Macomb Twp. Adds Manpower to Snyder Recall Efforts

Republican Gov. Rick Snyder will mark his first year in office this November, but a group of Macomb Township residents is determined to see that his one-year anniversary celebration becomes a going-away party instead.

Online and on the streets, lawn signs, Facebook pages, websites and side-of-the-road picketers are calling to “Recall Rick Snyder.”

Recall efforts in the state started in March 2011 with the founding of the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder. From there, city and county groups formed, including one in Macomb Township.

The sole purpose of these groups is to collect the roughly 807,000 valid signatures required to put the recall on the November 2011 ballot.  

“This is totally a grassroots effort,” said Tammy Fenner-Lamky, Macomb County captain for the recall. “We are not being funded or aided by any unions or political parties. I know how difficult this endeavor is and it has never been done before, but I can see us making history. I’ve seen the amount of effort going into this. I’m out here to get Snyder’s recall on the ballot.”

Recall organizers expect 20 percent of the signatures collected to be invalid, so have set a 1.1 million signature goal to be safe.

While Macomb Township organizers believe they have collected several thousand signatures alone, the state is not releasing official numbers at this time.

Duane Larkin is one of about 40 Macomb Township residents working to collect signatures in the township.

“The recall effort will be difficult, and it may be that we get the motion onto the ballot only to see it fail ... but I'd rather go down fighting, than to acquiesce and bow down to an unjust ruler,” Larkin said.

While every recall proponent with whom Patch spoke gave several reasons for their support, one issue was shared across the board–opposition to the Emergency Financial Managers bill - House Bill No. 4214.

“I understand the need for leaner government,” Larkin said. “I don't understand how the office of financial manager under Gov. Snyder can sweep aside established rules and void negotiated contracts with impunity.”

“My biggest reason for supporting the recall of Gov. Snyder is his expansion of powers granted to the emergency financial managers. The FM is appointed, not elected–they can only be removed by the governor. They can dissolve contracts and eliminate the elected officials' governance. There are too few checks on their power.”

However, as with any political effort, there is both an opposing and supporting side. When Macomb Patch asked its Facebook readers if they supported the recall effoirts, township resident Sandy Teggart Brachel said:

"Nope. I support the concerted effort (Snyder) is making to try to put Michigan on a better path to success. Nobody likes to hurt a little bit to end up better off."

Fellow resident Dennis Surdu shared Brachel's thoughts.

"Nope," Surdu said. "Gonna take more than 6 months of pain to fix 8 years of Granholm negative growth."

Shortly after the Washtenaw County board of election commissioners found the proposed ballot language in the petition asking for the recall of Snyder to be "sufficiently clear" (April 29), Snyder's office issued this statement, as reported in The Ann Arbor Chronicle:

“The Governor remains fully committed to making the tough fiscal and policy decisions that have been put off for far too long. He knew full well that it wasn’t going to be easy. His budget and tax plan was a comprehensive approach to hit the ‘reset’ button and tackle the state’s structural deficit once and for all, grow Michigan’s economy for more and better jobs, ensure core and safety net services, and build a strong foundation for the future.”

Recall groups have until Aug. 5 to collect signatures and should 807,000 valid signatures be collected, the first election day upon which the recall could appear on the ballot is Nov. 8.

With only two weeks remaining until their deadline, members of the Macomb Township recall and those in neighboring communities are planning dozens of signing events throughout Macomb County to secure those last few signatures.

Anyone who is over the age of 18 and is registered to vote can sign the petition.

For more information on the recall efforts, or to contact recall group captains, visit FireRickSnyder.org.

Petition Signing Events

July 20 - Macomb Community College, 44575 Garfield, Clinton Township: 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

July 21 – Macomb Community College, 44575 Garfield, Clinton Township: 12:15-2 p.m.

July 21 – Macomb County Shelby Library, 51680 Van Dyke, Shelby Township: 1-3 p.m.

July 21 – Waldenburg Park, 19225 21 Mile Road, Macomb Township: 5-8 p.m.

July 25-29 – MEA/NEA Local 1, 38550 Garfield, Clinton Township: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

July 28 – Waldenburg Park, 19225 21 Mile Road, Macomb Township: 5-8 p.m.