I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
Michigan Forward says that more than 500 people have signed up to circulate petitions calling for a referendum on Public Act 4 — the Emergency Manager law.
“Since our presentation to the city of Pontiac on May 12, our volunteer capacity has increased to over 500 volunteers in our focus communities: Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Benton Harbor, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Pontiac, Lansing, Traverse City, Saginaw, Southfield and Warren,” the progressive think tank said in a statement.
The March 16 law was cast as a measure to address the state’s growing economic problems and allows emergency managers to take over towns and schools, fire elected officials, sell public property, end collective bargaining and privatize services.
More than 161,000 valid signatures are needed to suspend the law and place it on the ballot.
Michigan Forward, which is organizing the repeal campaign together with Reject Emergency Managers, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Highland Park NAACP, said that volunteers will cover the state to educate about the anti-democratic nature of the law.
Our petition efforts will not be regulated to supermarkets and community events. We have identified 45 Michigan House and 25 Senate Districts for door-to-door neighborhood canvassing to meet and exceed our goal of 250,000 petition signatures.
The unconstitutional emergency manager law has scores of unintended consequences. Public Act 4 must be suspended immediately before more communities lose their elected officials as a fact of political take out, sacrifice federal funding for urban renewal and forego disclosure and democracy for authoritarian control.
The Facebook page of Reject Emergency Managers has a map that shows the hometowns of those who have volunteered to circulate petitions.
Organizers are urging those interested in supporting the campaign to download, print out and distribute cards with information about PA 4.
A June 4 training is planned for petition circulators.
Michigan Forward said fundraising has formally begun.
We have formed a ballot question committee, “Committee to Build Michigan” in compliance with Michigan Election law. We anticipate raising $250,000 to support our efforts. Soon we will launch our “Dollars for Democracy” program targeting 100, 000 donors giving $1 each.
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter