Electric Grid Asset Valuation (Denied)

During the March 3rd council meeting, I voted against Phase 2 of the MEU study. This is not because I disagree with municipalization or appreciate the work that Ann Arbor for Public Power does towards clean, independent energy. My reasons for voting are due to the apocalyptic-like conditions in which we exist. Learn more about my reasoning from remarks I shared last night below. 

“Thank you, members of the community, for being here tonight and sharing your thoughts. I agree with you and share the frustration surrounding this issue—and frustration with DTE and the ongoing challenges we continue to face in achieving energy equity and resilience.

However, at this time, I cannot support the Phase 2 study. Currently we are facing a landscape of complete uncertainty. Federal funding has been pulled from our social services—those that serve our most vulnerable residents—are in crisis.

 I am aware that at a recent meeting of Ann Arbor nonprofits, organizations shared that they are collectively facing millions of dollars in losses. Programs that people rely on. Community Action Network, in my ward - one of the only organizations in the city that provide after-school services to majority minority children, is losing millions, including their entire Americorps staff. Other organizations, like Neutral Zone, Ozone House, SafeHouse, along with Delonis Shelter, are losing money and essential services for housing insecure youth, victims of interpersonal violence, and eviction prevention resources and services. 

Furthermore, CAN, which provides almost 20% of food in our county, has reported that 14% of their distribution, housed at Food Gatherers, or an equivalent to 1.2 million meals, has been frozen. I was told that the food is locked up. These critical social services impact children and families who are integral parts of our community. 

With this level of need in our community, again I cannot vote to allocate $1.7 million toward this study at this time. I understand that energy resilience and independence is part of equity - however I strongly advocate that this money go back to the General Fund, where it can potentially be directed toward urgent social service priorities in this time of crisis.

Let me be clear, though, about my values: I believe that DTE has been destructive for our city. In 2023, after the February ice storm, and after losing my own power for a week,  I put forth the “Resolution Requesting the City Administrator to Engage with the Michigan Legislature and Michigan Public Service Commission to Advance Energy Equity and Resilience,” which has been used in testimony to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), and codified the ability for  staff and city attorneys to enter legal disputes to block the unjustified rate hikes. 

In fact, according to a public memo released by our city attorneys today (yesterday), as a city er have successfully fought DTE’s proposed rate increases for the past three years, saving hundreds of millions of dollars. We are not simply sitting back— and I don’t plan to simply sit back. My resolution also  asked that we look into how those most marginalized among us suffer from disproportionately high outage rates, and have some of the most dilapidated energy infrastructure. 

Similarly, I ask you to think about those most marginalized among us now  - children who are losing services, food, and families being forced to live in cars and tents during one of the steepest increases in homelessness our county has ever experienced.  Right now, we are hearing things come down the line everyday about potential cuts to social services, to shelters,  to city operations - including our existing sustainability work in neighborhoods like the Bryant Neighborhoodoox. We must focus on stabilizing our community and protecting essential services at this time.”