Not only are Senators Stabenow & Levin asking Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to reconsider his imposition of Emergency Managers on cities around the state, 66 elected officials, all Democrats, have sent a letter of their own (pdf).
Although we come to this matter from a variety of differing perspectives and ideologies, we all share in the belief that applications of the Emergency Manager Law have the potential to irreparably and irreversibly undermine both voting and collective bargaining rights in our State. Democracy is the cornerstone of our Nation and the fundamental principle upon which all of our other rights and liberties are premised. It therefore goes without saying that any effort to unilaterally appoint an unelected individual in place of an elected Mayor, Council and other officials raises considerable questions about our State’s commitment to that principle.We also have a particular concern that the Emergency Manager law may be being disproportionately applied to disenfranchise persons of color. As a matter of fact, it is our understanding that if you choose to appoint an Emergency Manager to oversee Detroit, that would mean that approximately 50% of all of the African American citizens in the State would be living under authority of unelected managers.
I wonder where they got that last statistic? :D
