WE NOW NEED YOUR HELP AND THAT OF THE COMMUNITY
NOTICE (Sharing Informs the Public)
Dear Friend:
Tom Barrow: Citizens for Detroit’s Future NEEDS YOU!
As many reading this will know, last October, Citizens for Detroit’s Future and a number of determined Detroiters, undertook an Initiative to create a first ever Detroit election Ordinance.
The Initiative would “Provide for the Immediate Posting of Detroit Election Results”. The Ordinance creates a public transparency by informing the public of election results…in real time…i.e. after the polls have closed for the evening. The Initiative grew from numerous recurring anomalies discovered during city election recounts which the public never sees.
To create the Ordinance, CFDF turned to Section 12-105 of the city’s charter which requires that petition Initiatives be submitted to the Clerk’s office and validated by the Detroit Election Commission.
Call Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones and at least your own Council member.
This past May 28th, the Detroit Election Commission reported to us and the Detroit City Council, that our petitions had sufficient valid signatures to move the Initiative forward. That “report” activated Section 12-107 of the Charter which mandates that council must conduct a “public hearing” and a vote to enact the Ordinance within 60 days of May 28th or before July 27th.
Earlier this week, each member of the Detroit City Council received a certified letter from our organization further informing them of the requirements under the Detroit City Charter and its deadlines. It is now important that the public get involved by taking just 2 minutes to minimally call the Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones’ Office (313-224-1245) and then their own Council Member’ Office.
The call should inquire as to:
1) when the public hearing will be held
2) when will the matter be formally voted upon and
3) ask that they do so immediately.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PHONE NUMBERS
- Detroit City Council-President, Brenda Jones, 313-224-1245;
- James Tate, Dist. #1,313-224-1027;
- George Cushingberry, Dist #2, 313-224-4535;
- Scott Benson, Dist #3, 313-224-1198;
- Andre Spivey, Dist #4, 313-224-4841;
- Mary Sheffield, Dist #5, 313-224-4505;
- Raquel Castaneda-Lopez, Dist #6, 313-224-2450;
- Gabe Leland, Dist # 7,313-224-2151;
- Janeê Ayers, At-Large, 313-224-4248)
Demand that he/she contact the Clerk’s office to demand that her report be issued forthwith as is required by Charter.
We understand that a call takes time but it is essential that officials respect both you as a citizen and importantly, the democratic process.
Respectfully,
CITIZENS FOR DETROIT’S FUTURE
Previous release: July 7, 2015
Contact: Citizens for Detroit’s Future
Media Telephone: 313 393-3100 – Option 3
INITIATIVE SUCCEEDS: COUNCIL TO TAKE UP ELECTION REFORM
Historic Initiative Creates July 27th Charter Deadline for Full Council Vote
DETROIT (July 7, 2015) — In what is being hailed as an historic exercise of Detroiters democratic rights, Citizens for Detroit’s Future president Tom Barrow today announced that the city’s Election Commission had secretly “reported” to City Council President Brenda Jones, (a requirement of Charter Section 12-105), that the Group’s reform petition to “Provide for the Immediate Posting of Election Results” had enough valid signatures to move the Initiative forward.
Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey is part of current unelected Election Commission, which is a division of her office.
The Detroit Election Commission’s notification activates Section. 12-107 titled Time Limit for Enactment or Repeal of Ordinance and mandates a public hearing and full Council vote on the Ordinance by July 27th.
In an envelope containing the May 28th “Report” and post marked June 25th and addressed to Citizens for Detroit’s Future‘s President Tom Barrow, Detroit Election Commission Deputy Director, Gina Avery-Walker secretly “reported” that CFDF’s petitions had been checked and was found to have sufficient valid signatures to go forward. The notification automatically activates Section 12-107 which requires a hearing and vote by the entire council within 60 days of the May 28th date or by July 27th.
“While I am convinced that receiving a letter addressed to me nearly a month after it was written is no accident, it not only emphasizes further the need for reform but also confirms that certain Officials are resistant to our public transparency Initiative.” said Tom Barrow, the group’s president.
“With a kind of official resistance, it is essential now, more than ever, that the public get involved as a united public seeking reform is more powerful” he said.
