THE SENATE STATE OF MICHIGAN


Legislative report for the Emergency Manager Bills
As passed the MI Senate on Wednesday, March 9,2011 *

On Wednesday, March 9 the Michigan Senate passed the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) bills on a party-line vote of 26-l2. The bills would allow an EFM to: 

  • Take over a pension only if a pension fund is less than 80% funded. Once an EFM takes over a pension board they could get rid of the board and move the pension to the Municipal Employee Retirement System (MERS); 
  • Cancel/change terms of any contract; 
  • Void any ordinance; 
  • Relieve local officials of pay and responsibilities; 
  • Prohibit employee’s access to their office and their email; 
  • Have control over academics and close school buildings; 
  • Order millage elections; 
  • Consolidate and eliminate departments; 
  • Recommend that a municipality merge with another municipality; 
  • Sell property, including parks; and 
  • Eliminate busing (but not for children receiving special education services) and sports in a school district. 

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