Now that Snyder had decided to sidestep a Legislature that's all too willing to let Moroun campaign cash influence its decisions, Tlaib and like-minded legislators no longer have their vote to use as a bargaining chip.

That means the city of Detroit — especially the City Council — will have to step into the breach to assure the residents of Delray are protected.

"We are not asking for extravagant things, but instead common sense solutions for this community, like: Trucks should be kept off neighborhood streets, air quality and health protections must be put in place to reduce diesel pollution, neighborhood improvement programs need to be available to residents, families and businesses in the area [need to be] treated fairly during and after construction, and jobs created by the NITC must be offered to local residents," Tlaib asserts. "If this new crossing is good for our state, then it also needs to be good for the residents who will live next to it. The host community is primarily made up of poor and minority families and they deserve all the protections and safeguards that any other community would ask for."

And how can the council assure that?

"The city of Detroit owns 70 percent of land needed for the new bridge," Tlaib tells News Hits. "If that land is to be transferred to the state, that must go through City Council. We are asking the city of Detroit leadership to hold off in transferring or selling property for this project until promises kept."

"If that leadership is smart, if they are creative, they will see that this is a once-in-a-lifetime project that could completely transform a sector of the city that has been neglected for years. This is tremendous opportunity. I hope our city leadership opens their eyes to it." 

News Hits is written by Curt Guyette. Contact the column at 313-202-8004.

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