Healthcare Committee, Election-Year Proposals Advance Toward East Lansing’s November Ballot

November’s general election is almost three months away, but an East Lansing City Council member is already sparring with a citizen group over a charter amendment slated for the ballot.

The City Council took action Monday on two proposed amendments to the City Charter, East Lansing’s guiding document, which are expected to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. The council approved ballot language and an explanatory caption for an amendment that would create a local healthcare committee and added an explanatory caption to an amendment that would move City Council elections to even-numbered years. 

Following the vote, an organizer for the group seeking to switch the election years accused the council of meddling in the election, saying the caption was added to persuade residents to vote against the amendment. The caption added by the City Council will appear on the ballot above the proposal. 

A citizen group wants to boost election turnout by switching City Council elections from odd years to even.  

Residents collected enough signatures to have a charter amendment that switches City Council elections from odd to even-numbered years placed on the Nov. 3 ballot. Organizers previously told East Lansing Info they are proposing the change to align city elections with state and federal general elections, which would boost turnout. Some years, City Council elections are the only matter on odd-year November election ballots. 

Adam DeLay, a member of the group advocating for the charter amendment, said the language was modeled after similar proposals in Flint and Grand Rapids. Prior to the vote, DeLay asked the council to print the language drafted by petitioners on the ballot alone, without an explanatory caption. The ballot language reads as follows: 

“Shall the East Lansing City Charter be amended to require the City Council to move all elections held under the City Charter from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years?”

If the proposal passes, the current members of the City Council will have one year added to their terms, a point council members said should be highlighted on the ballot. Mayor Erik Altmann motioned to have the following caption be printed on the ballot above the proposal: 

“A citizen-initiated proposal to amend the City Charter to move all city elections to even years which, if passed, would extend the terms of current office holders by one year. Note that even if approved, the City Council must take action to finalize the move of city elections to even years.”

After the council unanimously voted to add the caption, DeLay spoke again during a public comment session held at the end of the meeting. He said the caption is an attempt to “poison pill” the proposal and “go around” the efforts of volunteers who collected over 1,200 signatures to have the amendment placed on the ballot.

“I will flat out say that the reasons stated a moment ago are not the reasons why you all pursued and passed this explanatory caption,” DeLay said. “It was done to try and sink it. It was done to influence votes.”

The ballot language leaves out important information about the implications of the charter amendment, an omission that could influence the vote, Councilmember Mark Meadows responded. 

“You may think I’m disingenuous but buddy I think you are,” Meadows said. “We’ll see what the public says.”

Following the meeting, Liam Richichi, a member of the group that is advocating for the charter amendment, told ELi the group will next raise money to pay for yard signs and mailers in support of the amendment. He also said volunteers will go door-to-door to speak with residents in every neighborhood and on Michigan State University’s campus. 

“At the end of the day, the purpose of this is to increase voter engagement and education,” Richichi said. “That can only happen when everyone is informed and engaged.”

Council approves ballot language, caption for charter amendment to create a healthcare committee. 

The City Council approved ballot language and a caption for a proposed charter amendment that would create a local healthcare committee to monitor healthcare accessibility and policies that impede access to care. 

Because language was not attached to the charter amendment petition when it was circulated, the City Council approved language for the proposal. The council also attached an explanatory caption to this initiative. The caption and ballot language read as follows: 

This is a petition-initiated proposal to amend the East Lansing City Charter to create an advisory group to gather information and make non-binding recommendations to City Council regarding access to healthcare. 

Shall the East Lansing City Charter be amended to add a new Chapter 21 to establish a Citizens’ Advisory Healthcare Action Committee appointed by the City Council to address healthcare affordability and access by gathering public testimony from the community; analyzing data; reviewing how federal, state, and local policies have affected healthcare affordability and access; and producing a biennial Healthcare Action Plan which evaluates changes in health insurance and benefit coverage, track actions of federal and state officials, recommends solutions, and requires the City Council to adopt and publish a Healthcare Action Plan?

Previously, ELi reported that nonprofit organization Community Action Michigan is seeking to have healthcare committees established in six Michigan communities, including East Lansing and Lansing. 

If the charter amendment is adopted, the city will create a seven member committee that gathers public testimony, analyzes data, and reviews how state and federal actions affect access to healthcare and affordability. Every two years, the committee is to create a report on its findings and recommendations.

The information gathered and recommendations made by the committee would be passed on to local, state and federal policymakers, with the goal of identifying and removing barriers to healthcare.