Politics & Government

Dearborn Councilman Seeks Fourth Term, Vows Fiscal Responsibility

Dearborn Patch will profile candidates running for office in the Aug. 6 city primary.

Editor's note: All nine elective offices in the city are on the primary ballot — mayor, clerk and all seven council seats. There are five candidates for mayor, three for clerk and 21 for council. Dearborn Patch will run profiles of candidates seeking the office of mayor, city clerk, and city council leading up to the Aug. 6 primary election.

Today we feature incumbent Robert Abraham.

Candidate: Robert Alex Abraham (incumbent)

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Office sought: Dearborn city councilman

Occupation: Abraham is the chief financial officer (CFO) for Virginia Tile Company; one of the leading ceramic tile distributors in the midwest. He is a proven leader and a thorough decision-maker. He has been a councilman for the city of Dearborn since 2002.

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Education: Bob graduated from Dearborn Fordson High School in 1985, and from Hillsdale College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting, and a concentration in computer science in 1989. Bob received his Michigan Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in 1992.

Family: Councilman Abraham and his wife Mary Ann (Skrabucha) have three children: Brandon (graduate of Loyola University-Chicago), Jared (graduate of Loyola University-Chicago) and Mary Kate (Divine Child High School-10th grade). He is the son of Ronald and Shirley (Prisby) Abraham.

Previous elected office: Bob has been a Dearborn councilman for three consecutive terms, with almost 12 years experience.

Current public service: Bob is a member of the Divine Child Parish, vice-chairman of the Henry Ford Community College Foundation Board, treasurer for the Fordson High School Varsity Alumni Club, provides support for ACCESS, Optimist Club, Goodfellows and many other local community service organizations in Dearborn.  Bob and his family proudly support the Dearborn Animal Shelter with an annual open house fundraiser in memory of their family dog “Dublin” that was killed in a house fire in 2009.

What are two key issues in Dearborn?

Our community deserves strong leadership. The city council is an integral part of the local government. As I complete my third term of office as a city councilman, I have been able to work together with the other council members, the mayor and community leaders from many groups and organizations to provide direction, vision, strategy and action. I still bring fresh ideas, energy and a professional financial perspective from pre-9/11 and post-9/11 eras. I tend to be more of a "financial advisor" and decision maker" than a politician.

I want to continue to serve Dearborn as a councilman.

The purchase of the new city hall property demonstrates a clear long-term vision and plan to reduce operating expenses, unnecessary costs and therefore provide more resources for general services, like recreation, parks, pools, libraries and the museum.

Leaders must make the tough decisions (the right decisions), even if they are not always the popular choice for special interest groups. I have demonstrated an ability to lead and make decisions based on the facts and information. I will continue to support the essential programs that provide a unique distinction between Dearborn and other communities in this area.

I truly understand the city’s financial challenges and the tools available to solve these problems. I work hard to understand the service mix and priorities for neighborhoods; maintaining the high quality services is the biggest challenge during a time of financial cutbacks and shrinking revenues. Throughout the budget process I strive to balance the “needs” and “wants” of everyone. This establishes a clear direction for the administration.

My goal during this term is continue to have a strong, positive influence on the budget process and prioritization of services, programs and activities used by all residents.

How will you address these issues?

I am committed to serving the Dearborn community for four more years. I plan to leverage my professional experience, education and knowledge I have gained over the past three terms as a councilman to direct and guide the city during the recession.

There will be many difficult and challenging decisions that require strategic thinking and a thorough understanding of the financial difficulties we are all facing every day.  I will listen carefully to the public viewpoint and address the concerns brought forward to me from the neighborhoods and homeowners.

I am here help residents and lead Dearborn into a post-recession economy.

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