Feb
17
2012

Ingham County judge slaps down redistricting law

An article by Kirk Pinho Comments

An Ingham County Circuit Court jurist has ruled that a new state law handing over redistricting authority to the Republican-controlled Oakland County Board of Commissioners is unconstitutional, and GOP brass are vowing to appeal Judge William Collette’s ruling handed down Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Oakland County Democratic Party Chairman Frank Houston, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the legality of Public Act (PA) 280 of 2011, said he’s pleased with the ruling.

“We’re glad we won, and we thought it was justified,” said Houston, who chaired the Oakland County Reapportionment Commission which approved new Board of Commissioners district lines in May in a 3-2 party-line vote. “It’s not just good for Democrats in Oakland County, it’s good for democracy.”

When House Bill 5187 was shepherded through the state Legislature late last year, Democrats — who controlled the county board redistricting process via a 3-2 majority — contended that the legislation sponsored by state Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R-Lake Orion) was a back-handed attempt by Republicans to wrench back control over the county board’s district lines, after county Prosecutor Jessica Cooper and Treasurer Andy Meisner, both Democrats, won their campaigns in 2008, giving them seats on the five-member redistricting panel that Houston helmed.

Conversely, Republicans argued that the new law saves the county roughly $250,000 annually — $2.5 million over 10 years — by reducing the size of the county board from 25 to no more than 21 commissioners and putting the redistricting process in the hands of people who are more accountable to the county’s voters: the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.

“Today’s ruling by the liberal Ingham County Circuit Court is a Phyrric victory for the Democrats,” said county Executive L. Brooks Patterson. “Ingham County Circuit Court has a long record of ruling in favor of Democrats, only to be overturned by higher courts. This matter will be settled in the Michigan Supreme Court.”

According to Bill Mullan, Oakland County Media and Communications Officer, it’s possible for the defendants in the case — Gov. Rick Snyder and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners — to file a request that the state Supreme Court hear the matter instead of the state Court of Appeals, but that request can’t be filed until an appeal is filed with the appellate court.

It’s unknown at this time if the defendants will also file an appeal with the high court.

About the Author: Kirk Pinho

Kirk Pinho is the assistant news editor for the Spinal Column Newsweekly and covers Oakland County and state politics and government. He holds an MFA in poetry from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and a BA in creative writing and political science from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. He first started with SCN Communications Group in 2005 as a staff writer and became assistant editor in 2010.

1 Comment + Add Comment

AJ February 18, 2012 at 3:31 am

Wow, a judge who actually upholds the law! Obviously he must be a liberal because no conservative would ever do that! Quite frankly I’m amazed that such a person still exists in Michigan’s court system.

“Republicans argued that the new law saves the county roughly $250,000 annually — $2.5 million over 10 years”

Ah yes, now Republicans claim they are doing this because they want to save money. Yet when Republicans had the majority and the redistricting power, they had no problems spending the money. Hypocrisy much?

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