homeslice

Tue, Dec 1, 2009 : 1:57 p.m.

"I love Ann Arbor. My home is in Ann Arbor." but I don't like to live there, or have my kids attend the schools there. I just want to legislate for other people who are too poor to send their kids to Detroit Country Day, right?

DennisP

Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 4:37 p.m.

The issue of residency is not an indictment of Mr. Friedman's dedication or effort on behalf of the AAPS. But, the LAW requires he remain a resident. MCL 168.310(2)(i) basically says that Mr. Friedman's seat on the school board becomes vacant IMMEDIATELY upon his moving his residence outside of the school district. Did he or did he not move out of the district? If he did, it's not even up to him to resign or for the board to ask for his resignation. The law operates automatically and there is a vacancy. Mr. Friedman, as a lawyer, knows that the definition of domicile and residency isn't always clear. But, in the end, where he returns at the end of the work day, where he receives mail, the address he lists on his driver's license, the address he uses on his tax returns, where he is registered to vote all are evidence of his domicile or residence. It's a question of valid importance because it is a question of the operation of law and his continued legal qualifications to sit on the board per MCL 168.310. If it is found later that he was not properly on the board, the actions of the board can be challenged in a court as void--especially in any action involving a close vote of the board. Residency is important because board members act in representation of their community. They are elected to serve as representatives of the citizenry and to establish policies including curricula, employment and labor policies, school planning and directions, etc. If he has chosen a new community, then he should seek to serve that community. I doubt that there is a shortage of equally qualified and dedicated citizens of Ann Arbor that a resident and citizen could not be found to serve just as well. Mr. Friedman is obliged to clear up the matter of his residency or it can compromise the future actions and decisions of the board drawing them into legal question.

Sean Kesterson

Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 5:35 a.m.

When one runs any kind of organization, and has a governing board, one wants the best, most qualified people possible to serve in that capacity. I think Ann Arbor has been fortunate for the time such a well qualified individual has given in the service of the community, to provide the best education possible for the children. And this is an elected position, so the people, knowing the facts, can decide and cast their vote. Over the last few years, I have seen a lot of Mr. Friedman's work for the board lead to level headedness and progress for the system. President Obama's children don't attend the public schools in DC do they?

patty

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 8:33 p.m.

I feel really lucky that someone as talented and committed as Randy Friedman is willing to volunteer his time in the interest of our public schools, regardless of where his kids attend school. If anyone believes he is doing a poor job on the A2 school board, they should say so, otherwise accept his time and expertise and keep comments about his personal life out of the discussion.

patty

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 8:31 p.m.

I feel really lucky that someone as talented and committed as Randy Friedman is willing to volunteer his time in the interest of our public schools, regardless of where his kids attend school. If anyone believes he is doing a poor job on the A2 school board, they should say so, otherwise accept his time and expertise and keep comments about his personal life out of the discussion.

Woman in Ypsilanti

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 6:49 p.m.

I can't blame this guy for sending his kids to private school. If I had kids and the money, I would send them to private school in Birmingham too (not CD though, Roeper most likely). I dont think that would make me less able to serve on the school board just like I dont think that my not having kids makes me less able to serve on a school board. The only thing holding me back is the idea of sitting through boring meetings all the time makes me cringe. If this guy is willing to do it, more power to him.

a2girl

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 11:54 a.m.

Arrogance, perhaps. If he is doing his job, that is really what matters, as does the issue of his primary residency. Where he sends his children to school is his business. For political reasons, he probably should have made the public schools work for his kids. He also showed poor judgement in choosing to purchase a 5600 square foot house for use during the week. I think people would not be as critical if he had chosen to rent or purchase a modest house or an apartment.

DagnyJ

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 11:26 a.m.

I agree. This is a non-issue. But what is an issue is Friedman's arrogance. And his belief that since he knows what's going on, the rest of us should just sit down and shut up. Perhaps the rich are different....

Dan Rubenstein

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 9:50 a.m.

I want to second Richard Friedman's comments. Some people on this site seem to want to just tear down everything and everyone associated with AAPS. This is a non-issue.

Richard Friedman

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 8:34 a.m.

Randy Friedman -- a friend and neighbor but not a relation -- is a dedicated and capable public servant, and the Ann Arbor Schools are lucky to have him. He is not serving on the School Board for any personal gain; I do not believe he has any political prospects, and if he did, this job would not be helping them. So why on earth would he remain on the Board unless he regarded it as a valuable service to a community that he cares deeply about? Yes, in general it's good if Board members with school-age kids have their kids in the AA schools, but Randy and Donna have decided that at this point their kids will be better served elsewhere. So? Most of the Board doesn't have kids in school at all. Has anybody suggested that Randy isn't passionately dedicated to the improvement of the Ann Arbor public schools. (Hew was a very visible advocate of the millage.) If this flap winds up driving Randy prematurely from office, it will be the community's loss. Rich Friedman

averagetaxpayer

Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 3:12 a.m.

That both homes having primary residence status is a non-issue and irrelevant to the topic (at this time). An inquiry of any assessing official would have revealed that if a home is declared "primary residence" on January 1 of a given year, it remains so for the entire year. That is state law and there is no mechanism to remove or recind the homestead status on either the Birmingham or Ann Arbor home until 2010 (the second home was purchased mid-2009). For balance and fairness to the person that was the subject of this article I believe this detail should have been mentioned in the original article. If both homes have primary residence status in 2010, barring one being for sale, then you could have relevance to the article.

Val Losse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:08 p.m.

Where does he vote on election day? What does his drivers license have as his address? All legal documents that determine his residency. His children and all board members who have children should have their children in the Ann Arbor Public school system. To me that would make them more interested in the system and what is going on.

Macabre Sunset

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:57 p.m.

