DEARBORN — After supporting a string of ordinances that some Arab Americans perceived as targeting them, Councilman Robert Abraham’s connection with his Arab American identity has been questioned. But in an interview with The Arab American News, the councilman said he is loyal to his heritage, which has helped shape him as a person. 

“Both my parents and my grandparents from both side of the family are from this community,” he said. “My father grew up in the Southend. We went to the mosque on Dix while the bricks were still drying. My loyalty to the community is unwavering. That may not be how critics would like to portray me, but it is who I am and what I am.”

Abraham was first elected to the council in 2001. He also works as the chief financial officer of Virginia Tile. 

The councilman, who is married and has three kids, said he first got involved in municipal matters when he worked with an organization that helped business owners in east Dearborn. He said he has no political ambitions beyond the council. 

Smoke-free parks

Several community members have condemned Abraham on social media and in this newspaper after his name was attached to an ordinance that would ban smoking in the city’s parks. The councilman brushed off the attacks. He said anonymous criticisms on social media and other outlets are often fueled by personal interest, not the public interest.

“When people hide their self-interest behind the public interest, it does create controversy,” he said. 

Abraham said he has discussed the smoking ban with residents who oppose it, including community leader Ali Jawad.

“After those meetings, there is usually a general diplomatic understanding about what was actually said and what was spun on social media or other venues in the community,” he said.

Abraham said the smoke-free park proposal remains open for discussion and will be presented in a way that is satisfactory to most people. 

He also said the council is searching for the right balance.

“Or we’ll take the option of leaving it the way it is.”

Council President Susan Dabaja had suggested designating smoking areas within the parks away from the spaces where children play.

Abraham quoted Councilman Mike Sareini as saying that if the ordinance were to pass, it should ban smoking all the way.

“I think that’s a little extreme,” Abraham said. “And I challenged Councilman Sareini’s position on a 100 percent smoking ban.”

However, Sareini told The Arab American News that he was referring to the golf course when he made that statement.

Before a scheduled vote on the ordinance, Abraham asked for a memo to exempt golf courses from the ban, which stirred a debate between himself and Sareini and eventually led to the proposal being tabled.

Sareini said he stands by his statement that the golf course should not be exempted. 

“But I was against the ban because it is intrusive,” he said. 

Abraham said there is a distinction between the golf course and neighborhood parks because it has a paid admission.  

He denied accusations that he wants the smoking ban not to apply to the golf course because he frequents it.

“I would challenge any of those people to substantiate their claim with a Bob Abraham sighting at a golf course,” he said. “Just sight me at the golf course. Forget the smoking.”

The councilman said discussions about banning smoking at the parks first arose in the council years ago, following a national trend to secure smoke-free environments.

“I know somewhere, somehow my name has been attached to this initiative, which could not be further from the truth,” he said. “I did not bring this forward. This is not a Bob Abraham initiative. There are other council members that are more passionate about this than I am.”

The Arab American News obtained an email Abraham sent on May 14 to council members and department heads, in which he asks Dabaja to include the ordinance on the agenda for discussion in order to have the first reading on May 19. 

Abraham and Councilman Tom Tafelski were listed as the sponsors of the ordinance.

Abraham explained that supporting an ordinance simply means putting it on the table for discussion, which he thought should take place now. He said he wanted to talk about the proposal during warm weather, when people are in touch with the parks.

“I do not believe smoking belongs near children, near recreation and near athletic facilities,” he said. He added that the proposal targets all kinds of smoking, not only hookahs.  

“Nobody jumped up and down when U of M-Dearborn banned smoking on campus,” he said. “We’re very much in touch with the community. Smoking is bad for people.”

Building permit

Last year, the council passed then repealed an ordinance, proposed by Abraham, to raise building permit renewal fees from $25 to $1,000 and limit the time of construction to one year. The ordinance was determined to be in conflict with state law. 

Abraham said he later found out that the ordinance was in accordance with the Michigan Building Code. 

“Actually, we could do it if we want.”

The councilman added that a limited number of homes were being built, but there was issue with construction of some of them taking more than two years.

“That is not a normal building cycle,” Abraham said. “The community’s interest and the neighborhood’s interest should come before the property owner. It doesn’t mean the property owners don’t have rights, but they have reasonable rights. We were trying to find that balance.”

He added that the ordinance was approved by other council members and skewed to appear as his own proposal.

Sareini was outspoken in opposing the ordinance.

“Be careful when people put their self interest ahead of public interest,” Abraham said. “Councilman Sareini is building a house. Everybody should know that. He should have disclosed his personal interest when he was legislating public policy.”

Sareini said he opposed the ordinance before he “laid a brick or put a shovel in the ground.”

“I was against it because it was illegal, not for any other reason,” he said. “I was the only one to vote against it because I knew that it was against the law.”

Sareini said it is “ridiculous” that he gets accused of advancing his personal agenda for making the right decision. 

He said the city’s chief of staff was informed by the state that the ordinance is not in compliance with state law and made the council aware of the conflict.

“Cities cannot pass regulations in conflict with state law,” the councilman said. “It is illegal. And that is why it was repealed.”

He added that it is not true that the ordinance was later discovered to be in compliance with the state.

“If that’s true, why didn’t they rewrite it and reintroduce it?” he asked. 

Sareini, who is an attorney, said his vote against the ordinance was grounded in his legal education, not personal interest.

“To say that I legislate for self-interest is a grave, false accusation,” Sareini continued. 

Abraham acknowledged that there was a house being built next to his when he brought the ordinance forward, but he said he disclosed that fact at the time.

“I said it right out publicly and I was transparent about it.”