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Our homes. Our streets.

HOT TOPIC:
In 2011, the Michigan legislature passed PA 4, a law which gives the Governor of Michigan sweeping powers to oversee all aspect of city government, or school district if the entity is in financial hardship, through appointment of an Emergency Financial Manager. Under PA 4 the EFM had the power to: 1. Cancel all the contracts that the city has approved 2. Basically erase all collective bargaining agreements that have been done with the unions 3. Eliminate or merge entire city departments 4. Remove or replace the pension board

We are District 6

Emergency Manager
BELLE ISLE BOATHOUSE, 1905

What is Emergency Management?


In 2012, 81% of Detroit voted to repeal of PA 4. Only weeks later, the Michigan legislature rewrote the law and passed PA 436 during the lame duck session. Through PA 436, Emergency Managers could be appointed to municipalities, school districts, water authorities. The Detroit EM was appointed March 2013. Like PA 4, PA 436 gives state-appointees sweeping powers, but also gives power to: 1. Grant no-bid contracts over $50,000 2. Transfer city-owned property to other units of government 3. Adopt a model charter or model charter provisions after a budget has been adopted

Why are so many people in Detroit against the EM?


Democracy
Due to the Emergency Manager law, over 50% of Black voters in Michigan no longer have the right to democratic representation in their local government. This undermines the very principles of American democracy. Some equate a state-appointed official as a dictator with no accountability. Furthermore, the Charters of municipal governments are equal to a constitution for a city. The fact that one person can eliminate it, in part or wholly, by adopting a model charter gives voters the signal that their votes dont count.

Bankruptcy
Although many believe bankruptcy was years in the making, it poses serious threats: cuts pensions, leads to layoffs & outsourcing thus devastating Detroit workers. Many dont know retired police & firefighters dont get Social Security. MI Attorney General Schuette said the plan to cut pensions violated the MI Constitution. The EM and Jones Day law firm, contracted to manage the bankruptcy, are forecasted to spend over $200m in taxpayer money to manage the bankruptcy while Detroit has seen a $700m revenue sharing cut over 10 years from the State .

Privatization Privatization, simplified, is the outsourcing of cityowned services to private companies in part or completely sold off. This creates several possible scenarios that could be bad for Detroit residents including: increased cost for public services, lack of accountability and contractor oversight, potential diminished quality of public services, lower wages and decreased benefits for public workers, and decreased environmental protections. In 1999, Atlanta Georgia privatized its water system under a 20-year contract, only 4 years later, the city cancelled it.

GOVERNANCE Detroiters have managed, cleaned, mowed, protected people, land, homes and streets even in the absence of City services. As all taxes sales, income and property go towards the stewardship of our resources, we have contributed to the governance of those resources, and should have a say to how those are governed and funded. Parks, lights, transit, land, water, education, streets, garbage, work to contribute to the citys collective health and the good welfare of people and neighborhoods and should be held in the common trust, democratically and publicly controlled. All representatives, elected or appointed, should support this and a fair share of city funds to District 6. The pensions for Detroit's retirees average just over $18,000 a year. That means many AIG executives got a larger bonus [during the bail out] from their bankrupt company in 2009 than Detroit workers will collect over their whole retirement. Dean Baker, Center
for Economic and Policy Research Source: Huffington Post, 8/26/2013 Source: Huffington Post, 7/25/2013

Detroit Emergency Manager, Kevyn Orr [right] has said Detroit has long-term debts of at least $18 billion. The bankruptcy process could take a year or more, but U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes first must find that Detroit is eligible.

VOTE AND HOLD THE COUNCIL ACCOUNTABLE


This is the first time in about 100 years that the City of Detroit has elections by District giving Detroiters more local power over their council members. Yet the Detroit primary elections on August 06, 2013 turned out only about 18% of all Detroiters registered to vote. We need to do better. Regardless of what the Governor, the Emergency Manager and their lawyers say, democracy still matters. The City of Detroit general election will take place on November 05. Make sure to cast your vote, ask your friends and neighbors to vote too! Although the powers of the City Council are limited under Emergency Manager they will be asked to take a vote on the Emergency Manager 18-months after his appointment. City Council members decisions can impact crime, jobs, education and other city services. We anticipate that in August of 2014, the City Council will cast their vote whether or not to continue under Emergency Management. Ask your candidate: What is your position on the Emergency Manager? How will you vote on the EM? Is that reflective of the will of the people of Detroit, 81% of whom voted to repeal PA4 in November 2012?

PROTECT THE CITY CHARTER


The City Charter of Detroit is the constitution for the residents of Detroit. Each time the Charter is amended, voters must approve it. This makes this document very powerful. Some of the provisions of the Charter include: 1. Protection against privatization and outsourcing, the City shall provide by ordinance for a process by which the City shall act prior to any determination or action to enter into any agreement, by which a non-governmental person or entity provides services [ Sec 6-307] 2. Accountability measures for City government including: The Independent Board of Ethics consisting of 7 City Residents not elective officers, appointees, or employees of the city [Sec 2-106.8]; Board of Police Commissioners to be elected by voters, 1 from each District and 4 Mayoral appointees with City Council approval [Sec 7-802]; Transportation Advisory Commission composed of 7 members from the 7 City Districts [Sec7-1102]; Community Advisory Councils per district to improve citizen access to city government, composed of 5 elected and 2 appointed per district [Sec 9-101]. PA 436 gives EM powers to undermine the City Charter, and democracy.

References: PA4, http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/publicact/htm/2011-PA-0004.htm . PA 436, http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/publicact/pdf/2012-PA-0436.pdf. Huffington Post, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-15/half-of-michigan-s-blacks-lose-local-control-in-detroit-takeover.html. In the Public Interest, Ask the Right Questions Before Privatizing, www.inthepublicinterest.org. Free Press, http://www.freep.com/article/20130727/NEWS15/307270059/Michigan-AG-to-defend-public-pensions-in-Detroit-s-bankruptcy-filing. MLive, http:// www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2013/08/detroit_bankruptcy_fees_at_128.html . Building Movement Project [2013] Guidance Summary for Charter of the City of Detroit.

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