.J" ,J
te, could
Fred P rk , e ecutive director
of the Michigan Correction Or­
ganlzation, n org nization that
repre ent pri on guard
throughout the tate, doe n't
. think that the director hould be
· appointed by the governor.
Often the only thing that hap­
n in the Department of Correc­
on are negative - pri on
killings, riot - Par aid.
Con equently, if there i a prison
, di turbance the governor has a
direct line to the director and
.. ' may decide to replace him to
, shift the blame for the incident
.. : bac to the department.
.. As a result, changes are made
. in department tha t should
remain stable, Parks said. Each
Overcrowdin , limited taf
nd double-bu ing in cell are
ome eriou problem Ire dy
pI guin the pri on y tern,
Par ide The dep rtment
doe n't need ny more "w ve ,"
he ide
He I 0 expre ed concern
about the ppointment becoming
too political ith governor
making the decision.
. But John Tru cott, pre
ecretary for Engler, aid the
governor i committed to ma ing
ure the appointment doe not
become political. .
Tru cott aid the governor
decided to boli h the com mis­
ion because Corrections deals
urti ilder, former com-
mi ion member, thin the
governor hould ppoint the
director.
"My feeling itt h vin the
governor ma e the direct p­
pointment of the director put
the ccount bility in the
governor' office," ilder aid.
He id the governor' p-
pointment of the director rna e
more en e in uch I rge
dep rtment becau e th t y
Engler ha more direct input in
the agency's operation. By p­
pointing tbe director him elf, the
governor can in ure that Correc­
tion i run ccording to hi
goals, Wilder ide
Wha
director nd "it doe n't ma e any
difference how that per on i ap­
pointed. "
Park aid th t even if Ed Mc­
Ginni , the department's new
director, i a good leader, there i
the chance that Engier will not
be re-elected. In that c e a new
director would probably be
cho en, di rupting the- system
gain, Park aid. The i sue isn't
10 e cep
in ro, Par
11 of the chan
pri oner dvoc te to air their
bout the dep rtment.
Now he onde ho willli ten
to the e people.
Certainly the governor i en-
ti tied to ant omeone ho i
ccount ble to him, but P r
aid people don't realize ho
erious change nd a di ruptlon
of continuity can be in Correc­
tion nd ultimately in the pri on
y tem.
Rep. Phillip Hoffman, R-Hor­
ton, said making Corrections
more accountable and the over­
nor more responsible will have a
posi ti ve effect on the depart­
ment.
While an appointment by the
governor can have political COD­
notations Hoffman ees that a
weak excuse not to have the ap-
'happen
if recall
ucce
By Amy MolTOW nd
Dennl M n field
Caeilal New Servic«
LANSINO -There has never
been a ucces ful a ttempt to
recall a Michigan governor, but
people keep trying. The ques­
tion of what would happen if
they were uccessful, however,
is unclear.
The state constitution and
Public Act 66 eem to give con­
flicting answer to the question.
"The recall question will go
on the allot and there will be a
new ele'ction," said Jackie
Scrader, recall committee
leader. "They'll put up a new
Democrat and a new Republican
to run for governor."
Bradley Wittman, director of
information for the Secretary of
State's election must be held to
fill the vacant office after suc­
cessful recall.
But the state constitution tells
a different story. The constitu­
tion - Article V, Section 26 -
states that the lieutenant gover­
nor would replace the governor.
So while people are spending
their' efforts to remove Engler
from office, they might ju t
replace him with his second in
Robinson i
in Yp ilanti
David Robinson i a candidate
in the Ju� 10 Ypsilanti school
board election.
Robinson said the fact that he
has over 37 years of experience in
the field of education gives him the
"unique capability for making many
valuable contributions I to the
educational program of the Yp­
silanti Schools."
Robinson's experience spans
the years since 1951 to the present
and covers the education spectrum.
He has been middle school
cience teacher, a senior high
school counselor, asiistant prin­
cipal, adult ed teacher and private
education consultant which he
does now.
In addition, Robinson is a mem­
ber of the national, state and local
education associations, serving as
president of the local and regional
associations.
Robinson is married to Pearl
Fabio Robinson and is the father of
Robinson's experiences reach
past the school house door weU.
He is a World War U veteran, life
member of the NAACP, a member
of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraterniry, the
First U nitarian- Universalist
Church and has lived in Ypsilanti as
a homeowner since 1973.
He served as president of the
EmanoD Club of YpsilaDti from
1987 to 1988.
command, Lt. Gov. Connie
Binsfeld.
