Title
Resolution against the Elimination of Local Governments' Authority to Raise Local Labor Market Standards above State Minimums
Body
Whereas, House Bill 4052 and Senate Bill 337 would deprive local governments - including all cities, municipalities and counties - in the state of Michigan of the power to set prevailing, living and minimum wage levels, as well as other forms of local labor market regulation (e.g., earned sick leave requirements) for the businesses operating in their communities, not only preventing new regulations of these kinds but invalidating existing policies;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor has long had Prevailing Wage and Living Wage Ordinances that have been valuable economic development tools which would be undermined should one of these Bills become law;
Whereas, Economic and social challenges (e.g., cost of living) and the opportunities (e.g., average education and income levels) vary considerably among Michigan's cities and counties, so that (provided that the state establishes a basic minimum or floor) a "one size fits all" state-level strategy of economic development is likely to be sub-optimal with respect to the kinds of policies covered by HB4052 and SB 337;
Whereas, Allowing local governments in Michigan to experiment with different permutations of such policies advances our understanding of such policies' benefits, costs and limits in the particular context of our state, to the benefit of all citizens of our state; and
Whereas, Political values and priorities vary among communities in Michigan as in every other state, a reality best reconciled with the ideal of democratic decision-making by devolving policy-making power to the most local level that does not give rise to negative (e.g., race to the bottom) dynamics;
RESOLVED, That the City of Ann Arbor opposes HB4052 and SB337 and encourages the members of the Senate's Michigan Competitiveness Committee and, should it come to the floor of the Senate, all Michigan Senators, to vote against these Bills and any others with similar restrictions on local government authority that may be advanced in the future; and
RESOLVED, That should the Michigan Senate pass either of these bills or any others that have the same basic goals, the City of Ann Arbor urges Governor Snyder to stand up for the values and the democratic authority of the city in which he chose to make his home, and for the principles of democratic decision-making by refusing to sign any such proposed legislation into law; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator shall send a certified copy of this resolution to the Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof and the Minority Leader Jim Ananich of the Michigan Senate, and to Michigan Senator Rebekah Warren, Michigan Representative Jeff Irwin, Michigan Representative Adam Zemke, and Governor Rick Snyder.
Sponsors: Mayor Taylor, Councilmembers Briere, Grand, Warpehoski, Westphal, Eaton, Krapohl, and Kunselman