Anyone can look up an address and phone number and post under any name. I hope if verification is required that people are asked to visit the blog's offices and show photo ID. For now, I choose to establish an identity with this handle. I am consistent, never post under another handle. That rule seems to work everywhere else I've seen forums.

Andrew Thomas

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:56 p.m.

@Elizabeth: Well yes, I recall a number of years ago, there was a big uproar because a teacher at one of our high schools gave failing grades to several football players, thus making them ineligible to participate in the State playoffs. The teacher in question was fair but strict; the players involved hadn't done their work and deserved the failing grades. Had your proposed "tribal council" taken place that week, it would be a safe bet that there would have been enough parents who value athletic prowess over academics to vote that individual off the island.

a2ta

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:20 p.m.

This is amazing! What in the world is happening? We have a governor who cuts $ from the schools, after the teachers union supports her, solely. Now, a board member who admits his loyalty is to an extremely elite academy -Country Day! How can he even imagine how a cash-strapped district can be helped?

Elizabeth Nelson

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:48 p.m.

I think we're in a pretty funny place if my desire to fire incompetent employees amounts to 'vigilante justice' (or, for that matter, the question of whether children are being served amounts to a 'popularity' contest!). Frankly, I'm aware of how a small band of parents CAN generate enough friction to generate consequences (fair or not) but what I'm talking about would give a voice to MORE parents, even those who are, perhaps, NOT assertive enough to be the 'squeaky wheel.' I'm sensing a pretty low opinion of parents if there's suspicion that, given the opportunity, Ann Arbor parents would gang up against a teacher for being a TOUGH GRADER? Is that a joke?

Tom Bower

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:45 p.m.

To Alan Bernard: You wrote, "Lovely hack job. annarbor.com, the rabid conservative's voice in the Huron River valley." I'd call it some good old-fashioned investigative reporting by David Jesse. Shine the light, David. Keep us informed. Thank you.

Andrew Thomas

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:39 p.m.

Elizabeth, No, vigilante justice is not the way to solve either the funding problem or the performance problem. We shouldn't be in the position of voting someone off the island through some sort of popularity poll. If you are aware of a teacher who is, in your words, worthless, this needs to be addressed through administrative channels. If you feel you are not getting anywhere, escalate your concern to the next-highest administrator. I know this can be frustrating (especially if you have a child in that teacher's class and feel you can't wait for the process to be completed) but I see a much greater danger in a few dissatisfied parents banding together to "get" a teacher who may be unpopular for any number of reasons (tough grader, too much homework, etc.).

David Jesse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:34 p.m.

Liz Margolis just e-mailed me that the parking project has a net revenue of $800,000, which goes to the general fund.

Elizabeth Nelson

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:23 p.m.

I'm interested in the comments here re: transparency of the budget. I'd like someone to re-visit that old AANews story of the highest paid school employees in the district because I think now is the perfect time to examine THAT. I'm not interested in debating the relative value of any particular job, because most of the people employed by the district take their jobs very seriously and are truly dedicated to the education of our children. If someone is actually doing their job well, I'm not interested in any argument that they should be paid less. However, I do know that some people employed by the district are either NOT doing their jobs or doing them so poorly that they would never survive a performance review run by PARENTS. Here's my suggestion for addressing the fiscal crisis: open up a 'nomination period' for parents to submit the names of the most WORTHLESS teachers or administrators and then allow this list to go up for a vote, fire the top five or ten vote-getters. If the 'losers' were teachers, you'd obviously have to replace them, but a useless administrator you could almost just eliminate the position entirely. I can think of one administrator in particular who has totally failed to DO her job for so many families that she would never survive a process like this. You could fire her and not even bother replacing her, there would be no change in the status quo.

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:52 p.m.

@treetowncartel: 1) No one here is James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, or John Jay. 2) EVERYONE knew who the authors were despite the use of pseudonyms. 3) The level of discourse on the internet is far below that of the debates that took place over the ratification of the Constitution. No one here is the "Federalist Farmer", either.

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:43 p.m.

dagnyj: see my most recent above

DagnyJ

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:41 p.m.

David, thanks. That's a great document. But it's five years old. Is there a more recent one? And if not, that only proves my point about opaque school finances.

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:39 p.m.

A note on my last: the web site references a "user friendly" guide to the A2PS budget for the 2004-5 school year. No similar document exists that I can find for subsequent years. It would be helpful if the A2PS produced such a document every year. That said, the non-user friendly 2009-10 budget can be found at: http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/admin.bussvcs/files/0910approvedbudget.pdf There you will find that this year's projected "Parking Project" Revenue is $800,000 on a total school budget of $188,000,000. In other words, the cash cow that is Pioneer Parking accounts for roughly.4% (yes, that is.4%. The decimal is not misplaced) of the district's budget.

aapswastewatcher.blogspot.com

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:22 p.m.

We should care more about how he votes than where he lives. He voted for a contract with the MEA that we cannot afford yesterday, today or tomorrow.

treetowncartel

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:18 p.m.

While one can see the point about handles and the use of pen names, don't forget the Federalist Papers were written under pen names. Also, I don't think it is wise in this day and age to post your name address and phone number on a website open to the general public.

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:12 p.m.

dagnyj: What do you think happens to that money? Do you think that that money goes unused somewhere? Funds vacations in Cancun for undeserving teachers? Have you called the A2PS administration to ask the question? Why do you keep dwelling on this? But, since you ask, go to Page 21 at the below website and see "Parking Project": http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/admin.bussvcs/files/0405_userfriendly.pdf Based on posts that you and others have posted on other discussions I am almost certain that you will find the number there to be a bogus one but it seems correct. It is my understanding that the parking lots at Pioneer hold about 2000 cars at $30 a pop = $60,000 per game x 8 games = $480,000 per year for football. Add to that the much smaller demand for parking at basketball games and $620,000 revenue seems quite appropriate. And you will see that that money is accounted for in the school system's general revenue stream. So that's where that cash cow goes. Any other questions? Check the AAPS website. It's full of such information for concerned citizens who want to know what their school system is doing with the money it has.

