[Kincaid]

I wouldn't pick Madison Hts. Livonia isn't very expensive and it's safe.

[DeoGratias]

The question the original poster asked is impossible to answer. There aren't "areas" to avoid in Southeast Michigan, you're much better off just avoiding Southeast Michigan.

Michigan is a wonderful state, I have a lot of family there, but avoiding the SE corner is the only way to truly appreciate what Michigan has to offer.

[dagnabit9]

Who would move to a certain area of the country and THEN go look for a job? I think people do it the other way around - they have a job offer somewhere and they want to know where a good place to live would be. The responders that offer 'advice' such as staying away from Michigan because the job market is bad aren't being entirely truthful. The reason they're coming to Michigan is because they already HAVE a job. I wish such advice-givers would bite their tongue a bit more and resist the temptation to bash Michigan. The gloom-and-doom is everywhere in the US and, yes, Michigan is a bit harder hit. That being said, not all of those that come (or want to come) to Michigan will work (or want to work) in the auto industry.

[LENAWEECOUNTY]

"Actually you couldn't be further from the truth..saying "Once the Unions are out of there, the place might have a chance." My dear..they are the reasons why we have weekends, get higher wages, and are not in slave labor. Once you stop buying foreign crap..then we will have a chance "

With all due respect, the facts speak for themselves: Unions have not protected jobs, they have caused employers to send work elsewhere. You do agree that hundreds of thousands of Union jobs have gone to non-Union workers here and abroad?

Anybody that knows anything about Unions, especially those that are Union members know that rigid Union work rules on the plant floor, rules requiring skilled workers that aren't needed for weekend work or on a regular shift, punched in while not in the plant, drunk on the job, high on the job, absenteeism for all kinds of reasons (justified and protected by Unions), and every other cousin of the issues I listed above. Then, the pay and benefits are no longer competitive in this global economy, especially when Union workers cause inefficienies in production that don't justify their relatively high wages and benefits anymore. The bottom line is that Unions always have and continue to treat their employer like the enemy instead of developing the mindset that the competitor of the company the worker works for is "the enemy."

Your mindset of blaming consumers for buying "foreign crap" as the reason Union jobs have vanished is false and simpleton. Also, your statement that without a Union you'd be slave labor, etc. is outdated, untrue and is what is causing America to lose good jobs to overseas workers.

When UAW workers go out on strike to "protect their jobs" they have it totally ass-backwards. Illogical striking workers are just another reason for a rational, logical employer in this global competitive world to go elsewhere to find more efficient, reliable workers. Why would anybody invest scare money in new plant and equipment only to be treated badly like Unions treat their employers? If you had money and were a risk-taking entreprenuer, I guarantee you'd do the same thing - find non-union workers that want to work.

[Wixom Resident]

I agree with Bridgett stay away from South Lyons Schools. Walled Lake Western isn't any better. I really think all schools need an overhaul. Walled Lake Western has some teachers that need to see the unemployment line. Maybe then they will rethink how they treat the tax payers children. I think they have to many administration sitting on their fannies in the office and then they justify having one hall monitor. What a joke. It is a sheer jungle in that school. PS: the principle is clueless!!

[hha]

Originally Posted by KenH

Hello, I have an offer to work at the University of Toledo and I'm considering living in S. MI. I was curious what is the feeling about the area around Lambertville and Temperance. What are the negatives about living there and working in Toledo? The geography looks much nicer, nice houses on spacious properties seem priced to buy, and I hear the Bedford schools are pretty good. Any thoughts, warnings or words of encouragement?

Thanks in advance,

KH

KenH-
Hi. I'm a long time resident of Bedford spending nearly three decades here and attended Bedford's school system from K-12. The local area has been pretty hard hit by the economy. Toledo is a major auto hub and so is Monroe, MI so there's not much to look forward to in that respect. Also, the bedford housing market has been affected by the economic downturn.
Otherwise, the school district is good. Academically the school system is strong with caring teachers and staff and they offer many AP classes and tons of top notch extra curriculars as well. but when I was going there it was not without it's problems....extensive discipline problems in the junior high and high school and a somewhat lack of school spirit. parent involvement is still fairly high though. They did however build a new addition to the high school which I do believe eased some of the over crowding. And within the past ten years they built a new football stadium...very nice complex.
As part of the summerfest we have a carnival and fireworks. In the fall/winter the Bedford Business Association offers a business fair. We also have a satellite branch of Monroe County Community College and it's a nice facility. The huge library has been completely renovated recently. There are a few parks to enjoy in Bedford and the Toledo Metroparks are nice too and fairly closeby (within about 20min drive). There are also plenty of restaurants in the area and some limited night life in Bedford. I'd suggest to find better night life, go into Toledo. Bedford is more of a residential area; not a whole lot of bigger businesses.
Living in Bedford and traveling to Toledo is ok. It's only about 5-10 min drive to the ohio line, but be prepared for the potholes/contruction (in both Bedford and Toledo) in the summer and also be prepared for the harsh winters. Bedford township usually does not do a very good job of keeping roads clear in the winters making driving sometimes impossible especially after a bad snow/ice storm. Most of the time they do not even attempt to clear the subdivisions and only clear the main roads. Toledo does a much better job at clearing winter roads though. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by csrorick

