Posted on 03/21/2003 3:51:48 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
Granholm vetoes water board bill
The Associated Press
3/21/03 4:00 PM
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Friday vetoed a Republican bill that would have created a regional board to review rates agreed to by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
The veto was Granholm's first action on legislation approved by the House and Senate since she took office in January, Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said.
The veto marked the first major partisan conflict between the Democratic governor and the Republicans who control the Legislature.
Senate Republicans will discuss the possibility of overriding the veto on Tuesday, according to a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming. Two-thirds vote by both the Senate and House is needed to override a veto and is considered unlikely.
State Rep. Leon Drolet, a Republican from Macomb County's Clinton Township who sponsored a similar bill in the House, said he doesn't think the Legislature would have enough votes to override the veto.
"I'm bitterly disappointed," said Drolet, who introduced in the House a companion bill to the one that was vetoed by the governor. "The governor apparently believes that the status quo is acceptable."
The legislation was intended to appease suburban Detroit residents who have long complained about high water and sewer rates as set by Detroit.
However, Granholm said the bill isn't constitutional because it takes away the ability of a city to own and operate a water supply and sewer system. She also was worried about its effect on the relationship between the city of Detroit and the suburbs.
"The legislation pits city against suburb and continues a tired battle that serves neither the residents of Detroit nor those who live in its suburbs," she said in her veto letter to the state Senate.
George Ellenwood, a spokesman for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, applauded the veto.
"We're delighted that Governor Granholm has made this decision," Ellenwood said. "It's the best decision for all of our customers."
Water rates aren't solely set by the Detroit water board; suburban municipalities charge their own fees, he said.
The Detroit-run water system serves 126 southeastern Michigan communities with about 4 million people, or four out of every 10 state residents. Detroit itself has about 950,000 residents.
Supporters of the bill said it would allow suburban customers to be represented by the board that determines water rates.
Now, the seven-member Detroit water commission currently sets the water rates and controls the city's 3,700-mile-long water delivery system. Commissioners are appointed by the mayor of Detroit.
Opponents of the legislation said the city of Detroit paid for and built the water distribution system, and blamed suburban governments for high water bills.
The legislation would have created a five-member regional board made up of representatives from Genesee, Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties and the city of Detroit.
Madona and Michael Moore drank the Flint water.
Baghdad Bonoir and John Conyers drank something funy it seems.
Carl Levin has a case of it too, and now Governor Granholm has caught it.
Michiganders, Run for your lives!
Conyors and Lenin are uhhhhh, at least getting older.
If suburbarn customers really wanted to have a say in determining their water rates they would ask their suburban city administrations why they increase the Detroit rate by as much as 300% when billing their citizens.
This issue has never been about water quality. Detroit water quality has always been among the highest in the county.
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