David Jesse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:02 p.m.

@AAparent: Liz is the designated media contact for the AAPS and as such, most of our inquiries about the district, begin with her.

aaparent

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 4:58 p.m.

David-Could you explain why Liz Margolis is who you contact to answer the Pioneer question rather than someone at pioneer, such as the athletic director, Lorin Cartwright?

David Jesse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 4:49 p.m.

DagnyJ: The question about Pioneer parking has come up before. I just e-mailed AAPS spokeswoman Liz Margolis for an answer. I'll post her answer when I get it.

DagnyJ

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 4:41 p.m.

I applaud Randy Friedman for his service to the school board. And I don't much care how many houses he owns. What kicked this whole thing off was his supreme arrogance when talking about transparency in Ann Arbor school finances. Then he said how much the schools needed the millage. Look, if the finances were transparent, the millage may have passed. But AAPS finances are mysterious and opaque. If Mr. Friedman wants people to lay off he should make every number public--average per pupil cost to run every school, cost of busing broken out by school/route. And I'd like to know what happens to the money paid to park at Pioneer during UM Football games.

Sean Eldon

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 3:28 p.m.

@ David F. Let me add my voice to the chorus: I agree 100% that writers shouldn't hide behind screen names. Sean Eldon Ann Arbor

dotdash

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 3:17 p.m.

Good point David and Craig. I will stop posting as dotdash and in future, post under my real name.

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 3:11 p.m.

Good point David, Craig Lounsbury 28 Revere CT 734-971-8182

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 2:45 p.m.

Though we clearly disagree on this topic, I wish to make clear that Alan Goldsmith has pointed out a problem that has existed with A2.com discussions since the website opened, and that is the anonymous nature of the comments. Such annonymity seldom adds to the discourse and frequently discourages it by allowing posters to make quick, ignorant, angry comments with little thought or concern as to their accuracy or their implication. The Ann Arbor News's policy for Letters to the Editor required verfication of the author's name and residence, and it did not permit annonymous letters. These policies existed for good reason. I do not understand why A2.com's policy regarding the posting of comments on its website is any different. Because this is not "on topic" it likely will be removed, but this is something A2.com needs to address.

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 2:29 p.m.

I fear that a badly phrased poll question has driven some (and perhaps much) of the discussion on this page. The question is not whether or not A2SB members should be required to send their children to the public schools. They are, of course, free to send their children to whatever school they want. The proper question is whether or not a member of the A2SB who sends their children to another school remains qualified for that position. This is a very different question. At Annarbor.com's Fb page, one poster tried to draw the analogy between Mr. Friedman and the manager of a Meijer's store. No one cares, they said, if the Meijer's manager shopped at WalMart. This, however, is not an accurate analogy. A better one would be if Meijer's CFO, with a Meijer less than one mile from their house, travelled more than 40 miles on a daily basis in order to do all of their shopping at WalMart. Such an act by the CFO would send a powerful message to Meijer's customers and to its employees. I think it quite certain that, if this were to happen and were it to become public knowledge, the CFO would quickly lose their job. Mr. Friedmans's message is no less clear and no less powerful: the public school system to which I GLADLY pay my taxes, the school system for which he has shared responsibility, is not good enough for his children. This message should disqualify him membership on the board. As to those who have no children or who have grown children: apples and oranges.

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 2:28 p.m.

Personally I don't care which house is his "primary residence" as declared on some official piece of paper. I care where he sleeps at night. If his wife and kids are staying in Birmingham 5-7 nights a week and he stays in Ann Arbor 2-3 nights a week,(on school board meeting nights?) then I contend he no longer has ties to this town. From the story: "We found that the commute between Ann Arbor and Birmingham too hard on (the children), he said. Still, he said, We do have 4 small children. Like a lot of parents of small children, we spent a lot of time with them at home or at their school functions. "Friedman declined to say how many nights a week he and his family are in Birmingham and how many theyre in Ann Arbor." If those statements don't raise legitimate questions I don't know what does.

a2girl

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 2:24 p.m.

Lisa, "I have NOTHING against the Catholic schools. I simply don't believe that they do more with less." I didn't realize that I had implied that you DID have anything against Catholic schools. I'm sorry that you interpreted my remark that way. I was simply responding to one of your questions for Ypsi about how many staff members have dual roles.

Lisa Starrfield

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 2:07 p.m.

As to the poll, if school board members are required to send their children to AAPS, what does that mean for people who have no children, have adult children or have children too young for school? Is the role of the school board to represent the parents or is it to represent the community?

Steve Pontoni

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 2:06 p.m.

I don't know if we can tell some one where to send their kids to school. But I should hope that the electorate would take notice of his disinterested in Ann Arbor schools when he comes up for re-election.

Lisa Starrfield

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 2:05 p.m.

Ypsi, It's not a question of there being a place for everyone. Private schools are fine. However, unless they are willing to follow all public school laws including getting rid of all religious affiliation and instruction, serving everyone who enrolls, not charging tuition but only taking whatever state law provides, meeting all special ed laws, etc... they aren't eligible for state or federal money. I suspect that many of the things that you like about your children's school would not be possible if they got state money and had to meet all those requirements.

discgolfgeek

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 1:57 p.m.

His kids should be allowed to go elsewhere. However, if he is no longer primarily in the A2 area and is missing more than a few meetings, he should resign.

treetowncartel

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 1:54 p.m.

If I could afford to send my kids to a very good private school ike country day I would do so. I do agree that public schools, particulalry in Ann Arbor, offer much more in the way socially, since the population is diverse in a myriad of ways.

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 1:46 p.m.

