U.S. Rep. Conyers Blasts Mich. Gov.’s Bill as ‘Opportunistic Power Grab’

The measure touted by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder as a way to ensure local governments can effectively respond to dire financial situations is "an unconstitutional swipe at minority communities and hardworking public workers," writes U.S. Rep. John Conyers in an op-ed for the Detroit Free Press.

Gov. Snyder (pictured) who is backing the bill, which would give him the power to dissolve local government entities and nullify collective bargaining rights or workers, has attracted increasing attention nationwide for his effort and sparked massive protests at the state capitol.

Conyers said the bill is being pushed "under the guise of Michigan's temporary financial distress," and amounts to "an opportunistic power grab by Republican state legislators and now the governor."

Conyers continued:

This may very well be just the start of a series of attacks against public workers everywhere. Wisconsin's governor, Scott Walker, who signed a similar bill into law, said that if they ‘inspire others across this country, state by state, and in our federal government' to enact comparable laws, then it would be a ‘good thing.'

The takeover provision of the legislation - allowing the dissolution of locally elected bodies - implicitly targets minority communities that are disproportionately impacted by the economic downturn without providing meaningful support for improved economic opportunity.

[image via Michigan Municipal League (MML)]