Michigan News: Macomb County Supreme Court - Warren City Council Members Exceeded Term Limits

[TheBlackAdder]

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The Republicans on the Warren City Council just go term-limited by my daughter's friend.

The state Supreme Court ruled today that four incumbent Warren City Council members cannot appear on this year’s primary election ballot due to reaching term limits.

The high court upheld a Macomb County judge’s original decision and reversed a three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeals which last week said in a 2-1 vote that plaintiff Connor Berdy failed to show the candidates were term-limited under the plain language of the Warren City Charter or that the city government was misinterpreting or misapplying the charter.

A high court panel unanimously agreed with a dissenting appeals court judge.

“We agree with the dissenting Court of Appeals judge that the Warren Charter provides for a single class of city council members, subject to the term limits of the greater of the three complete terms or 12 years in that office,” the justices wrote in a five-page opinion.
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Berdy, 23, a council candidate, last month sued the Warren Election Commission, acting City Clerk Sonja Buffa as well as county Clerk Fred Miller. Berdy accused the four council members of playing “musical chairs” to stay in office after they were allowed on the ballot.


https://www.macombdaily.com/news/copscourts/state-supreme-court-orders-warren-council-members-off-ballot/article_3109e1d2-8c6c-11e9-a3c4-8f5818ae7772.html

Apparently, there were conflicting laws on the books, one setting a 12-year term limit, and another stating that if the incumbents are still competent, they can remain in office. This led to a bunch of Republicans gaming the system and camping in office for decades.

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