Edward V., I'm sorry that you have drawn the short straw on this thread. I think it's worthwhile to point out that Mr. Friedman lists his Ann Arbor mailing address on the home in Oakland County. Having a mailing address other than the property itself on county tax records normally implies an "absent homeowner" and would indicate (to me, anyway) that the Oakland County property isn't the Friedmans' primary residence. The 100% homestead exemption designation on the Oakland County record could be chalked up to careless data entry.

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 1:28 p.m.

Doug, If Mr. Friedman is qualified by virtue of residency to be on the board, then he should remain on the board. I agree that it looks bad as a school board member to pull your kids out of the local public school district, however, I don't think that the Friedmans' rationale for doing so has anything to do with their relative confidence in the local public school district. Instead, it has more to do with what their family values. Family tradition can mean a lot, especially when it comes to education. As far as the papers on the house go, that's between the Friedmans, Washtenaw County and Oakland County. I'm sure it will get sorted out. If you no longer want him on the board, don't vote for him in 2011. Better yet, run against him.

Jack Panitch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 1:24 p.m.

Doug: Read the article again. "Friedman said thats a mistake. Ann Arbor is my primary residence. I never signed any affidavit declaring (the Birmingham house) as my primary residence, Friedman said, adding his lawyer reviewed documents related to the house purchase after AnnArbor.com questioned him. Friedman said the attorney couldnt find any documents saying Birmingham was his primary residence." So, Doug, it looks to me as though Mr. Friedman is directly refuting the accusation, not failing to respond. He says he didn't sign any affidavit, and his lawyer reviewed the paperwork and could not find anything either. How does that fit into your view of the matter?

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 1:23 p.m.

I love all of the Friedman supporters here who sing his praises about his commitment to our community. Say what? He's so committed to the public schools that he helps govern that he sends his children to a private school 40 miles away, and it is not at all clear that he even lives in the district? If that's commitment, I'd hate to see what abandonment looks like.

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:54 p.m.

Lisa, If your only real complaint about cost comparison is building maintenance, how much do you think St. Francis spends on building maintenance each year? Even if they spent on average $2,000 per pupil on building maintenance, the cost of educating a child there would still be less expensive. My point is that the State could be leveraging private education providers for the benefit of its public school systems. Instead, the state chooses the most expensive route, primarily to keep the MEA happy. At what point do you have to admit that there's a place at the table for everyone?

Doug

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:38 p.m.

Let's keep on topic as I was told by Cindy. Parish tuition, DCD tuition, and even Ann Arbor education money has nothing to do with this. In order to comment we have to have a validated email address. Therefor these posts are not anonymous. Quit clouding the issue with rhetoric, inuendos, and accusations. Just like anyone else, and even a lawyer like Randy, I signed all my closing documents and understood the consquesnces of assigning primary residence status to my home. Anyone in Michigan knows the difference. A lawyer knows better than anyone that you read before you sign. Of course a lawyer will avoid answering a question when he/she knows that the answer can have consequences. In this case, the consequences are higher property taxes and disqualification from the AA school board. But why should we care? After all, Randy is willing to be a school board member so why not let him as a few have stated. We should be thankful. Let's overlook unethical behavior. Let's overlook the innocent mistakes made on legal forms. Who cares if he thinks other schools are better and sends his kids there. Who cares if he fights the transparency he promised after he was elected. This guy is a wealthy lawyer politician; can you ask for anything more in terms of qualifications than that? All he has to do is plead innocence and ignorance and have someone issue an apology for the mistakes in his name. We'll forgive and forget. After all, he's doing us all a favor by taking the board seat that no one else apparently wanted.

dotdash

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:37 p.m.

Look, people, he is not trying to put one over on you -- he is trying to work for you for free! Goodness knows there are enough outrages in the world -- this just doesn't seem like one of them.

treetowncartel

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:36 p.m.

@josber, I think you meant if the person does not live in the district, you could live in one of the surrounding townships and still send your kids to AAPS.

Lisa Starrfield

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:34 p.m.

a2girl, I have NOTHING against the Catholic schools. I simply don't believe that they do more with less.

Lisa Starrfield

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:32 p.m.

So the tuition paid to attend Catholic school doesn't begin to cover the costs as the Parish picks up a portion of tuition, owns the building and pays for its upkeep. I don't know what school your kids attend and I don't want to know; that's private. But St. Francis charges $7100 per pupil for non parishners. Given that the Parish pays the building cost regardless, I simply don't see how one can claim they are cheaper.

josber

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:26 p.m.

What kicked this all off was Mr. Friedman complaining about people wanting more transparency to the public of how AAPS spends their money. That was not something he wants to improve. How unfortunate. Other school districts apparently are much more forthcoming on how they spend their money. AAPS needs to be completely straightforward about what is going to be happening in the next few years as the money pot shrinks. Having leadership that doesn't even want to send their own kids to the school they are charged with stewarding is distasteful. Not living in the town when that is the requirement for being on the board, that is everyone's business, and if he does not live in Ann Arbor, he should resign. AAPS needs to be much more open about how the money is spent. Everyone is interested, and it is very important to the community what is going to happen in the system as they adjust to the money trouble.

Cindy and Mike Masini

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:11 p.m.

Randy Friedman's commitment to the AAPS is commendable and admirable. For years he has served on the board and his voice has been important and respected. He has been a highly qualified public servant for our community. His dedication and commitment to the betterment of our local education system is praiseworthy. Now, more than ever, as the AAPS administrators and board members grapple with the current challenges, we appreciate their willingness to lead and their commitment to excellence. Randy Friedman's work toward the value of education of our many thousands of local schoolchildren is an example of public service at its finest.

David Jesse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:09 p.m.

@Jack: They are the official documents taken from the Oakland County Register of Deeds and the Washtenaw County Register of Deeds. If you go to their Web sites, you can see the same information there by searching for Randy's name. FYI - There's a fee associated with the search in Oakland County.

Marvin Face

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:08 p.m.

