Michigan Coalition Protests Stalling Tactics to Stop Repeal of the Emergency Manager Law

by Jon Melegrito  |  July 02, 2012

The statewide coalition, Stand Up for Democracy, is demanding that the Michigan Court of Appeals do its job and compel the secretary of state to place the repeal petition of the emergency manager “dictator” law on the November ballot.

But the Michigan State Board of Canvassers has so far ignored an order to certify the petitions despite a court ruling that the petition was in “substantial compliance” with state law.

In February, a coalition of AFSCME Council 25, community groups, churches and other labor organizations collected more than 225,00 signatures to let voters decide whether the “local dictator law” should stand. Known as Public Act 4, the emergency manager law allows a unilaterally appointed “local dictator” to tear up any union contract, displace any employee or elected official and even abolish a city or a school district.

“The refusal of the three Republican judges hearing this case to compel the state to act now is exactly why more and more people are starting to believe the court is more concerned about politics instead of the rule of law,” said Melvin “Butch” Hollowell, an attorney for the NAACP who works with the coalition. “The right wing in Michigan government is still trying to run out the clock with their delaying tactics.”

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” added Herb Sanders, director of the coalition. “We will come back again and again until this issue is on the ballot.”