Michigan GOP Governor Snyder May Dissolve A Town Near You!

(By Jillian Barclay)

While much of the media attention has been on the antics of GOP Governors in Wisconsin and Ohio, new Michigan GOP Governor Rick Snyder has been rapidly pushing a radical agenda.  Perhaps the most egregious example of this is the new Emergency Manager law that Snyder and the Republican state legislature passed last week that provides that if the Governor determines that a city, town or even school district is in financial jeopardy the state may dismantle the entire entity, dissolving locally elected government. In addition, the state would have the same powers with regards to schools, dismissing school board members, and taking over any and all schools in a district.
Heard enough? Of course not! Under the terms of the bill, corporations can be appointed and paid to take control and assume management of these disbanded cities, towns and school districts, selling assets, closing schools and eliminating all employee agreements. All collective bargaining can be dissolved, but even more than that, the mayors, city councils and local school boards that have been elected by the people will lose all control. They could be fired! In addition, police forces and prisons may be privatized under the law.  In essence, Michigan’s locally elected governments will serve at the pleasure of the governor, not the people who elected them.
Gov. Snyder is wasting no time using the authority under this radical law.  In fact, the law is already being used in cities like Pontiac, Benton Harbor, and Ecorse to lay off police officers and may even be used to disband the city council in Benton Harbor.  Governor Snyder and his state treasurer, Andy Dillon, already have a training manual and program set up to instruct corporations and potential managers on such topics such as: How To Dissolve A City, Privatization of Assets, Sale of Assets, Merger of Services with Other Governmental Entities. Latest estimates suggest that additional training will take place in April or May. They are wasting no time!
The Emergency Manager Law is a great example of how panic and fear cause otherwise rational people to allow irrational action. Uttering the words fiscal crisis does not make it so, but Governor Snyder will not have to prove that a city, town or school district is suffering a fiscal crisis. The legislation allows the Governor and his chosen staff to redefine and determine fiscal crisis. The Emergency Managers will have unprecedented new powers. Already, dozens of Michigan cities and towns that are on the verge of financial collapse are concerned about the new legislation. Due to state funding cuts, there will be many more that will become cash strapped. Which of those will the governor choose to dissolve? No one knows. He will make the decision based upon his own definition of fiscal crisis.

A further question about the legislation is who will Gov. Snyder put in charge of the cities and towns that he takes over?  Goldman-Sachs, J.P. Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley all donated to Snyder’s campaign. The governor holds major interests in several bio-tech and health-related companies. Under the provisions of the new bill, the governor will choose the managers. Maybe Detroit will eventually change its name to Morgan Stanleyville or Chaseton. At one time, I thought this idea was far-fetched, but after reading newspapers printed in Michigan which debate, discuss and report the facts of this bill, the over reaching bill frightens many who believe in a representative form of government. While you may dislike your mayor or even your city council, the idea that the state will be allowed to take your town and assets may just frighten you a little bit. It is scaring the people of Michigan!
The Emergency Manager Law is far from the only radical attack on working people being launched by Gov. Snyder.  For example, Gov. Snyder’s recent budget and tax proposals clearly demonstrate that he is in bed with his rich buddies. Pat Garofalo at Think Progress points out:

Snyder has proposed ending his state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, cutting a $600 per child tax credit, and reducing credits for seniors, while also cutting funding for school districts by 8 to 10%. At the same time, as the Michigan League for Human Services found, the state’s business taxes would be reduced by nearly $2 Billion dollars, or 86%.

The good news is that Gov. Snyder’s proposals are highly unpopular.  In fact, the latest polls have Snyder’s approval rating down to 33%, with 50% disapproving of his job as Governor so far.  In addition, an effort to recall the Governor has been started.  You can visit the Facebook page of the folks who are working on the recall effort here.
If you live in Michigan, now is the time to get involved in pushing back against the radical agenda being pushed by Republican office holders throughout the country.  Help to do so by writing letters to your local newspaper editors, and calling your state and federal elected officials to let them know that you oppose Gov. Snyder’s radical agenda.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 27th, 2011 at 7:16 am and is filed under Uncategorized.