I don't care where he lives, how many houses he owns, how much he makes for a living, or where he sends his kids to school.. I thank Randy Friedman for his willingness to serve the people of Ann Arbor, and before that, the good people at Detroit Country Day School. His is a largely thankless job and I applaud him for wanting to serve and for doing a very good job.. Keep up the good work Mr. Friedman and do not let the jealousy on this site keep you from your service to this community.

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:08 p.m.

Hi Lisa, Here are the answers to your questions. I hope they help. Q. How many staff members of your children's school are also clergy/nuns? None. All of the teachers at my children's school are lay teachers, with no other role in the Church. Q. How many work for the parish in other capacities? None. Each of the school employees are budgeted for in the school budget, which is separate from the parish budget. Q. Who owns the building that the school is in? Technically, the buildings, including the church and school, and all the land surrounding them, are deeded to the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing. There's been some debate about whether individual parishes should hold their own deeds, though. Q. Who pays for the mortgage? What mortgage? The original building was opened in 1952 and expanded in 1958 (?). I believe the building was built using funds loaned from the Diocese of Lansing. The loan(s) for the building(s) were paid back, like any other loan, with interest to the Diocese and were retired. To the best of my knowledge, there is one outstanding loan on the church building for new construction and modernization, which is being repaid now. That loan was from the Diocese of Lansing. Q. Who pays for the maintenance? The buildings are all maintained by the parish because the parish uses the school for more than school functions, but the school and church buildings have separate maintenance budgets. Ultimately, the funds to maintain all of the buildings come from the parishioners, some of whom have children in the school and some of whom do not. Q. Is it used for other things on Sunday? Yes. (And on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, too.) Q. How much does the Parish put it per pupil? I think the gap between tuition and the school's cost per pupil is between $1,000 and $1,500.

Betsy McCallister

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:01 p.m.

A community is fortunate when any citizen gives generously. Anyone who knows Randy and Donna Friedman, knows that they give generously not only of their money but also of their talent and time. Ann Arbor is a better place because of their broad efforts, period! If you need to judge, how about judging what people do with their gifts. In this case, I trust there would be there would be awe instead of anger and gratefulness instead of the presumptions I'm reading. Thank you Randy for continuing to serve our public schools and for making Ann Arbor a stronger, better community.

AlfaElan

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 12:01 p.m.

Interesting. How old are his kids? If they moved to DCD for high school and he bought the Birmingham house cheap for the 4 years or so they are in high school then he intends to sell it and keep the Ann Arbor house that is one thing. If the kids are younger and will be going to DCD for another 5 to 10 years it seems he shuold not run for another term since in that time frame I would expect the Birmingham place to become home more than Ann Arbor. On the other hand, whether or not there is transparency in the finances of the AAPS, the perceived lack of transparency is a problem that the AAPS needs to address if they are to keep the quality of education here through the current fiscal issues. The argument that there needs to be consolidation of the school districts is a valid one, but that would have to be a long term solution and in the mean time we need to find solutions for the current economic issues to get us through the next few years.

Dr. I. Emsayin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:52 a.m.

Let's see if the house in Oakland county ends up in the wife's name and the one in Ann Arbor in Randy's name.

Jack Panitch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:52 a.m.

David: Do you see any signatures on those documents? Those aren't the relevant documents. They provide some information, no doubt, but they are heresay.

a2girl

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:49 a.m.

Lisa, I think you should tour St. Francis sometime. I think it would be educational for you to do so. My kid's teachers have all been married women. No nuns or priests in that group.

Olan Owen Barnes

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:43 a.m.

I took a quick look at the legal descriptions of both houses and it looks like both have the homestead exemption - he has to pick one for full taxation purposes to meet the legal requirement. I could have interperted it wrong however there appears to be a taxation break on the Oakland property. Once he picks a primary residence he can run and hold offices in that district.

Lisa Starrfield

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:41 a.m.

Ypsilvn, How many staff members of your children's school are also clergy/nuns? How many work for the parish in other capacities? Who owns the building that the school is in? Who pays for the mortgage? Who pays for the maintenance? Is it used for other things on Sunday? How much does the Parish put it per pupil?

treetowncartel

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:38 a.m.

I would say his ability to serve on the Board lies in the answer to the sole question of what address he is registered to vote at.

Spencer Thomas

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:36 a.m.

I don't know enough about Friedman's participation on the school board to judge whether he's a "good" or even "effective" member. To me, that's the primary qualification for school board membership. I'll definitely want to look at that come next election, if he's running then. As a point of fact, his Ann Arbor "residence" has an SEV of $691,900 according to the online tax info available at a2gov.org. That translates to an assessed value of almost $1.4M, same as the house he bought in Birmingham. (The taxable value is lower, at $587,250.) He bought the Ann Arbor house in 2001, for a recorded sale price of $379,900. The oldest tax info available online shows an SEV of $687,400 in 2004, so I'd say it's safe to assume that he actually paid a bit more than 380K in 2001. All of this is in the "for what it's worth" category. I take it to signify that his financial "commitment" to Ann Arbor is in the neighborhood of that same "commitment" to Birmingham.

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:33 a.m.

as I said in my first post my concern is a sort of cumulative thing. Kids go to school in Oakland County Works in Livonia in Wayne County Buys a house in Oakland county near his kids school. Won't answer how much time he spends in the house I would assume his kids live in at least 5 days a week. (An assumption on my part) At some point its reasonable to ask what exactly are his ties to Ann Arbor other than an address?

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:32 a.m.

TopCat, I suppose that's one way to look at it, but ultimately parents choose what they want for their children. Private schooling is the only true form of "school choice" available today. If the state did more to encourage parents (who can afford it) to educate their children privately there would be significantly more funding available for the public schools. Instead, the state fights private education tooth and nail, and we're all poorer for it.

David Jesse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:31 a.m.

