So much for elected local governments in MI

[gimpy117]

Michigan's New Governor Has just issued a bill that will allow appointed officials to actually supersede elected local officials if deemed "in a financial emergency". There is a crazy long list of things of things that can trigger a review even "The existence of other facts or circumstances that in the state treasurer's sole discretion for a municipal government are indicative of municipal financial stress". This review will generate a report. After receiving the report, the GOVERNOR, as far as I can tell, Has the power to declare the "financial emergency"...and then this happens:

) Upon the confirmation of a finding of a financial
emergency, the governor shall declare the local government in receivership and shall appoint an emergency manager to act for and in the place and stead of the governing body and the office of chief administrative officer of the local government. The emergency manager shall have broad powers in receivership to rectify the financial emergency and to <<assure the fiscal accountability of the local government and>> the local government's capacity to provide <<or cause to be provided>> necessary governmental services essential to the public health, safety, and welfare. Upon the declaration of receivership and during the pendency of receivership, the governing body and the chief administrative officer of the local government may not exercise any of the powers of those offices except as may be specifically authorized in writing by the emergency manager and are subject to any conditions required by the emergency manager.

so basically, the government now has the power to review and state they want under their own discretion even if they "think" there might be financial stress, then the Governor gets to decide if its an emergency and then can appoint an unelected individual to control everything in that government. Furthermore, it disenfranchises the voter by allowing the possibility for entire governments to be dissolved



http://www.legislature.mi.gov/docume...-HEBS-4214.pdf

by the way a link to the bill