Blaming budget woes on a failed movie studio arrangement, the Allen Park City Council voted Tuesday night to issue layoff notices to its firefighters… The layoffs affect all 27 firefighters except for the chief, who is appointed.
Allen Park had, apparently put all its eggs in a single basket: Unity Studios. When the film studio pulled out of its agreement and moved to Detroit instead, it left a financial hole that only 27 fire fighters could fill, apparently. The City had spent $25 million to purchase land worth $14 million and then leased it to the studio. The studio subsequently reneged.
As revealed in a series of reports by the Action News Investigators, the city agreed to buy the land for more than $25 million when it was valued at only $14 million.After quibbling with the city over his lease agreement Lifton packed his bags and moved his production school out of the city and Allen Park is still paying off debt from the purchase.
More on the failed deal HERE.
27 firefighters sacrificed because of a failed business deal cut by the city. How ironic that webpage for the mayor of Allen Park, Gary Burtka, says this:
Mayor Burtka clearly understands the importance of public safety and service as well as fiduciary responsibility on behalf of the residents he serves. He firmly believes that Integrity is the key to success.
I’m just sayin’…
