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| U.S. Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. |
Democracy For Sale: Subverting Voting Rights, Collective Bargaining and Accountability Under Michigan's Eme...
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Showing posts with label Highland Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Highland Park. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Chairman John Conyers,Jr. U.S. Judiciary Report on Michigan's Emergency Manager Law
Democracy For Sale: Subverting Voting Rights, Collective Bargaining and Accountability Under Michigan's Eme...
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Conyers to Hold Forum on Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law
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| U.S. Represenaive John Conyers, Jr. |
Currently, there are six emergency managers in place under the Michigan Emergency Law (Benton Harbor, Ecorse, Flint, Pontiac, Detroit Public Schools, Highland Park School District) and a review for an appointment is ongoing with respect to the cities of Detroit and Muskegon Heights. Due to the controversial nature of the law, several lawsuits have been brought challenging its constitutionality, and a petition drive is pending which would suspend the law subject to a statewide referendum in November. At the same time, other states such as Indiana are considering adopting emergency manager laws similar to Michigan’s statute. This forum will consider a range of issues, including the EM law’s possible impact on voting rights, representative form of government, and the right to contract; as well as the legality and appropriateness of effort in Lansing to reinstate the law notwithstanding the referendum process. Witnesses will include preeminent constitutional, voting rights, and bankruptcy legal experts as well as representatives of impacted communities, safety officials, and unions.
In December, Representative Conyers wrote the U.S. Department of Justice to ask the Attorney General to review the law’s constitutionality. That same month, Representative Conyers along with Representatives Clarke and Peters, 55 State Legislators (9 State Senators and 46 State Representatives) and 8 Detroit City Council Members, wrote a letter requesting a meeting with Governor Snyder to discuss the Emergency Manager Law.
WHAT: Forum to Discuss the Legal Implications of Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law
WHERE: Soul Harvest Ministries
16300 Woodward Avenue
Highland Park, MI, 48288
WHEN: Tuesday, February 21, 2012. 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
WHO:
The Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
Michigan’s 13th Congressional District
Michigan’s 2nd Senate District
The Honorable DeAndre Windom
Professor Kenneth N. Klee
UCLA School of Law
Professor Jocelyn Benson
Wayne State University Law School
Al Garrett
Officer Joe Duncan
President, Detroit Police Officers Association
John Philo
Brandon Jessup
Chairman, Michigan Forward
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Conyers: Emergency Manager Not a Solution to Highland Park School District Budget Problems
**Follow Me On Twitter @RepJohnConyers**
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543
Conyers: Emergency Manager Not a Solution to Highland Park School District Budget Problems
(DETROIT) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement in response to Governor Rick Snyder’s January 20th letter to Highland Park School District parents advising that the district is in jeopardy of closing within the next few months due to budget shortfalls and informing them that he has appointed an independent financial review team to examine the district’s finances.
“I appreciate that the Governor has stepped forward to provide some immediate financial assistance. It is important to ensure that young people in the Highland Park community have a stable and secure learning environment. However, I believe the best way for our community to move forward is for stakeholders at all levels of government to work together to solve this problem. Any discussion by the Governor of employing a emergency manager in Highland Park is premature at this time.”Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Friday, January 20, 2012
Highland Park Schools makes pitch to avoid emergency manager
Highland Park Schools makes pitch to avoid emergency manager
Lansing — Highland Park Schools officials accused state officials of contributing to the district's financial crisis and implored them not to install an emergency manager at a hearing on Friday."The district does have a plan to alleviate the crisis — it's called a Deficit Elimination Plan and it gives us targets to accomplish over a four-year period," said Randy Lane, financial director for the district. He testified before state treasury officials and members of an independent review team, which determined a financial emergency exists at HPS.
"An emergency manager is not needed in Highland Park Schools," Lane testified. "We have a competent staff that reflects the community that can solve problems."
Lane said the state has been well aware of financial problems in the district dating to 2007, and district officials have reduced the budget by 48 percent since 2009.
But over the last year, Lane said the state chose to use "a heavy hand" with the district, pulling money back when enrollment came in lower than projected, denying a request to defer state aid to avoid cash shortages and losing federal dollars. Those actions created some of the district's cash shortfalls, he argued.
"But no matter how hard we tried, the state decided not to work with us," Lane said.
Members of the state review team defended the report, saying the state simply followed the law on pupil counts and making adjustments, which it does to all districts, that the Treasury office made a $4.1 million payment to HPS, which it declared a hardship in July and was on site recently to help resolve a food service contract issue.
"While you are valiantly trying to save the district, you are going in the opposite direction," Carol Wolenberg, a review team member, said.
On Jan. 2, a review team recommended to Snyder that an emergency manager be installed to take over the district's finances. Last week, Snyder declared a financial emergency the same day the state Department of Treasury was forced to give the district an advance of $188,000 to make payroll.
The district's deficit has increased from $6.6 million to $11.3 million over the past fiscal year. Last week, the district told state Treasurer Andy Dillon it needed an extra $3.4 million — on top of $4.2 million it got in August — to get through the rest of the school year.
Jan Ellis, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Education, said the meeting is not a fact-finding hearing.
"The purpose is to afford district officials an opportunity to indicate whether the findings of the Review Team report were supported by competent, material and substantial evidence," Ellis said.
Following the hearing, a record of the proceedings will be transmitted by the hearing officer to the governor, who will make the final determination as to whether his original determination stands that a financial emergency exists, Ellis said.
During the hearing, district attorney George Butler asked the state to send the review team back to look further at the progress the district has made and will make if it's given the opportunity.
Deputy Treasurer Roger Fraser said he would file a report with the governor by the end of the day Monday. The report will agree or disagree there is a financial emergency in HPS. The governor then will issue a decision on installing an emergency manager.
Terry Stanton, a treasury spokesman, said Fraser does not have the option of asking the governor to send the team back.
Highland Park Schools President John Holloway said the district needs more time and money to correct its financial problems. Holloway said he believes the state is seriously considering consolidating the district with a nearby school system. Detroit Public Schools and Hamtramck Schools are two likely candidates, observers have said.
"I'm a traditionalist. We'd like to remain a separate entity, but let's face it — many communities cannot afford to exist. They can't afford themselves," Holloway said.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Conyers Appeals to President Obama and State Officials to Restore Lighting to Highland Park
For Immediate Release
Date: Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543
Conyers Appeals to President Obama and State Officials to Restore Lighting to Highland Park (WASHINGTON) – In response to reports that the City of Highland Park is losing most of its street lights to settle a debt owed to the local utility company, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement: “Today, I contacted Highland Park Mayor Hubert Yopp, and Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, as well as the offices of President Obama and Governor Snyder to discuss this emergency matter. As a result of these calls, I am joining with Mayor Yopp in his efforts to immediately seek federal and state funding to restore lighting to the city’s neighborhoods. “With most of Highland Park’s street lights having been removed or slated to be removed by October 31 to resolve a debt owed to DTE Energy, the citizens of Highland Park are facing a severe safety crisis. Everyone knows that most crimes occur in darkened neighborhoods. And it is especially alarming that the street lights’ removal will be completed by Halloween, perhaps one of the most important days of the year to have lighting to prevent crime and mischief.” ### |
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