Emergency Financial Mgr. fires entire government of Benton Harbor, MI.

[TheNocturnalEgyptian]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Takes First Step to Strip Away Rights

Joseph L. Harris issues an order prohibiting all action by all city boards, commissions, authorities and other entities, except as authorized by the emergency manager

CONTACT: Jesse Sipe 517-515-3242

In the wake of a bill that was signed into law with high objection from the people, as it was a bill that threatened local communities, schools, townships, and municipalities, the first order has been officially issued in Benton Harbor. Joseph L. Harris has used his emergency manager powers to “exercise any power or authority of any office, employee, department, board, commission, or similar entity of the City, whether elected or appointed.” In addition, the Emergency Manager has the power to supersede any officer or entity and the power to act on behalf of the city.

“This is sad news for democracy in Michigan. It comes after the announcement of Robert Bobb in Detroit ordering layoff of every single public school teacher in the Detroit Public School system,” says Mark Gaffney, President of Michigan AFL-CIO. “With the stripping of all power of duly elected officials in Benton harbor and the attack on Detroit school teachers, we can now see the true nature of the Emergency Manager system.”

This is a real life instance of taking away our fundamental rights. In fact, the only thing City Boards, Commissions, Authorities or other entities may do without the approval of an Emergency Manager is to:

1) Call a meeting to order
2) Approve of meeting minutes
3) Adjourn a meeting

Everything else is under the Emergency Manager’s control. These new powers are taking away the will and voice of the people by stripping away the rights of public officials elected by Michiganders. By exploiting the current crisis situation, these emergency managers are able to ascertain unreasonable rules to completely control a city. This is a true case of political over-reach, and will simply add to the hardships of an already suffering populace in Michigan.
###

http://www.revolutionaryviews.com/chris/Eclectablog/JoeHarrisOrders.pdf

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/15/967374/-UPDATEDAnd-so-it-begins-Emergency-Financial-Mgr-fires-entire-government-of-Benton-Harbor,-MI


Goodbye representative government

[Glass]

Its not the end of representative government. It's just changing who is represented.

here's the guys CV: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/treasury/Joseph_Harris_Resume_283735_7.pdf

There must be someway to strike down these orders or the laws that enable them? Can they be subjected to a vote by the people?

[Ponce]

Maybe it was time for someone to put their foot down and take control? and maybe the same thing should happen in the US as a nation, where someone should become a dictator?........if it was Ron Paul I believe that we would survive but if it is Obama or one of "them" then there would be a revolution and civil war.

[Eyebone]

I haven't checked the links you provided but asking you questions allows me to bump your post.

Where did these 'emergency" powers come from?

Who appointed this fellow and what is his neck size?

[Twisted Titan]

There must be someway to strike down these orders or the laws that enable them? Can they be subjected to a vote by the people?


The Ballot Box or the Ammo Box

[dys]

I can't seem to find the Benton Harbor Comprehensive Annual Financial Report online. Can't say I'm surprised, as it undoubtably will demonstrate that the Benton Harbor is more than solvent.

dys

[Spectrism]

Here is a little more this guy wrote.


Interesting statistic: Benton Harbor is 92.4% African American with an annual median household income of $17,471 with 42.6% of the population below the poverty line. St. Joseph, the next city south of Benton Harbor on the shores of Lake Michigan is 90.3% white with an annual median household income of $37,032.

UPDATE 2: Two updates, actually. First, I have received several comments emails protesting my use of the word "fire" referring to the government officials in Benton Harbor. This is a fair criticism and it is true that these officials have not been actually fired; they still are in the positions they were elected to hold. However, they have been EFFECTIVELY fired since they are unable to actually do the job they were elected to do. Also, it is pretty clear that Benton Harbor is a financial mess. Nearly half of its population is below the poverty line and many have indicated that the government officials are corrupt, inept or both. I understand that and agree that there may be a role for the State to come in and intervene in a limited way to help set things right. But to essentially dismiss the entire city council is draconian and anti-democratic in the extreme. Democracy and its outcomes are often ugly. That's a plain fact of life. Sometimes we have to deal with the outcomes of that ugliness. It's not for the Governor or his appointed lackeys to unilaterally fire the government officials; that is the citizens' job and that is exactly why we have elections.

As far as my use of the word "fired", I'm a lefty political blogger trying desperately to fight back against the right wing smears and spins that permeate our media space. If using a very small amount of exaggeration helps me to spread the message, I will do that. The fact that my website has had over 5,000 hits on this piece and over 2,100 shares on Facebook, I think I was successful in that and I am comfortable with using the word "fired". The only difference between them actually being fired and what transpired this week is the fact that they still have the positions they were elected for, even if they are unable to actually perform the required tasks.


Well... maybe they can just get the state to steal the money from whitey and everyone in BentonHarbor will be happy.

[Twisted Titan]

$17,471 with 42.6% of the population below the poverty line. St. Joseph, the next city south of Benton Harbor on the shores of Lake Michigan is 90.3% white with an annual median household income of $37,032.

Thats difference of 19,561...really inst a whole lot to steal they'd be better off crying for more Federal Milk money

[dead precedent]

We call it Benton Harlem ...anyone,anywhere within 100 miles of it knows it's a shithole.