During the June 26 petition signing at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock, Krissy Sundstrom, right, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, explains petition gathering procedures to new volunteers Nancy Barbour, left, of Hubbell and Davison, Mich., and Mary Kay Du Temple of Bootjack. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)Volunteers will be walking near the Farmers and Artisans Market that opens at 4 p.m. today, Friday, July 1. Watch for their sign and official lapel tags beginning around 5 p.m. They may also be circulating on Fifth Street during the First Friday art exhibit openings this evening.
On Saturday, July 2, the petition volunteers will be on the sidewalk near the restroom building in Agassiz Park from noon to 1 p.m. during PastyFest.*
Another petition signing event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, at Veterans' Park in Houghton. In case of rain it will be held at the UAW (United Auto Workers) Office at 509 Shelden Ave. in Houghton.
Krissy Sundstrom, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, said on June 26 that the committee had collected about 600 signatures in the Copper Country so far.
Volunteer Sean Clancey said he collected more than 100 signatures last weekend at the Firemen's Tournament in South Range.
"I went up and down Trimountain Avenue from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.," Clancy said.
Sundstrom, who joined Clancey for a short time in South Range and collected about 40 more signatures there, said the Adams Township people have been especially supportive of the recall effort.
Volunteer Stephanie Kajpust of Dollar Bay joined Sundstrom and Clancey at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock, on June 26 to help with the petition signing.
"I feel pretty strongly about this," Kajpust said. "I work in the school system so it's a pretty big issue for me."
Benjamin Bandt-Horn of Ripley, riding his bike through Hancock, stopped at the Orpheum Theater to sign the petition. He noted his support for unions as one reason he was signing the petition against the Michigan governor, whose policies are opposed by many union members in the state.
Benjamin Bandt-Horn of Ripley signs the petition to recall Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder during the petition signing event at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock last Sunday, June 26. At left is volunteer Sean Clancey, who collected more than 100 signatures in South Range last weekend. Krissy Sundstrom, right, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, has been organizing the Copper Country petition signing effort. In the background, volunteer Stephanie Kajpust of Dollar Bay welcomes people arriving at the theater for the event. "I would say that public workers aren't necessarily the best example of the need to organize," Bandt-Horn noted, "but when you consider something like mining the need is obvious and essential. I think unions are the only way workers can be on an equal footing with government and corporations."
Ariel of Houghton, who also signed the petition at the Orpheum event, gave another reason for supporting the Recall Rick Snyder effort.
"He's greedy. He's selfish. He's a dictator," she said.
Any Michigan registered voter can sign the petition at the local signing events. It is not necessary to be a resident of a local county.
*Editor's Note: The Recall Rick Snyder petition signing events are not officially related to the PastyFest, the Farmers and Artisans Market or the Orpheum Theater. Sundstrom has confirmed that the local petition signing effort has received solicitation approval from the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce. This covers the Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet areas.
4 comments:
I'm tired of Union hacks trying to run my life. And, I sure don't want them wasting millions of dollars Michigan doesn't have on another election (where they may get someone they like less).
I've spoken with recallers before and found them to be (either lying) or ignorant about Mr. Snyder and Michigan law.
Let's take this great quote. "He's greedy. He's selfish. He's a dictator." Well, Mr. Snyder is taking only $1 as a salary and is the governor - who, state Constitution has given the power to remove local elected officials for over a century.
Since 1850, the state Constitution has placed all authority over even local governments with the legislature ... and the legislature determines what powers it *lets* other government entities have.
Blanchard first signed the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) law in 1988 and expanded it in 1990. (And Granholm installed the EFM in Benton Harbor.)
In 2009, independent research councils identified flaws in the 1990 law that would make it ineffective if cities larger than 500K were to fail.
The new law isn't much different than the old ones. Primarily it helps identify failing entities so an EFM isn't necessary.
But, that's not what these union thugs will tell you. They will try to scare you with half-truths and lies.
If anyone's a dictator, it's them. THEY fight against letting regular people have jobs if they don't join the union. I contend people shouldn't have to join a club and pay a third party to work in the United States of America (though they may if they choose).
