Mich. Emergency Financial Manager Law: The Saga Continues
by Kate Childs Graham | December 12, 2012
Earlier this year, members of AFSCME Council 25 deliver petitions for a ballot initiative to repeal the Emergency Financial Manager Law. (Photo by Jim West)
Fresh off their divisive attack ramming right-to-work legislation into law in Michigan, corporate-backed politicians are trying to bring back a law that we already defeated: the Emergency Financial Manager Law, more aptly called the Local Dictator Law.
The law allows an unelected “local dictator” to tear up any union contract, displace any employee or elected official and even abolish a city or a school district.
AFSCME members in Michigan collected more than 200,000 petition signatures to put the law – Public Act 4 – to a citizens’ vote. But two members of the Board of State Canvassers decided that the petitions used the wrong font size on the petition titles, and therefore, were invalid. The state Court of Appeals ruled in favor of ballot access, and the Supreme Court this summer upheld that ruling.
In the months leadings up to the election, AFSCME members knocked on doors and made phone calls, encouraging their neighbors to vote “No!” on the Local Dictator Law - known as Proposal 1 on the ballot. On Election Day, voters repealed the law 53 to 47.
Despite the referendum, eight cities and school districts remain in the control of local dictators, under the auspices of Public Act 72, a precursor to Public Act 4. This is being challenged in court. However, on December 5, Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina ruled that Public Act 72 survived in its entirety and remains in effect, despite the November vote.
To add insult to injury, Gov. Rick Snyder announced his intentions to seek a replacement for Public Act 4 during this lame duck session. Senate Bill 865 (H-5) will likely be considered by both the House and the Senate this week.
According to an analysis of the bill by AFSCME Council 25, “The bill reenacts many of the worst provisions of PA 4, in effect negating much the decision made by the people of the State of Michigan.”
Join the workers of Michigan in their fight for justice. Call your friends and neighbors in Michigan. Ask them to tell Gov. Snyder that local dictators are wrong for Michigan.