@Jack: The paperwork for both houses is linked in the more information section of this story.

Olan Owen Barnes

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:30 a.m.

The easiest way is to see which home has the homestead exemption. By law the governor must remove him by virtue of an administrative hearing. There is not two sets of laws one for the wealthy who can buy a palace in Oakland County and another for lunch pail Joe down the street. Where the children go to school has nothing to do with residency laws and the homestead act.

cwhite20

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 11:08 a.m.

My problem isn't that he doesn't have children that he sends to Ann Arbor schools. As stated, many members of the school board do not even have school age children. My problem is that he has school age children who he has removed from Ann Arbor schools, showing that not even he, a school board member has faith in the school district which he represents. I think that this should be looked at as a conflict of interest. If he doesn't believe the schools are good enough for his children to attend, then what business does he have making decisions about them? I call for his resignation!

aareader

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:59 a.m.

While Mr Friedman may want to do what is right by being a board member it appears we have a conflict of interest. Board members are supposed be advocates of public education, provide the best education for the dollars available, etc. If this guys chooses to send his kids to a private school then he clearly is not supporting the AA Schools. He should resign and let someone who has the best interests of the district at heart become a member of the board.

Steve Norton, MIPFS

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:54 a.m.

@YpsiLiving, I'm sure no one here wants to discount the value and history of parochial schools; I never attended them but had many friends in childhood who did, and have close friends now whose children go to Catholic schools. I think what others are trying to say is that parochial schools have been held up many times in these comment threads as evidence that excellent schooling can cost much less than the public schools are allowed to spend per pupil. But I don't think that comparing tuition rates for parochial schools and the foundation allowance for public schools is a fair comparison. Clearly, many costs are covered by means other than tuition payments, and of course many staff members are not being paid in the way you would expect at a public or independent private school. Catholic schools are evidence that you can do a huge amount with committed staff and the backing of strong institutions that value education. More money is not always the solution, but what our public schools are facing now is a tremendous decline in the resources they will have available, for years to come. Attracting and retaining excellent, committed staff, and maintaining strong institutions that foster good schools, takes resources. This is the balance we need to address.

beuwolf

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:53 a.m.

Interesting story. I wonder if Friedman obtained a mortgage to buy the house in Birmingham. If so, declaring that house as his principal residence was to his advantage since the interest rate on a mortgage on a principal residence is typically lower.

Jack Panitch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:49 a.m.

Today's Profiles in Courage award goes to all the anonymous commenters. A man's name and reputation are at stake here, and all of you hooded folk have such courage. Randy Friedman and his wife do more for this community in each year than most of us will do in our life times. Also, David Jesse will be the first to admit that there are a lot of facts missing from his story. He doesn't put the paper work in front of us, presumably because he doesn't have it, he doesn't know who is responsible for investigating, although this is undoubtedly pretty easy to find out, he doesn't give us the legal standard to apply to determine primary residency (this too is very easy to get), and because he doesn't know the standard, he hasn't investigated all the relevant facts. I don't fault him for that, the story is young. But don't anyone out there go rushing to judgment over Mr. Friedman's residency status. That just isn't civil. We're still civilized aren't we?

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:38 a.m.

Lisa, Catholic school tuition rates are frequently based upon parish membership, not denomination. A Catholic family, therefore, could pay out-out-parish tuition. As far as tuition rates go, sorry, but even the out-of-parish tuition rates for elementary and middle school are lower than the per-pupil payment AAPS receives per child. In fact, they're lower than the base foundation grant at any public school. Catholic schools ARE cheaper until you get to high school, but that's a reflection of the fact that high school education is more expensive to provide. As for special education, the local public school district may provide the service, but the funding comes from the federal government. The local public school district is effectively contracted to provide those services by the federal government and is paid for everything it does. I don't know about the other Catholic schools in the area, but the one my children attend has plenty of special education children in it. Parents self-select the school, so I'm not sure how much weight I would put on the "pick and choose" part. Whether or not students are more motivated is up for debate. I would argue that the students in my children's school are no more or less motivated than students elsewhere. Many of our students come from two-parent homes, with both parents possessing a college degree. I would argue that those two factors each have an impact on student success. I would also argue that the school has a stronger focus on basic education. (At the same time, it manages to offer a full complement of middle school electives and Spanish language instruction throughout the curriculum, from preschool to eighth grade.) I certainly wouldn't argue that the school has better materials than the local public school district does. Better teachers? I wouldn't know how to measure that. Better education? "The proof of the pudding is in the tasting" and even with larger class sizes than what you find in the local public school district, the students in our school do perform well. Lisa, Catholic schools came about in the US because the public school system was openly hostile to Catholic children. In many cases, the "public" school districts, which were supposed to be open to everyone, wouldn't enroll Catholic children (particularly Irish Catholics) at all. Catholic schools were the only options available to Catholics in some areas. If you look at the history of Catholic schools in the US, you'll find that they've had a profound effect on how public education is delivered in the US.

dotdash

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:37 a.m.

David FitzPatrick -- why must he resign? Okay, his kids aren't in the AAPS anymore, but no one has said, "and as a result he has done X, Y, and Z nefarious things". I would guess that his input is valuable and (as the Newmans say) we should thank him for his willingness to give it. I don't think we need to indulge in hurt feelings because he pulled his kids from AAPS. Let's work together with whomever will help for the good of the children of Ann Arbor.

The Grinch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:28 a.m.

You've got to be kidding me. Time for Mr. Friedman to resign from the board.

Rod Johnson

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:16 a.m.

"While having children who attend AAPS is not a requirement for serving on the BOE, I think it is highly desirable." I think this is one of those things that's "obviously" true but there are some less obvious nuances. First, taxpayers in the district should have a voice in how their money is spent regardless of whether they currently have children in the schools. Second, people who will have children in the system in the future should have a voice. And third, a good board--of any organization--has outside members who are able to take a disinterested viewpoint. As long as they have a contribution to make and the best interests of the district in mind they can be valuable members. So, without making any assumptions about Friedman's value to the board, I think the idea that board members definitively should be parents of AAPS students is misguided.

