safety. “If we’re careful with how we are spending the money that we have, we can address a lot of areas we neglected during the recession,” he said. Eaton said his experience and critical voice on council has been key to making him a good representative of his 4th Ward constituents. “I think that I bring a common sense perspective to City Council,” Eaton said. “A healthy sense of skepticism, so that I do ask tough questions, make sure we are making good use of taxpayer revenues... I think I give a voice to the residents and the neighborhoods in the 4th Ward.” Eaton’s challenger, Jaime Magiera, speaks with a Daily reporter Sunday about how his past in information management would aid him if elected. (Allison Farrand/Daily) Magiera has been politically active in the past, such as supSee WARD, Page 3
mentaries focused on the subject of accessory dwelling units. Ann Arbor resident Luke Norman spoke in support of accessory dwelling units, noting they would help foster affordable housing in Ann Arbor. “Briefly legalizing accessory dwelling units would allow homeowners to rent out a converted garage, or a basement or even a tiny house in their property, which is a great way to increase the number of affordable rentals we have in Ann Arbor.” He said he requests that council allocate $25,000 for a consultant to review the existing plan in the zoning code and to make recommendations for how to best legalize ADUs. He also requested the planning commission and the planning department make the legalization of ADUs a top priority. Ann Arbor resident Sanders Hamson said he supports the above requests, as he would potentially consider offering an ADU for rent, and wants to know more about the process. “One of the factors that would assist me in thinking about this possibility would be to see how it See DWELLING, Page 3
Research examines Medicare payments
Neurologists reimbursed at lower rate for patient meetings By KATIE PENDROD Daily Staff Reporter
RITA MORRIS/Daily
Deroy Murdock, columnist and Fox News contributor, speaks about race and politics at the “Blacks, Democrats, and Republicans: Modern Myths v. Historical Facts” event put on by the Young Americans for Freedom at the University of Michigan at the Rackham Building on Monday.
Fox News correspondent talks political affiliations Speaker shares his views on race and Republican Party history By COLLEEN HARRISON Daily Staff Reporter
The University’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom brought Fox News correspondent Deroy Murdock to campus Monday evening to discuss race and party affiliation. Murdock, a longtime conservative and member of YAF, discussed the history of the Republican Party and its relationship with Black Americans. Murdock initially began work-
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ing with YAF in high school, and continued his membership through his time at Georgetown University. “My basic message today is that the Republican Party and conservatives has spent most of the 150 years trying to liberate Black Americans,” Murdock said. Since the University’s YAF chapter was founded last semester, the group has pushed for increased conservative discussion on campus. This is the group’s second lecture event; the first hosted conservative author Jonah Goldberg in February. LSA freshman Grant Strobl, chairman of the University’s chapter of YAF, said the group aims to promote conservative ideas on campus. “We want to provide anoth-
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er perspective on issues, we want to create more intellectual diversity on campus,” Strobl said. “It’s unfortunately become a habit where alternative viewpoints have been shut down.” Throughout Murdock’s talk, he discussed 150 years of racial movements in America. Murdock said he considers the Democratic Party racist, though he said he believes Republicans are often seen to be more racist of the two major political parties. “While our side plays the race card very rarely, our opponents play the race card like a blackjack dealer in Vegas,” Murdock said. Murdock also said several Democrats have had links to See POLITICAL, Page 3
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The care provided by neurologists more often consists of providing consultations to patients than performing tests and procedures, according to a study released last Wednesday. However, Medicare reimburses neurologists at a lower rate for these face-to-face meetings, compared to services like a surgery or biopsy. Led by Neurology Prof. Kevin Kerber, the study reviewed all Medicare payments to neurologists in 2012. The study found 60 percent of the Medicare reimbursements paid to neurologists were classified as “evaluation and management services.” These usually include the doctor and the patient discussing conditions and the best methods of treatment or following up on chronic conditions. Surgeons, for example, report providing far fewer of these services, ranging between 15 and 51 percent of their reimbursements. Neurology Prof. Lesli Skolarus, one of the study’s researchers, said the majority of neurologists’ work is not procedural or surgical, but rather, involves meeting See MEDICARE, Page 3
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