Fasenfest and Pride receive grant from ACLU of Michigan
David Fasenfest and Ted Pride have received a grant from the ACLU of Michigan to analyze the impact of the emergency manager designation for eight Michigan cities.
The administrative take-over of these municipalities has removed or limited the self-governing powers of these communities, effecting a democratic dissolution impacting 50% of the state's African-American citizens.
The study finds that, regardless of the causes of fiscal distress or the requirements of returning these communities to fiscal health, the policies pursued by the Emergency Managers in each of the cities were focused on a combination of selling public assets, reducing public sector employment, and outsourcing services to the community.
Little was done to address or improve the structural conditions leading to the fiscal crisis.
These responses will likely ensure that the communities will face similar fiscal emergencies in the long term as they once again rely on debt to address their immediate financial needs.