SAGINAW – When it comes to ballot proposals from citizen activists instead of professional politicians, most are either statewide or local, one or the other.
In contrast, Back the Blue combines local November votes across Michigan, including in the City of Saginaw, to mandate improved support for police officers and firefighters.
The quintet of provisions, listed on backthebluemi.com, begins with one that would appeal to critics of police misconduct, stating: “Prioritize training and body-worn cameras to enhance safety, transparency and accountability.”
The closing four return to finances:
- Additional life insurance benefits in case of death due to criminal acts.
- Emergency interim family benefits while waiting for life insurance benefits.
- Honor fallen first responder heroes and their families.
- Allow injured first responders to pursue civil action against perpetrators.
Blue is a color associated with police. Back the Blue’s website shows an officer side-by-side with a firefighter in the usual black-and-yellow gear. It says, “We stand with the cops, not with the criminals.”
The proposal does not specify the total revenue sought nor the source, nor the ratio of funding for the two separate employee groups, only that the municipality must take those five steps.
The most intensive organizing has taken place in Grand Rapids, Livonia, Sterling Heights and Warren, records indicate. The provision need not pass statewide to prevail in towns that give approval.
City Charter amendments would be required, under the approaches and strategies of advocates, to adopt Back the Blue’s agenda.
With numbers rounded for clarity’s sake, this year’s $45 million general fund budget is more than half for public safety, with $16 million-plus for police and nearly $10 million for fire. More decimals are available on pages 36 and 43 of the city budget, online at saginaw-mi.com.
Big cutbacks would be more severe if not for a 7.5-mill public safety special assessment.
Saginaw City Council members cast a 6-3 vote to place Back the Blue on the Nov. 5 ballot, but they were unanimous in not discussing their reasons or the details of the proposal.
Clerk Kristine Bolzman advised that under Michigan’s Home Rule City Act, the City Council is legally bound to place the question on the ballot. Nonetheless, the trio of George Copeland, Michael Flores and Monique Lamar Silvia voted not to do so. They were defeated by the six votes to go ahead from Mayor Brenda Moore, Pro-Tem Annie Boensch, Michael Balls, Reggie Williams II, Bill Ostash and Priscilla Garcia.
Local governing units usually resist unfunded cost mandates like Back the Blue. However, the Michigan Municipal League is following its standard practice not to take a pro or con position on local referenda, even when in this case they are initiated in multiple localities as part of a statewide effort, said Christopher Johnson, MML legal counsel.
To view the ballot charter amendment announcement, keeping in mind that the dominant charter amendment topic is lifting the 1979 property tax caps, go to 2:35 on the YouTube video of the Aug. 12 meeting. For the no-discussion split vote, move ahead more than two hours to 2:24.00.
