Members of a commission charged with revising Detroit’s governing charter are criticizing Governor Gretchen Whitmer for objecting to certain changes in the document.
The Detroit Charter Revision Commission began crafting possible changes to the city’s governing document in 2018, examining issues like affordable housing and water access.
But last week, Governor Whitmer sent a letter to the commission stating there are substantial legal deficiencies in the proposed charter, and that some proposals are so costly they could force the state to resume financial oversight of Detroit.
During the weekend, the commission countered in a statement that Whitmer’s objections are based on what it calls, quote, “inherently unreliable and inaccurate” information put forth by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
The Michigan Attorney General’s office says the commission could send a revised charter plan to the governor, or place the proposal as is on the ballot for the upcoming elections in August.