Actually you couldn't be further from the truth..saying "Once the Unions are out of there, the place might have a chance." My dear..they are the reasons why we have weekends, get higher wages, and are not in slave labor. Once you stop buying foreign crap..then we will have a chance

The unions supported the globalists in their elections.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by LENAWEECOUNTY

"Actually you couldn't be further from the truth..saying "Once the Unions are out of there, the place might have a chance." My dear..they are the reasons why we have weekends, get higher wages, and are not in slave labor. Once you stop buying foreign crap..then we will have a chance "

With all due respect, the facts speak for themselves: Unions have not protected jobs, they have caused employers to send work elsewhere. You do agree that hundreds of thousands of Union jobs have gone to non-Union workers here and abroad?

Anybody that knows anything about Unions, especially those that are Union members know that rigid Union work rules on the plant floor, rules requiring skilled workers that aren't needed for weekend work or on a regular shift, punched in while not in the plant, drunk on the job, high on the job, absenteeism for all kinds of reasons (justified and protected by Unions), and every other cousin of the issues I listed above. Then, the pay and benefits are no longer competitive in this global economy, especially when Union workers cause inefficienies in production that don't justify their relatively high wages and benefits anymore. The bottom line is that Unions always have and continue to treat their employer like the enemy instead of developing the mindset that the competitor of the company the worker works for is "the enemy."

Your mindset of blaming consumers for buying "foreign crap" as the reason Union jobs have vanished is false and simpleton. Also, your statement that without a Union you'd be slave labor, etc. is outdated, untrue and is what is causing America to lose good jobs to overseas workers.

When UAW workers go out on strike to "protect their jobs" they have it totally ass-backwards. Illogical striking workers are just another reason for a rational, logical employer in this global competitive world to go elsewhere to find more efficient, reliable workers. Why would anybody invest scare money in new plant and equipment only to be treated badly like Unions treat their employers? If you had money and were a risk-taking entreprenuer, I guarantee you'd do the same thing - find non-union workers that want to work.

I just encountered an example of a part of this. Unions are so inflexible that they eliminate jobs in the name of protecting workers and getting higher wages.

My father is involved in a non-prfit chartiy group. they have an event once a year whee they need to use the local high school cafeteria and kitchen. The school requries that a school employee be present to watch over things. This employee is a union employee so they must get paid overtime to do this. the employee does nothing, just sits in a chair and reads a book or talks on the telephone, and gets paid double time or time an a half.

The chartiy group cannot afford to pay the time and a half this year. The employee is willing to sit in the chair for just his straight time and the charity can just afford the event if they pay straight time. However the union will not allow it. Thus, the event is cancelled. No charity event, no extra work at all for the union employee, no rental fee for the school district. The union did nto help the employee. He wants to get paid extra for sitting on a chair over the weekend. However since the Union will not budge ont eh rules, he cannot work the weekend. Since he cannot work, he gets nothing extra and the union gets no added dues/fees.

Thus, the employee loses, the union loses, the school district loses, the charity loses, and the beneficiaries of the charity lose. Where is the union doing good in this situation?

Another example occurred years ago. My sister was working on a line. Someone spilled a coke and the bottle broke. They had to shut the line down because it was unsafe. After waiting a while for a janotior, my sister started cleaning up the broken glass. She was repreimanded (I think that she was actually fired) because she was not in the janitor union. The janitor union guy took so long to show up that some people had to go home. I do not know whether those people were paid, but the bottom line, the union is doing no good for anyone whatsoever in this situation. THe big loser is the company, however as the company loses money, they cannot offer as much to the union employees, or they may even shut down.

In too many instnaces, the unions now do a disservice to their members as well as to the employers that they should be working closely with to enure profits and the ability to pay workers or offer better benefits. Hurting the company, hurts the workers, but they do not seem to get that.

That is the entire problem with unions as I see it. They refuse to apply common sense in developing and applying the rules. The inflexible rules and petty dickering between various unions are as much, or more of a problem as unrealistic demands for benefits or wages.

[Paradise Calling]

I would avoid all of the "downriver" area like the plague. This being the group of cities directly south of Detroit. Ecorse, Wyandotte, Lincoln Park, Southgate, etc..

I've lived in the area my entire life and it has been a constant downward slide, and has only become worse with the depreciation of home prices.

Ann Arbor is nice if you're into more busy cities. I hear good things about Royal Oak. Novi and some other parts of Oakland County are pretty nice as well.

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by Kincaid

I wouldn't pick Madison Hts. Livonia isn't very expensive and it's safe.

Safe and very wonder bread....white through and through with some color on the edges....