Title
Resolution Authorizing the City of Ann Arbor to be Listed as a Supporting Municipality in an Amicus Brief to be Filed in the United States Supreme Court in Biden v Nebraska and Dep’t of Education v Brown (U.S. Docket Nos. 22-506 and 22-535)
Body
Whereas, Americans owe nearly $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, which is the largest component of personal debt;
Whereas, The burden of student loan debt causes substantial hardship and contributes to poverty and economic stagnation, among other social ills in the City of Ann Arbor and nationwide;
Whereas, Student loan debt affects people of all ages as it follows them throughout their lives, preventing or delaying financial independence, child-rearing, housing security, and retirement;
Whereas, The Biden Administration has exercised executive authority to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those under certain income thresholds and an additional $10,000 for Pell Grant recipients;
Whereas, The Biden Administration’s student loan debt cancelation has been challenged in two lawsuits that are now before the United States Supreme Court;
Whereas, Public Rights Project wrote a brief of amici curiae arguing that the plaintiffs opposing the Biden Administration’s debt cancelation lack the standing to sue and that the actions of the Biden Administration in canceling the debt were legal and proper;
Whereas, Public Rights Project requested that the City sign the brief of amici curiae along with 39 other local governments throughout the country, including the City of Lansing and the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office in Michigan;
Whereas, The request was received after the City Council meeting of January 9, 2023 and the brief was to be filed prior to the City Council meeting of January 23, 2023;
Whereas, The City Administrator, after review of the brief of amici curiae by the City Attorney, deemed it consistent with the City’s values and interests to authorize the signing of the brief;
Whereas, City Council wishes to support and ratify the action of the City Administrator;
RESOLVED, That City Council supports the cancelation of student loan debt ordered by the Biden Administration;
RESOLVED, That City Council finds that the City of Ann Arbor, as an amici curiae, has a significant public interest in the issues to be considered by the Supreme Court;
RESOLVED, That the City of Ann Arbor ratifies the action taken by the City Administrator, through the City Attorney, to be listed as a supporting municipality to the brief of amici curiae filed by Public Rights Project in Biden v State of Nebraska and Dep’t of Education v Brown (U.S. Docket Nos. 22-506 and 22-535);
RESOLVED, That a certified copy of this resolution be provided to legal counsel for Public Rights Project if requested, as evidence of the City’s support in the matter; and
RESOLVED, That the City Attorney and City Administrator are authorized to take all appropriate actions to implement this resolution.
Sponsored by: Mayor Taylor