A leader of an effort to overturn the state’s emergency manager law says the petition drive is invigorated by news that legislative leaders are working on a back-up plan in the event the law is halted.
Brandon Jessup with Michigan Forward said he expects that halt will happen.
“I’m predicting success based on the amount of support we’ve received from across the state. Not just Detroit, but places like Traverse City, Cheboygan County, Grand Rapids, Benton Harbor – clearly – Pontiac, Saginaw, all across the state,” said Jessup.
Jessup said it’s good that lawmakers are revisiting the issue, but they need to do more.
“I’m glad to see the Legislature start to do something, but they haven’t invited the community to come to the table to help draft the legislation, so once again this is another near-sighted attempt," he said. "Not really to solve the solution, to be a solution to the problem, but to thwart our attempts at democracy.”
Opponents say the emergency manager law gives too much authority to state-appointed officials, and robs people of the right to select their local elected leaders.
Benton Harbor, Pontiac, Ecorse, Flint and the Detroit Public Schools are all run by emergency managers.
