FlintTalk.com Forum Index > Political Talk Topic: Benton Harbor EFM kicks officials to the curb

Author    Post   untanglingwebs El Supremo Scott Smith found this : Emergency Financial Manger Fires Entire Government of Benton Harbor, MI As you probably know, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently signed legislation passed by the Republican-dominated House and Senate that gives State-appointed Emergency Financial Managers (EFMs) historically broad and sweeping powers. These new powers allow the EFM to cancel or modify contracts (including with unions) and even to fire the municipality's government. Today, for the first time, a EFM did just that. According to a press release from the Michigan AFL-CIO, Joseph L. Harris, EFM for Benton Harbor, Michigan issued "an order prohibiting all action by all city boards, commissions, authorities and other entities, except as authorized by the emergency manager." Here is the press release in total: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Takes First Step to Strip Away Rights Joseph L. Harris issues an order prohibiting all action by all city boards, commissions, authorities and other entities, except as authorized by the emergency manager CONTACT: Jesse Sipe 517-515-3242 In the wake of a bill that was signed into law with high objection from the people, as it was a bill that threatened local communities, schools, townships, and municipalities, the first order has been officially issued in Benton Harbor. Joseph L. Harris has used his emergency manager powers to “exercise any power or authority of any office, employee, department, board, commission, or similar entity of the City, whether elected or appointed.” In addition, the Emergency Manager has the power to supersede any officer or entity and the power to act on behalf of the city. “This is sad news for democracy in Michigan. It comes after the announcement of Robert Bobb in Detroit ordering layoff of every single public school teacher in the Detroit Public School system,” says Mark Gaffney, President of Michigan AFL-CIO. “With the stripping of all power of duly elected officials in Benton harbor and the attack on Detroit school teachers, we can now see the true nature of the Emergency Manager system.” This is a real life instance of taking away our fundamental rights. In fact, the only thing City Boards, Commissions, Authorities or other entities may do without the approval of an Emergency Manager is to: 1) Call a meeting to order 2) Approve of meeting minutes 3) Adjourn a meeting Everything else is under the Emergency Manager’s control. These new powers are taking away the will and voice of the people by stripping away the rights of public officials elected by Michiganders. By exploiting the current crisis situation, these emergency managers are able to ascertain unreasonable rules to completely control a city. This is a true case of political over-reach, and will simply add to the hardships of an already suffering populace in Michigan. ### Harris's order can be viewed HERE (pdf). This is a complete disenfranchisement of an entire community, an entire large city in my state. The voters are now denied the ability to be governed by the people they elected in a democratic election. This is nothing short of an abridgment of democracy in raw form. I will have more as this develops. I can only assume a lawsuit will be forthcoming. The news is so fresh it has not yet hit the major news outlets. I'm just sayin'... Cross-posted at Eclectablog.com.Updated by Eclectablog at Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 11:41 PM EDT UPDATE: the ACLU is investigating. DETROIT — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, April 7, filed 13 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests seeking records regarding Public Acts 4-9, the new emergency manager law passed in March. In a press release, ACLU Director Kate Moss observed news reports that estimated over 100 local governments are potentially in a state of ‘fiscal watch’ and 40 school districts or charter schools are in deficit while another 150 are in danger of going into deficit. Moss says the implications for the state are potentially enormous and questioned the passing of the law. “Our elected officials have painted the issue with broad brush strokes and these FOIA requests seek the details,” she said. Interesting statistic: Benton Harbor is 92.4% African American with an annual median household income of $17,471 with 42.6% of the population below the poverty line. St. Joseph, the next city south of Benton Harbor on the shores of Lake Michigan is 90.3% white with an annual median household income of $37,032. By Eclectablog | Sourced from Daily Kos Posted at April 16, 2011, 7:03 am 8diggsdigg2199 Last edited by untanglingwebs on Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:03 am; edited 1 time in total Mon Apr 18, 2011 7:51 am  untanglingwebs El Supremo Rumors are that Walling took the Emergency Financial manager course and is lobbying to be the EFM when Flint finally goes under. In my opinion, it would truly suck to haave the person responsible for the current mess in charge of fixing it. Mon Apr 18, 2011 7:58 am  untanglingwebs El Supremo Benton Harbor riots - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The city of Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA has had two major riots in recent times . [edit] 1966. On August 30, 1966, due to a fatal shooting, residents rioted ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benton_Harbor_riots - Cached Benton Harbor Race Riots - June 2003 Jul 13, 2003 ... Black rioters and looters burn down Benton Harbor. http://www.adversity.net/BentonHarbor/BentonHarborRaceRiots.htm - Cached Michigan riots: Tales of two cities and the gulf between / The ... Jun 20, 2003 ... When Benton Harbor erupted in violence this week, the trigger was ... But as with most riots, this is a story that goes much deeper than the ... http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0620/p01s04-ussc.html - Cached Five years after riots, Benton Harbor is a city on the rebound ... Aug 11, 2008 ... Signs of progress are everywhere in this Southwest Michigan city: falling crime rates, more educational and vocational programs and ... http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2008/08/five_years_after_riots_benton.html - Cached Rain, curfew help bring quiet night to Benton Harbor - CNN Jun 19, 2003 ... Wednesday afternoon, police officers from several different jurisdictions began arriving in Benton Harbor. Some carried riot gear, ... http://articles.cnn.com/2003-06-18/us/michigan.unrest_1_police-officers-high-speed-chase-c... - Cached Benton Harbor riots serve as warning to other cities - 06/22/03 Jun 23, 2003 ... Benton Harbor, scarred by two nights of rioting, is in many ways an icon ... q Benton Harbor riots serve as warning to other ... http://www.s4.brown.edu/cen2000/othersay/062203datnews.pdf - Cached Anger erupts in Benton Harbor Nights of rioting against police and poverty. Anger erupts in Benton Harbor. July 4, 2003 | Page 6. THE PRESIDENT was enjoying high approval ratings after ... http://socialistworker.org/2003-2/459/459_06_BentonHarbor.shtml - Cached FOXNews.com - Rioters Torch Cars, Buildings in Michigan - U.S. ... Jun 18, 2003 ... BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — Rioters torched at least five buildings and five cars and as many as 15 people were injured -- including a shooting ... http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,89723,00.html - Cached Calm Returns to Benton Harbor After Riots : NPR Quiet returns to Benton Harbor, Mich., after riots over the death of a black motorcyclist exposed racial tensions in the small western Michigan city. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php%3FstoryId%3D1305337 Rioting in Michigan town exposes social tensions Jun 19, 2003 ... Rioting continued for a second night on Tuesday in Benton Harbor, Michigan, as hundreds of area residents protested the death of a ... http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/jun2003/riot-j19.shtml - Cached Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:02 am  Ryan Eashoo F L I N T O I D Bring them to Flint next to clean house! _________________ Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:02 pm  00SL2 F L I N T O I D quote: untanglingwebs schreef: Rumors are that Walling took the Emergency Financial manager course and is lobbying to be the EFM when Flint finally goes under. In my opinion, it would truly suck to haave the person responsible for the current mess in charge of fixing it. IMO he should have more financial/accounting education and experience than one class to become qualified as an Emergency Financial Manager. And more common sense. That goes for Eason, too. 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