'Occupy' Protestors Rally In Detroit Today
DETROIT (WWJ) - Hundreds of members of Occupy Detroit are expected to take part in rallies, teach-ins and marches downtown Thursday afternoon as part of a National Day of Action by the Occupy Movement.
Occupy Detroit spokesman Lee Gaddies says that the aim is to protest the fact that the cost of the economic crisis created by the banks is being borne by the average worker.
"When you have a mayor who hasn't created any jobs, but gives tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires to move their businesses to the city and then don't pay any taxes for 15 years - how's that fair to residents who've lived here and are footing that bill for the police and fire and garbage pick-up?," says Gaddies.
He adds, "When you give $1.8 billion in tax cuts to corporations that haven't created a single job in Michigan, but then tax workers' pensions funds - how is that fair?"
And as for Detroit's financial crisis, Gaddies says Mayor Bing is tackling the situation the wrong way.
"Why isn't he talking about how Detroit can generate money? With all of the ideas that people have given the mayor's office on how to generate income for the city, why isn't that talked about? Why is the only conversation we're having in the media about cutting things - not about growing the city, growing the tax base," says Gaddies.
The Occupy Detroit events begin at 3pm today at Grand Circus Park and will culminate in a rally at the City County Building at 4pm.
