While the nation’s attention was turned toward the outrageous (and quite probably illegal) actions of the Wisconsin State Senate last night and the endorsement of that action by the State Assembly today, another new Republican governor was making an equally breath-taking assault on the citizens of Michigan. Today, the Michigan State Senate voted to pass the “emergency financial managers” bill, giving the governor the power to basically declare “financial martial law.” The bill is expect to shortly pass the House, and newly-elected Governor Rick Snyder has promised to sign it into law.
Just what does this bill do? Snyder and his supporters say it’s intended to allow the state treasurer’s office to spot local governments in financial trouble before they reach a crisis level. From The Detroit Free Press:
But if they need intervention, emergency managers should have authority to do whatever it takes to declare bankruptcy, or avoid it by drastic steps. That could even mean ordering millage elections or dissolving local governments of school districts and merging them with neighboring ones.
Basically, Snyder will be able to declare municipalities and school districts to be in financial crisis and appoint an “emergency financial manager” (EFM). These managers would then have the power to 1) seize control of local civil services, 2) dissolve entire municipal governments, 3) dismiss elected officials with no replacement election, 4) void union contracts, and 5) hand taxpayer money, services and powers to private companies.
Full article here:
http://www.alan.com/2011/03/10/more-gop-shenanigans-michigan-edition/