ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Ann Arbor City Council voted, nearly unanimously, to formally oppose Proposal E — a citizen-led ballot initiative on the November ballot that would establish a board to explore replacing DTE with a publicly owned electric utility.
"I understand this is an uncommon step for the body, but this is an uncommon circumstance," Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said.
The resolution also directs the city attorney to legally challenge Proposal E at the appropriate time.
Watch Brett Kast's video report below:
More than 30 residents spoke during public comment, criticizing the council's involvement in opposing the measure.
"Do you really want to vote against grassroots democracy? Do you really want to vote against the citizens you represent?" a resident said.
"You are showing that you support DTE, not your citizens," another resident said.
The grassroots organization Ann Arbor for Public Power gathered the signatures to place the initiative on the ballot and rallied against the resolution both outside and inside the meeting.
"Proposal E is a halfway point on our larger campaign to replace DTE in the city of Ann Arbor with a publicly owned electric utility that has no profits," Brian Geiringer, executive director of Ann Arbor for Public Power, said. "It's the only way for people to make their own voices heard directly over a city matter, and that should be their right to do so without interruption from city council."
Council members strongly condemned DTE but also said Proposal E is financially reckless — potentially costing the city hundreds of millions of dollars in lost taxes, legal fees and the enormous cost to purchase DTE's infrastructure.
"This is a significant undertaking that poses significant financial risk to the city if we were to create a new electric utility by condemnation," Ann Arbor City Councilwoman Erica Briggs said.
Rudy Harper is the spokesperson for the Ann Arbor Responsible Energy Coalition, a DTE-supported alliance fighting against the proposal.
"We know on day 1 this will cost Ann Arbor residents and businesses here $1 billion of new debt," Harper said. "We appreciate the city council taking this on. I think that shows a lot that these elected officials in Ann Arbor are saying hold on, pump the breaks, we can't afford this."
Supporters pushed back on the resolution's provision directing the city attorney to legally challenge Proposal E.
"If Proposal E passes, why should the city take the lead in trying to overturn our decision?" a resident said.
"The answer contemplated by Proposal E, advanced by Proposal E, potentially obligated by Proposal E upends our form of government," Taylor said.
An earlier version of the resolution specifically urged voters to vote no on Proposal E, but that language was removed before the meeting.
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