Janelle Baranowski

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:08 a.m.

Great job on this article David Jesse. Maybe the cost of non-homestead property taxes aren't a consideration for people as wealthy as Mr. Friedman, but I really find it hard to believe that this was an oopsy. When you're getting a mortgage, the mortgage broker breaks down the various costs. When I look at homes, most are non-homestead so I have to figure in the cost of non-homestead and the cost once the property reverts to homestead when planning my finances. I find it hard to believe that a lawyer wouldn't take non-homestead costs into account when making a purchase. That being said, when signing the docs I would think he noticed signing a homestead exemption affadavit. Wouldn't that be the headline (title) of a separate piece of paper? If nothing else, you would read the headline of every section before you signed, wouldn't you? Regarding "loyalty tests", those are conducted by the voters at the polls. If you want to ensure that every school board member has children in AAPS, either run for the board or get on the campaign of someone running. Personally, I think it's a good thing to have some people without children on the Board. I grew up in a small town and it seemed that the children of Board members were always getting special priveleges, not to mention they cleaned up in the local scholarship awards. Janelle Baranowski www.some-other-viewpoint.blogspot.com

Lisa and Dan Newman

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:08 a.m.

Does anyone think it is fun to serve on the school board, especially as treasurer, and try to balance the budget during this time of declining tax revenues and state funding? Our school board members donate their time and expertise to perform this unpaid, often thankless public service task. We should be thanking them, and thanking Randy Friedman especially, for remaining involved and committed in spite of having moved his own children to private school.

Lisa Starrfield

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:04 a.m.

Craig, I agree with you completely. In addition, the school district is obligated to provide special education services to students in private school, at the private school.

Jon Saalberg

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 10:02 a.m.

Country Day's fees for four kids is pretty astounding. It doesn't seem very realistic to believe Mr. Friedman is trucking his kids all the way from Ann Arbor to school every day, given how close Beverly Hills is to Birmingham. Country Day fees

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:54 a.m.

He may believe more money "means better teachers, betters materials, and a better education" and to some degree there is a little bit of truth to that. But what makes private schools more successful than public schools is the simple fact that public schools must take all comers where private schools can pick and choose. The percentage of highly motivated students in expensive private schools dwarfs the percentage in public schools. Its just a fact. By way of disclaimer I had three kids who went through the AAPS system K-12.

Lisa Starrfield

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:44 a.m.

Or perhaps, given that Country Day's tuition is twice Ann Arbor's per pupil allotment, he believes that more money means better teachers, betters materials, and a better education. As the district makes cuts to make up for these shortfalls the millage could have eased, I predict more parents will make that choice. Despite the belief that private schools do a better job on less money, most of the private schools in Ann Arbor charge more than the annual per pupil allotment.. sometimes far more. Even the Catholic schools frequently described as 'cheaper' charge as much as our per pupil allotment for high school.. unless you are a Catholic.

Diane

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:38 a.m.

I think another question to ask is how many Ann Arbor Public School Board meetings is he even attending? My son, who is a senior at Huron High School in Ann Arbor, had to attend two school board meetings last school semester (between Feb-June, 2009) for his Government class and surprisingly, Randy Friedman was not there for either of the two meetings he attended. If he is not there for meetings, then how could he possibly be serving his Ann Arbor constituents. My son noticed the fact that Randy Friedman was not there and commented on it to me.

Mike58

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:28 a.m.

Well we can assume Mr. Friedman is trying to bring the AA Public Schools up to some standard where he would be comfortable having his children attend. Or perhaps it's a more self serving reason. Regardless which, it would be best if he stepped down.

SuperFreckleFace

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:19 a.m.

It is apparent what Mr. Friedman is up to. Clearly he doesn't "need" the job of school board member; houses in Birmingham and Ann Arbor plus the tuition for children at a private school. AAPS will be his spring board for some other political job in Michigan once his term is up.

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:18 a.m.

I'm willing to give Mr. Friedman the benefit of the doubt. When you close on a house, the title company puts reams of "standard" closing papers in front of you, one of which is the homestead exemption affadavit. Now granted, you're supposed to read everything you sign - that's probably the first thing they teach you in law school - but if he just bought the house this year, the first tax bill probably hasn't been issued yet. He still has a chance to correct this and if it's corrected, then "no harm, no foul." (Actually, he has a chance to correct this even after the tax bills are issued.) On the other hand, if it's not corrected and he pays the homestead exemption rate on two residences, then you can grouse. In this economy, owning two homes is probably more common than you'd think. Most people probably don't own two homes by choice (as the Friedmans apparently do), but the old dual-homestead trick probably gets pulled regularly.

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:01 a.m.

I think there may be a fudging of truth going on. What point is there to buy a million dollar home near your kids school for purposes of making their lives easier and not live there at least 4 days a week? I suppose I could take his word for it, but geez He's a lawyer AND a politician.

David Jesse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:58 a.m.

@donBee: Randy is not currently on the Country Day board, but was previously, before he was on the Ann Arbor school board

Jon Saalberg

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:56 a.m.

Do we really want someone on the Ann Arbor School Board who doesnt have his children in the Ann Arbor schools?The answer is no. And particularly someone who dissembles and doesn't give a straight answer on his true residency status.

kr8tr

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:48 a.m.

I am certain that informing the Birmingham/Oakland County Treasurer's office that the property is non-homestead would encourage him to choose the Birmingham home. Non-homestead houses are assessed at a much higher rate. A 1.5 million dollar home in Birmingham already pays substantial taxes, remove the homestead exemption and taxes are astronomical...in addition to two mortgages? It is hard to find a ring of truth in his protestations that he believes in the Ann Arbor schools when he is sending his children elsewhere. The difference between him and the other board members without children is that he DOES have children but sends them somewhere else to be educated.

mom2boys

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:48 a.m.

