From the Green Party of Michigan:
Green Party of Michigan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.migreens.org/
** News Release
**
** ------------ **
July 27, 2012
For More Information,
Contact:
-----------------------------
John Anthony La Pietra, Elections
Co-ordinator
jalp@triton.net
269-781-9478
Jennifer La
Pietra, Media Co-ordinator
(508) 280-1360
Greens to Supreme
Court: Let People Vote on Emergency-Manager
Law
==================================================================
The
Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) counts grassroots democracy among its core
principles -- its Ten Key Values. And the party has been living that value quite
a lot this year in supporting the petition drive to let the people of Michigan
vote on Public Act 4 of 2011, the emergency-manager law.
It was almost
five months ago that Stand Up for Democracy turned in many more valid signatures
on referendum petitions than opponents could hope to challenge on the merits.
And it's been three months since expert testimony and common sense joined to
prove that the petition both substantially and actually complied with the
requirements of Michigan's Election Code.
But anti-democratic legal
maneuvers have so far blocked this exercise of the people's fundamental right to
a voice in their government.
The matter reached the Michigan Supreme
Court this Monday -- and now there is only one month left to put the issue on
the November 6 general-election ballot. Or so says the state Bureau of Elections
-- basing its timetable on a law which isn't constitutionally eligible to take
effect yet.
Michigan Greens urge the Michigan Supreme Court to act
quickly and decisively to end the unjust delay and confusion, and put the
referendum on the ballot.
"We the people of Michigan understand what
14-point type is," commented GPMI's Elections Co-ordinator John Anthony La
Pietra, an attorney with training and experience in election law and other
aspects of civil rights and Constitutional law.
"And over 200,000 of us
saw 14-point type when we read, understood, and signed the petition to end the
emergency-manager law and revive the power of grassroots democracy -- which all
Greens support.
"Michigan Greens call on the members of the Supreme Court
to live up to their title, and give the people justice on this
matter."
La Pietra, the Green candidate for Calhoun County Clerk and
Register of Deeds, added that the Court needs to act soon -- to avoid entangling
the referendum on PA 4 with another controversy, and another anti-democratic
bill.
Part of Public Act 276 of 2012, signed by Governor Snyder two weeks
ago, will remove a current eleven-day period for finalizing the language
describing ballot questions. This will give future citizen initiatives and
referendums less time to go through the legal hoops to get on the
ballot.
But the new law can't apply to the emergency-manager referendum,
La Pietra pointed out. "The enrolled Senate Bill 823, which became PA 276, says
it is to take immediate effect -- and also says it is to take effect on August
16. But the House did not approve the bill by the 2/3 majority required in
Michigan's Constitution. So PA 276 can't take effect until 90 days after this
legislative session ends."
Despite this, La Pietra noted, the Bureau of
Elections has declared that court action on the petition against PA 4 must be
finalized by August 27 to get the referendum on the ballot. That is ten days
earlier than the September 7 date (60 days before the November 6 general
election) established by current sections of Michigan law which PA 276 would
repeal.
"Maybe the Bureau's just playing it safe, and planning for an
earlier process than is really necessary," La Pietra suggests. "That would be
understandable -- but it could put liberty and justice at risk.
"Perhaps
we can all agree to hope that the point becomes moot -- because the Supreme
Court does the right thing, recognizes precedent and common sense, and acts
promptly to put the question on the ballot for voters to decide."
For
more information about the Green Party of Michigan, its values, and the
candidates who will represent both on the November ballot, visit:
http://www.migreens.org/
Also check out the Green
Party/Partido Verde of Michigan group on Facebook, and the party's Twitter feed
@MIGreenParty.
References:
----------
Stand Up for Democracy,
sponsor of the referendum on PA 4
www.standup4democracy.com/
Senate
Bill 823, which became Public Act 276 of
2012
www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=2011-SB-0823
shows
Michigan House's 68-42 vote to approve the bill;
see also link to text of
enrolled bill, which says both
that it will take effect immediately
and
that it will take effect August 16
Michigan Constitution, Article
IV, Section
27
www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-Article-IV-27
shows
a 2/3 majority in both houses is required for immediate effect
Michigan
Supreme Court Webpage on _Stand Up for Democracy v Secretary of
State_
courts.michigan.gov/supremecourt/Clerk/07-12/145378/145387-Index.html
includes
a summary of the case and links to briefs filed in it
# #
#
created/distributed using donated labor
Green Party of
Michigan
548 South Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
http://www.migreens.org/
734-663-3555
GPMI was
formed in 1987 to address environmental
issues in Michigan politics. Greens
are organized
in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each
state
Green Party sets its own goals and creates its
own structure, but US Greens
agree on Ten Key Values:
Ecological Wisdom
Grassroots
Democracy
Social Justice
Non-Violence
Community
Economics
Decentralization
Feminism
Respect for
Diversity
Personal/Global Responsibility
Future
Focus/Sustainability
Check out the Green Party/Partido Verde of Michigan
group
on Facebook – and follow us at Twitter: @MIGreenParty