Before anyone gets their panties in a twist over Mr. Snyder, I suggest they look over the state Constitution and the entirety of legislation he's passed - including its past history.
Exercise your mind. Don't wash it.
The first problem with your comment, Minerva S, is that the people working the recall campaign are not union thugs who are targeting you. We are from all walks of life, union and non-union, all income brackets and all ages. We are doing this because we truly believe that Snyder is not the solution to the problems our state is facing because of high unemployment and loss of jobs. By removing tax cuts for the film industry, Snyder has cut much of the revenue that was brought into local areas and into our state. Snyder's educational cuts and attacks on public schools and the teachers are completely unacceptable, and the $1.8 billion tax cut for big business is horrible because it puts the financial burden on the backs of our residents who may still be lucky enough to have jobs and takes from the pensions of people over 65 years of age.
We have read our State Constitution and we do know what it says. That document did NOT give a governor the right to send someone in to a village, city, township, or school and fire its governing body, sell off property belonging to said government or school, and to break contracts with employees. EFMs in the past were only sent in as financial advisors, not as hatchetmen as provided under the current law. There are already massive problems with the law and that is why there are petitions being circulated to demand a referendum.
I think perhaps you should do some research on the reasons for the recall drive against Snyder. I am delighted that he is only accepting $1 a year for his salary, but he is getting a lot more than that. Maybe he can use it to pay off the campaign debts that he still owes.
I would like to leave a rebuttal to your comments because i feel that what you are saying needs to be clarified in a sense of the reasons for recall.
I shall clarify this first not all of the people actively involved in the recall are Union Members, Teachers, or just disgruntled Democrats. The recall members come from all walks of life and all ages; college students-senior citizens.
Taking a $1 salary proves nothing, except he is wealthy enough to sustain himself without the help of our state money. That does not prove that he cares for the state what-so-ever. Yet he leaves the Governors Mansion empty, although the State requires a staff to be there for security. And the fact that he takes a State Police Cruiser to work everyday...I think with the price of gas makes up for him not taking a salary.
In regards to the EFM Law, which I will correct you in saying that PA4 of 2011 is called the "Local Government and school district fiscal accountability act" If you have not read all 14 pages of the act, then you are mis-informed. The act gives the EM sole authority to act in the municipal or school district financial agreements or contracts. (PA 4 of 2011 Section 18(a)) Yes Blanchard did sign the first EFM law, but it was not until Snyder modified it so they could eliminate collective barganing, union contracts, and any other contract initiated by an municipality.
So, for anyone to say that the recall people are lying, I believe you should do your research as well.
Minerva,
First of all I agree with you to a point. I think that Mr. Snyder is not greedy. He is satisfied with what he has...which is a considerable amount, considering that he is able to essentially "donate" his time toward the running (ooops almost typed "ruining") of Michigan.
Same holds for "selfish". I don't think he is performing these actions on behalf of himself...but on the behalf of others...very rich and powerful others...whose designs upon this state, and, yes, even our country, are more despicable than anything he could achieve his own.
"Dictator"? Well... yeah, I do have to say that when one has seized the power to throw out local units of government, seize and sell public assets, and disenfranchise voters, it does smack of a dictatorship.
"Independent" research? By WHAT "independent" organization would be MY question. The Mackinaw Center for "Public" Policy? The Heritage Foundation? Americans for "Prosperity"? Flaws that could not be overcome without takeover powers?
Have you checked out the list of municipalities on the at-risk list for an EFM? I have. It's perimeter takes in almost every city of consequence along the Great Lakes shores. Great assets THERE to be sold in order to balance the books. But to whose benefit?
My position as a "union thug" (thug? I am trying very hard to think of the last time I ever threatened anyone...physically, mentally, or emotionally), was created by PERA rights, that have been whittled down almost to the point of laughability.
What is you fear? Brainwashing? Well, ma'am (pretty thuggish of me to call you "ma'am", right?) I am afraid that you have already succumbed to it.
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