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Calling ANN ARBOR-area progressives: Petition drive for the repeal of Public Act 4 NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!

By on November 3, 2011 in Emergency Manager Law, Emergency Managers, Public Act 4

The effort by Michigan Forward to repeal the odious Emergency Manager Law in Michigan (Public Act 4) is nearing the final stages. However, they are still short of the necessary signatures to put this on the ballot in February. Many of the folks who were working the hardest on signature gathering over the summer were teachers who have now gone back to the classrooms.

This is where YOU come in. If you are in the Ann Arbor-area, we need YOU to sign up to collect signatures. You can do so by heading over to this Google spreadsheet and signing up to help collect signatures at polling places all over the state on Election Day next week — Tuesday, November 8th.…


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Rick Snyder & Public Act 4 dealt another blow from the Michigan Supreme Court

By on November 3, 2011 in Public Act 4, Rick Snyder

Back in August, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder sought to bypass the normal court process and asked the Michigan Supreme Court to make a decision on the lawsuit challenging Public Act 4, the so-called Emergency Manager Law. (Details on the lawsuit filed by the Sugar Law Center and the Center for Constitutional Rights can be found HERE.)

Sugar Law Center proceeded to file a response challenging that request in September.

Today the Supreme Court spoke and the news, once again, is not good for the Governor. (I say “once again” because the Supreme Court already smacked down Governor Snyder just last week.) Instead of accepting Governor Snyder’s request to bypass the normal judicial process, they have asked both parties to submit briefs in support of their positions regarding the Governor’s request.…


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Repeal Public Act 4 organizers (Michigan Forward) NEED YOUR HELP!

By on October 19, 2011 in Emergency Manager Law, Emergency Managers, Public Act 4

The effort to repeal Public Act 4, the odious “Emergency Manager Law”, is in the final stages. They are now in a serious campaign to count the signatures they have get them verified. They need YOUR HELP with this effort. From LaToya A. Henry, the Secretary-Treasurer of Michigan Forward:

We have begun doing Saturday data entry and verification for the petitions that have been collected. Four Saturdays in a row volunteers have been coming to AFSCME Council 25 on Saturdays from 10-3 doing data entry. And this is where the campaign is now. We have put a call out for all petitions to come in so that data entry and verification can be done as quickly as possible.…

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Michigan Supreme Court Justice Markman refuses to recuse himself in EM case

By on October 10, 2011 in Emergency Manager Law, Public Act 4

Last month, I wrote about how Michigan Supreme Court Justice Stephen Markman was being asked to recuse himself from the suit challenging the constitutionality of the Emergency Manager Law.

Lawyers fighting Michigan’s tough new emergency manager law want a Michigan Supreme Court justice to recuse himself from the case because his wife represents the government in a separate lawsuit challenging the same law.

Lawyers from the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice said in a brief filed Wednesday that Justice Stephen Markman should recuse himself from their challenge of the emergency manager law’s constitutionality, which Gov. Rick Snyder wants sent directly to the Michigan Supreme Court.

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1st of two lawsuits challenging Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law dismissed

By on October 4, 2011 in Emergency Manager Law, Public Act 4

As I reported back in April, two pension boards in the City of Detroit filed suit in the U.S. District Court challenging the Republican-passed Public Act 4 — The Emergency Manager Law. From a now-unavailable Detroit Free Press article:

The City of Detroit’s two pension boards have challenged part of the state’s new emergency financial manager law, calling it unconstitutional and a threat to the pension systems.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, claims the law gives the governor and state treasurer unbridled power to appoint emergency managers with “czar-like powers” that could usurp collective bargaining rights of city employees who negotiated pension plans.

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One Michigan Supreme Court justice has a MAJOR conflict of interest on the Emergency Mgr Law

By on September 16, 2011 in Emergency Manager Law, Public Act 4

The Sugar Law Center is requesting that Michigan Supreme Court Justice Stephen Markman recuse himself from anything related to their lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Public Act 4, the Emergency Manager Law:

Lawyers fighting Michigan’s tough new emergency manager law want a Michigan Supreme Court justice to recuse himself from the case because his wife represents the government in a separate lawsuit challenging the same law.

Lawyers from the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice said in a brief filed Wednesday that Justice Stephen Markman should recuse himself from their challenge of the emergency manager law’s constitutionality, which Gov.

…


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Response filed challenging Gov. Snyder’s request for Supreme Ct. intervention on PA 4 suit

By on September 16, 2011 in Emergency Manager Law, Emergency Managers, Public Act 4, Rick Snyder

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how Governor Rick Snyder has asked the Michigan Supreme Court to intervene in a Sugar Law Center lawsuit on behalf of 28 Michigan citizens, challenging Public Act 4, the Emergency Manager Law. Snyder asked the Court to expedite the process and make an instant decision, avoiding the discovery process and fact-finding that takes place as suits wend their way through the lower courts. This week, the Sugar Law Center has filed a response challenging the governor’s request. Here is their press release detailing their response filing.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, September 15, 2011
Contact: Tova Perlmutter, 313-993-4505

Response Filed Challenging Snyder Supreme Court Request
Sugar Law Center Says Fast-Tracking Emergency Manager Suit Short-Circuits Justice

LANSING, MI – Lawyers for 28 Michigan citizens challenging the state’s emergency manager law have filed a response with the Michigan Supreme Court opposing an extraordinary request by Governor Rick Snyder that the high court bypass normal procedures and immediately take up a legal challenge to the controversial law.

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Flint and Detroit City Councils support repeal of Public Act 4 – the Emergency Manager Act

By on September 15, 2011 in Detroit, Emergency Manager Law, Emergency Managers, Public Act 4

The city councils of two of Michigan’s major cities have weighed in on the repeal of Public Act 4 and both are in support. More accurately, the Flint City Council is in support of putting it on the ballot for voters to decide. The Detroit City Council voiced more full-throated support of the repeal.

Here’s the scoop on Flint:

The Flint City Council wants Michigan voters to decide if the state’s controversial emergency financial manager law goes too far.

The council on Monday passed a resolution in favor of putting the newly amended law on the ballot for possible repeal, even as the city undergoes the financial review process spelled out in the law.

…


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Public Act 4 Repeal townhall in Flint this THURSDAY

By on July 26, 2011 in Public Act 4

Last night I participated in a Repeal Public Act 4 townhall in Ypsilanti. Over 40 people attended to learn about the repeal effort and to ask questions. Participants received information from Representative David Rutledge from the 54th District, Michigan Forward CEO Brandon Jessup, Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo, me and a number of others.

In addition, attendees got instructions on how to circulate petitions and gather valid signatures.

When asked what the deadline for the petition drive is, Jessup said, “Our goal is to have enough valid signatures by Labor Day. Our deadline is TODAY!”

On Thursday of this week, a similar event will happen in Flint.…


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SAVE THE DATE: Townhall on repeal of Emergency Mgr Law next Monday in Ypsilanti

By on July 22, 2011 in Public Act 4

In case you missed the first Repeal P.A. 4 townhall in Ann Arbor, there is a second one this Monday night in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Date: Monday, July 25, 2011
Location: Metropolitan Memorial Full Gospel Baptist Church – 431 Hawkins St.,
Time: 6:45-8:45.

This event is an informational townhall meeting on the effort to repeal Public Act 4 (aka “the Financial Martial Law Act”) recently passed by the Republicans in Michigan’s legislature.
Speakers include Chris Savage from Eclectablog (me), Ypsilanti City Council member Ricky Jefferson, President & CEO of Michigan Forward Brandon Jessup, and President of the Ann Arbor Education Association Brit Satchwell.…


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