Kailaspathy's ability to analyze fiscal information could prove priceless for city
Sumi Kailasapathy is the most qualified candidate for City Council in the 1st Ward. She received a B.A. in economics and political science from Wellesley College. She then went on to receive an M. A. and M. Phil. in political science at the New School for Social Research. She taught gender studies, political economy and globalization at EMU for ten years. She also taught at the Chinese University in Hong Kong.
She made a career switch about five years ago, and is now a CPA at a downtown accounting firm. It is vital that a council member be able to analyze fiscal information provided by the city staff, and that s/he be able to “drill down” and get information that may exist, but may not have been provided. Her opponent, on the other hand, does not have any relevant educational or professional qualifications. He is apparently employed part time as a tennis coach, and says he is going back to school in the fall. Kailasapathy has both the education and experience needed to serve on City Council and to serve her constituents. Please vote for her in the Democratic primary on Aug. 7. David Cahill
Ann Arbor
Comments
so much nonsense
Sun, Jul 29, 2012 : 8:19 p.m.
Having a CPA is good, just not needed, proven by all the elected officials in municipal government in the city, county, state and nation. One can intelligently process information given to them by paid staff and form policy on it without knowing the specifics of accounting. Staff has never made policy, they just give information that the council uses to make policy. @David Cahill If you think council is being "cowed by alleged staff experience" then how can you trust anyone, anywhere in life. It is their job to present the numbers to council as they are. Kailasapathy will find fault with everything (just to slow things down) and will just be a negative force on the city preventing any good from happening. I believe that Sturgis will have more of an open mind even if he is not a CPA. After all David, your wife, Sabra Briere who is a current councilmember is not a CPA either. Does she not understand the finances due to lack of a CPA?
Tom Whitaker
Sun, Jul 29, 2012 : 9:29 p.m.
So she only has multiple degrees and merely five years of financial experience...how does this compare with her opponent who's only qualification in your view is his positive attitude and willingness to take everything he's handed at face value? I'm sorry, but implementation of policy is just as important as the creation if policy. We need critical thinkers who are able to forsee the implications of actions as they relate to policy, budgets and our master plans.
David Cahill
Sun, Jul 29, 2012 : 5:57 p.m.
Elected council members are supposed to make decisions, not the unelected staff. It will be refreshing to have a council member who understands municipal finance and won't be cowed by alleged staff expertise.
so much nonsense
Sun, Jul 29, 2012 : 5 p.m.
Priceless? Really? She has less than five years experience as a CPA. Everyone assumes she has 20 years experience based on her age, but she made a mid-life career change (as you said), so she does not. Her experience equates to a 26 year old with a BBA/CPA degree. However she campaigns as the expert with extensive experience. She is really not all that experienced. Besides, having a CPA is not actually required of a councilmember. We have skilled staff with many more years experience than her who explain what the numbers say. That is an out and out insult to city staff who work hard and are dedicated. Numbers don't lie. However, you have to have trust in people who work for the city instead of conspiratorially thinking everyone is lying and out to get you such as Kailasapathy does,
Tom Whitaker
Sun, Jul 29, 2012 : 8 p.m.
We elect qualified fellow-citizens represent us and to lead our government in the direction we would like to see it go. Citizens are also appointed to boards and commissions, presumably to also see to it that the will of the people is being served--both on major policy matters as well as more routine, mundane government functions. This is called a democratic republic. If the people we elect or appoint are unable to intelligently process the information presented to them and make rational decisions, then those people will not be doing their duty, and we the people, will essentially be led by unelected bureaucrats. That is known as a bureaucracy. Five years of CPA experience plus degrees in economics and political science all sound pretty impressive to me. Now, what were her opponents qualifications again?