If Mr. Friedman serves the Board well, then let him alone. I sent my boys to a parochial school outside my former district. We all have the right to choose the school for our children. If we are going to make having children in the district a prerequisite--should childless candidates be disqualified? How would one be "effective" if one did not have any children in the AAPS system at all? Sounds ludicrous, but a small pebble can start an avalanche. If there is no residency requirement, the point is moot.

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:46 a.m.

XMO asks rhetorically, "Who elected this guy any ways?" The answer is 1,765 voters according to Washtenaw county election results. He appears to have run unopposed. My guess is some chunk of those voters didn't know much or anything about the guy. They just did their civic "duty" and voted the only available option short of a write in. Thats the system we have.

antikvetch

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:44 a.m.

"I dont have to have my kids in the district to care for education in Ann Arbor, Friedman said. I dont think there should be some sort of loyalty test (to serving on the board)." There absolutely SHOULD be some sort of "loyalty test". This would be no different than the president of GM driving a Mercedes.

aaparent

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:44 a.m.

David- Is there a board policy on residency? That the Ann Arbor schools could not meet the needs of all of his kids does make me question Mr. Friedman's investment in the district. Am I reading your story correctly that of the current trustees on the school board currently, only Deb Mexicotte has children enrolled in the public schools?

YpsiLivin

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:40 a.m.

If he really wanted to do Ann Arbor a favor, he'd declare his Birmingham home to be his primary residence, thereby sending the non-homestead property taxes to Ann Arbor. I suppose that would require him to resign, though... I think it's interesting that he believes that AAPS should be taking lessons from Country Day.

hewy

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:38 a.m.

Do we really want someone on the Ann Arbor School Board who doesnt have his children in the Ann Arbor schools? One thing I liked about Bo Schembechler was that he fired Bill Frieder before the 1989 NCAA when Frieder said he would take the Arizona State job before the end of the season. Bo said he wanted a "Michigan man" (Fisher was not planning on leaving) to coach Michigan. I want people on the Ann Arbor School Board who have a commitment to and faith in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

xmo

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:32 a.m.

I am glad that we have all of the major problems solved for the year so that we can concentrate on where this guys declares his primary residence. It must be slow news cycle. Who elected this guy any ways?

Andrew Thomas

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:32 a.m.

While having children who attend AAPS is not a requirement for serving on the BOE, I think it is highly desirable. The problem is, it's tough for parents with children to make the time commitment required to serve on the BOE, especially if they hold full-time jobs. As I have mentioned on previous posts, the community needs to identify and encourage more good school board candidates.

DonBee

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:31 a.m.

Interesting story, thank you David. Of course by having both homes declared primary residence, he saves 18 mills on both homes in school taxes. I don't care which house ends up his primary residence, but it should be only 1. He probably should pay the back taxes on one or the other. I am sure it is just a mistake by his lawyer. It is not important where his children go and I appreciate that he has family ties to a school. I find it interesting that the story seems to indicate he is on both school boards at the same time and that he is heavily involved in fund raising for Country Day. Alan - I am sorry you consider this a "Hack" job. I know you are unhappy with the election and the majority of the comments here. While I agree this is not a big deal as to the school board seat. I disagree on the issue of two primary homes and I wonder how much time Mr Friedman is really spending working on the deeper issues for AAPS? In 2002 he ran for school board because he wanted reform and transparency. Now his comments seem to offer anything but. He only has 18 months to go, maybe he should not run in 2011. As it stands we (the taxpayers and the students) need his full attention to his job to help work through the budget issues without taking the easy way out and just cutting teaching staff. My real concern is with a company to run and two homes, two school boards and fund raising and... who knows what else, does he have the time it really takes to dig in and help find the real solutions to the problems.

dotdash

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:25 a.m.

What's the big deal here? You don't even have to have school-aged kids to be on the board of ed and he met the eligibility requirements at the time of his election. He's willing to donate significant time and expertise to the public good and you guys are running him out on a rail?

Patricia Lesko

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:09 a.m.

David, well then, even more thanks for a job well done.

Alan Benard

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 8:03 a.m.

Lovely hack job. annarbor.com, the rabid conservative's voice in the Huron River valley.

David Jesse

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:43 a.m.

@Patricia Lesko: Thanks for the comment - I've actually been working on this story for more than a week - digging up land records and interviewing people. I interviewed Randy Friedman last week, but Deb Mexicotte was out of town, and we wanted to make sure we got comment from the school board before running the story. Randy's purchase of a home in Birmingham came up a few times during the countywide schools enhancement millage campaign and was even referred to by another commenter on a previous story.

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:41 a.m.

He works in Livonia, he buys a house in Birmingham to make life easier with kids who attend a school 5 days a week in Oakland county. He declines to say how many nights a week he spends in the Birmingham home. Logic would suggest if you buy the home for the convince of your kids commute your probably staying there somewhere close to 5 nights a week. Do the honorable thing Mr. Friedman and resign. Stop playing residency games with the citizens of Ann Arbor.

Doug

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:08 a.m.

I wonder who is kidding who here. Are we supposed to believe that someone purchases a 2nd part time home for 1.5 million dollars? Do the servants babysit in the 2nd home during the school week while the parents live in the Ann Arbor home? I know lawyers live on technicalities, but face it, the public isn't as stupid as some people seem to think. Resign and move on.

Patricia Lesko

Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:06 a.m.

The tip about Friedman's children attending DCD originally posted by a reader of A2Politico yesterday (http://www.a2politico.com/?p=1666). It was later confirmed by another A2Politico reader. Congratulations to David Jesse for picking up on the tip, and digging up the residency information. Well done.