BREAKING: Enough signatures validated to put Mich Emergency Manager law on ballot & on HOLD!

[Playinghardball]

Source: Daily Kos

Citizens in the Stand Up for Democracy Coalition are announcing they have received notice from the Secretary of the Board of State Canvassers reporting the group has collected 203,238 valid voter signatures needed to place the repeal of Public Act 4 (aka the Emergency Manager Law) on the November 2012 general election ballot. According to the report, the group exceeded the 161,305 valid signatures needed by more than 40,000.
“This is an important step in the effort to stand up for democracy in Michigan,” said Herb Sanders, director of the coalition. “This report clearly shows that people across the state want the opportunity to vote to repeal the emergency manager dictator law. Now it is up to the State Board of Canvassers to honor the democratic process and let the people vote.”

On Thursday, April 26, 2012 the members of the State Board of Canvassers will meet in Lansing to decide if the petition will be placed on the November general election ballot. They will also have the opportunity to review a memo from the Secretary of the Board of State Canvassers that dismisses the challenges of a republican group seeking to prevent voters from deciding the fate of PA 4.

The report says, “The Board’s authority and duties with regard to proposed constitutional amendments are limited to determining whether the form of the petition substantially complies with the statutory requirements and whether there are sufficient signatures to warrant certification of the proposal.” One challenge to the font size of the heading in the petition is strong evidence of substantial compliance. And the signatures have been validated. The repeal question should move forward.


Read more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/25/1086310/-BREAKING-Enough-signatures-validated-to-put-Mich-Emergency-Manager-law-on-ballot-on-HOLD-

[xchrom]

1. Excellent. Nt

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. Good on you, Stand Up For Democracy Coalition and the 203,238 signators.

Se ya Rick the dick-tator and your Anti-democracy (ALEC) laws.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. That's get that thing repealed!

[drm604]

4. Good News!

ALEC has to be stopped.

[EC]

5. So what's going to happen in Benton Harbor?

Does everything go back to the way it was before the take over?

[amandabeech]

21. There was a previous, less onerous emergency manager law in place starting in 1990.

I don't know whether the current takeovers would revert to that law or would return to complete voter control.

I hope that there will continue to be resources available to the newly freed municipalities and school districts to straighten themselves out, because many of these entities really were in bad shape.

P.S. It's notjust Benton Harbor, but the Detroit school district, and a couple of Detroit suburbs. Flint managed to get the managers out for a bit on a technical point, but I suppose that they will be back.

[tk2kewl]

6. K&R

[ProfessionalLeftist]

7. It's not just about Democracy in Michigan

It's about Democracy for the whole country -- because you know this "Emergency Manager" bullshit was a model for such "rule by dictatorship" all across the country. If it stands in Michigan, who's next?

[alfredo]

9. Was this an ALEC model?

[avebury]

8. IF the referendum issue makes it on the November

ballot it will definitely help Obama.

[Denninmi]

10. Excellent.

My bosses wife was collecting signatures last week for an initiative to make the right to collectively bargain a constitutionally protected right in Michigan for public sector employees. I hope they gather enough sigs for that one, too.

[Iliyah]

11. Way to go!

Can you image this country acting like MICH? Talk about communism. The GOP is of striking distance from turning America into one. They of course speak with fork tongues when saying its the Dems that is going that route. I've learned that when the GOP speaks its usually them themselves that are striving for it.

What Mittens is doing right now, trying the use Pres O's strenghts against him.

[goclark]

12. Outstanding!

[FarCenter]

13. What is the current polling on the question? In late January, it seemed roughly tied?

[RedCloud]

14. Another sad day for GOP caudillos

[Blue Owl]

15. Fuck their shock doctrine

and the ass it rode in on.

[KamaAina]

16. Pity Detroit just knuckled under and accepted everything short of an emergency manager

with Snyder holding PA 4 over their heads like a club.

[goclark]

20. I lived in MIchigan

and the last time I was in Detroit, it was a waste land.

Political corrumption was all over everything.

[KamaAina]

23. I'm going to guess that Kwame Kilpatrick was mayor then

he is now behind bars where he belongs. But if every city that ever had a corrupt mayor faced a state takeover, we'd really have problems.

[goclark]

24. You are right Kwame was a mess

but the city had overwhelming problems and other politicians that acted like he did ~ sad.

[sarcasmo]

17. Wonderful, thanks for the good news.

[freshwest]

18. Good for Michigan! Kicking!

[Scuba]

19. Congratulations Michigan! Well done!

[catbyte]

22. Yeah, well, unless the GOP gets it thrown out cuz of font size

Which is a distinct possibility because a member of the group bringing the complaint about the incorrect font size also sits on the Board of Canvassers and hasn't recused himself--typical.



I hate the GOP and the MI Democratic Party is spineless--they have decided to "remain neutral" in Rick "The Dictator" Snyder's recall petition drive. Why in God's name are they doing THAT? Not one penny until they decide to grow a pair.

Diane
Anishinaabe in MI & mom to Leo, Sophie, Taz & Nigel, members of Dogs Against Romney, Cat Division
"We ride inside--HISS!”

[Bozita]

25. That's what just happened!

[sakabatou]

26. Yup

And that just pisses me the hell off.

[goclark]

27. What just happened ???

[Bozita]

28. It won't be on the November ballot unless a court acts on the coming appeal.

Here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014107494