First They Came for Detroit
The Michigan State Legislature is no friend to democracy. Nor is it a friend to cities. Dominated by right-wing ideologues, the State Republican majority is once again mounting an assault on all those who believe in local democratic control.
Last week a series of bills were introduced aimed at taking control of local decisions about health care and pensions funded by local communities. These bills, in both the House and the Senate, are backed by Governor Snyder. They are being pushed by Republicans as a way to help municipalities meet pension and health care obligations. The 16-bill package gives sweeping powers to new emergency managers, takes aim at pensions and collective bargaining, and is clearly intended to provide a new mechanism to take over local governments, sell off assets to private interests, and destroy unions.
Under the guise of concern for underfunded retirement plans, the new Local Government Retirement Stability Board (LGRSB), consisting of 3 people appointed by the governor, would require all communities to submit to a five-stage process beginning with the assessment of the viability of current pension funding. If funding is deemed inadequate, the community would be required to develop a plan of “corrective action.” If the LGRSB and the local government could not agree, the State Treasurer would declare a financial emergency and appoint a three-person team with powers similar to current Emergency Managers, including setting aside local elected officials, taking control of the budgets, selling public assets, and renegotiating contracts.
Of all of the destructive actions taken by Governor Snyder and his right-wing supporters, Emergency Management and the removal of local democratic control are the most horrific. It has been directly responsible for the poisoning of Flint, the killing of people, the destruction of public schools, unimaginable suffering through water shut-offs, and the wholesale loss of municipal wealth as public assets slip into private hands.
This new wave of legislation, however, is not aimed primarily at large cities with significant numbers of African-American citizens. Rather, the first two phases of the proposed legislation would affect more than 900 cities, townships, villages, counties, libraries, and park authorities requiring them to turn over financial information to the State. Senate Majority Leader Arian Meekhof, a Republican from West Olive, said that about 85% of Michigan communities are at or nearly fully funded and would not require “corrective action.” About 30 communities across the state are now considered vulnerable, including Detroit, Lansing, Pontiac, and Warren.
Aside from the flawed logic of requiring all municipalities to engage in a costly and cumbersome process that only affects 15% of them, the reality is that municipal financial distress has been directly caused by the actions and inactions of the State Republican Legislature. First, they withhold funds, then they blame municipalities for not having enough money to balance budgets, then they declare a financial emergency and come in and raid the municipality, privatizing services and selling public assets.
Consider that these bills go far beyond the recommendations of the Governor’s own task force empowered to review pension plans in the state. A majority of Task Force members were opposed to the establishment of requirements for all local governments to submit to an emergency process, believing that the local unit, through the collective bargaining process, should have the flexibility to agree upon what works best within their communities.
Right-wing Republicans do not believe in local control. They have argued that there is no “constitutional right to local self-government” and view it as a threat. Since 2002, Michigan has cut state support for cities more than any other state in the country, reducing funding by 57%.
First, Emergency Managers came for Detroit, Flint, Pontiac, Benton Harbor, and Highland Park. Now they are coming for the rest of Michigan. It is clear we who believe in local democracy as both our right and responsibility have much work to do together.