Emergency Financial Manager for Detroit

[Vox]

The key to the success of a financial manager, within the context of the raft of bills tie barred together, is the extra powers given to any manager. Voiding union contracts is just part of the powers. Read the bill for more. Another bill will void the act requiring the arbitration of police and fire contracts.

[professorscott]

Vox, thanks for your insights, you are obviously very well read up on this issue.

One part of the proposed legislation is probably toothless: If there is a law passed by the legislature that makes someone unable to run for elected office, that part of the law is unlikely to be upheld by the courts. There is a lot of precedent for this. The state constitution establishes the conditions under which someone may seek or attain elected office; if a law tries to do more than the constitution requires it is likely to be invalidated.

[Vox]

I wonder why you think that there is a difference between passing a law barring someone with a felony from office for 20 years, and barring someone that allowed a city to fail for 6. Same principle, in my opinion.

[Hermod]

I wonder why you think that there is a difference between passing a law barring someone with a felony from office for 20 years, and barring someone that allowed a city to fail for 6. Same principle, in my opinion.

If i was writing the law, I wouldn't even worry about the elected officials. Just give the manager total control over the money. He can then take away fancy offices, city cars, bloated staffs, etc and let the mayor and clowncil meet in an abandoned house over near 7 mile and Gratiot.

[Gannon]

Look, Gistok, I know Gannon, and you are no Gannon. Slippery Slope? Yes, it is. And Detroit and a whole lot of other cities, as well as school districts, will probably find themselves at the bottom of this slope. These bills have been fast tracked, and Federal court does not intervene in acts of Legislatures, particularily where there are clear cut things that were to have to happen first before the manager would be appointed. In my city, the council is worried too, so maybe you should enquire with the city manager of your town to see what is being planned for your community?

HEY! How did I get drawn into this conversation?! Did Gistok edit something out that I missed?


I've been surfing for a time to join in...but thought everyone was hitting all the major points.


I was not fully understanding your take on the matter, Vox, until you made it clear that the judicial bias within this state would never hinder the new business-axe-in-charge's decisive actions...and Feds wouldn't touch independent state's-rights decisions. I was ready to jump in and say that was the court's responsibility, making laws remain on the books only if they were constitutional and serving the people [[instead of the converse)...but you are correct. This bias has thrown a wrench into the balance of powers.


Damn. I see now your relative panic...Snyder surely very quickly has made ripples enough to drown more than a few who have previously only been able to barely tread this water.


Cheers

[Novine]

"I wonder why you think that there is a difference between passing a law barring someone with a felony from office for 20 years, and barring someone that allowed a city to fail for 6. Same principle, in my opinion."

One is based on the state constitution, the other is not. The state legislature can pass unconstitutional laws but they'll get thrown out in court.

[Vox]

Gannon, sorry to invoke your name, although it was good to see you understand the extent of fuckedness that we are in. Take some time tp peruse the legislature website and search bills under labor or cities as a keyword. Then report back. i was mistaken, I thought the slippery slope argument was yours. Or Gistok?

[Gannon]

I may use it often, but cannot claim ownership. Hell, it existed long before I cared about anything beyond my sandbox.

The argument, not my name...of course!

I have to trust political analysts and others with that passion, because I only have so much time to devote to pursuits of knowledge. I trust that you have studied this matter fully...it is pretty clear you have a handle we need to broadcast.

This should be something that Craig Fahle puts on the air...and I'll give his producer a bump to this thread.

Cheers

[iheartthed]

What makes you think that Detroit is a special case? IF it passes? Really? What will stop it? Lets see. House is Republican, Senate is Republican, The supreme Court of Michigan is Republican, even though it is not supposed to. Honestly, some people think that the world has not changed. The court case would not matter much if a LAW is passed.

Well, if the law passes I can guarantee you that the governor won't be Republican in 4 years.

[Vox]

Seems as if the substitute bill in the house, H2, has been inserted, although the text is noplace to be found. The analysis of the bill seems to have deleted the removal, although the removal can be instituted by lack of cooperation with a financial manager. Otherwise, same stuff.

[Vox]

It seems as if an amendment to the HB 4214 has been included in the final draft. This eliminates the removal of councils and mayors. Small victory for local control, but still a ill concieved notion. They are debating and voting on this bill today. Then on to the Senate, I imagine.