IF BINSFELD WERE not
able to replace Engler, the line
of succession would go on to
Secretary of State Richard Aus­
tin and then Attorney General
Frank Kelly, both Democrats.
The i sue of who replace the
governor in event of a recall ha
never been raised, said Chri
DeWitt, poke per on for the at­
torney general' office.
"If the governor wa recalled,
that would certainly speed up
the process," DeWitt said. "If
the governor isn't going to be
recalled, then there is really no
reason to look into that question,
i there?"
The qu tion of who would
fill the vacancy is not a que tion
the attorney general' office has
poin ent,
Hi toricall ,
little critici of
of Sla Police n the Dep
ent of Ii tary A airs, both
department ith directo p-
po n d by the overnor.
Hoffm n, ho sit on the
Hou e Correctio Commi ttee,
aid more accountabili ty
. needed, e peci By at t e pri on
level. ith five-member com­
mislion it' more difficult to
place the blame hen there i a
problem, he aid.
An out-of-dep rtment ap­
pointment could al 0 create
morale problem , Hoffman aid.
Dep rent employee mi ht be
leery of someone comin in from
tbe "ou ide."
But "given the current 'sorry
state of the department I don't
think that would be a liability,"
Hoffman id.
d
?
•
reviewed, and there will probab­
ly not be an nswer until all the
f ctors involved are kno n, De­
Witt added.
One of the additional lues
being rai ed is whether or not
the act was intended for luber­
natorial recalls, or if the con­
sti turton wording refers
specifically to recall.
By DENNIS 1.. SANDERS
CtlptiM News S,,,,ke
LASINo-March 17, 1992,
will be an important day in
Michigan.
Not only will it be St.
Patrick' Day, but it will the day
MiChigan holds both the
Democratic and Republican
presidential primaries. This
will also be the day Michigan
candidate
schcot race
"I am thoroughly committed to
the urgent task of improving the
quality of basic education which is
so sorely lacking throughout this
nation," said Robinson. "I am also
committed to providing more voca­
tional education for me�tig the
DAVID ROBINSON
critical needs of business and in­
dustry in this age of high technol­
ogy." ,
,
uses the clo ed primary system.
That is, unless the state Court
of Appeal trikes the closed
primary provision as unconstitu­
tional. MiChigan State Unlver-
ity professor Zolton Ferency
has taken the state to court on
civil liberty grounds.
The Ingh.am County Circuit
Court has ruled the provi ion of
a closed primary as unconstitu­
tional.
The state ha appealed to the
Appeal Court where, according
to Brad Wi ttman, a Department
of State official, a decision is
expected next month.
IN THE PAST, the state has
used an open primary or caucus,
each with its own problems. In
the 1972 state presidential
primary, Democrat. complained
that Republicans crossed over
and voted for former Alabama
Gov. George Wall,ace as the
Democratic choice.
In Michigan's 1987-88
Republican presidential caucus,
an in-party struggle took place
mainly between tho e who were
for televangelist Pat Robertson
again t those in favor of then
Vice-President George Bush.
Under the closed primary sys­
tem, and individual's party
preference must be declared at
least 30 days before the primary.
The parties would hare polling
places and workers, but each
party would have a eparate bal­
lot. While state Democrat like
the idea, tate Republicans are
leery of the idea.
State Democratic Party Chair
Gary Corbin aid caucu e were
u ed in the la t two election
years with very low pantctpa­
tion. Corbin said he believe
the primary will allow greater
participation by being an actual
election in tead of a caucus. He
aid that declaring party
preference is not unusual.
"M ny tate have used that
y tern," Corbin aid, noting
that other tate u e tbe closed
y tern for all their elections.
Corbin said Michigan will u e it
only for the presidential
primary.
CORBIN SAID the realon
behind the closed primary II to
block people from crOSSin, over
to vote for a weaker candidate.
He believes there wlll be little
chance for crossover in the
clo ed primary was th e in
1972.
"It provides the voter with the
opportunity of lolnl In and
voting on either slate. You're
not required to commit yourself
ahead of time to a certain party
or ideology," said Bryan Flood,
pres secretary for the Michilan
Republican State Committee.
Flood said the decision for a
closed primary wa� a com­
promise between the two par­
ties. The Republicans preferred
an open primary, but Flood said
the national Democratic party
said it would no longer accept
the results of open primaries.
If a person indicates no party
preference on the party
preference declaration from,
they can not participate in the
presidential primary. Flood said
the closed primary would shut
out those who don't lean
Republican or Democrat but are
independent from the primary
process.
FLOOD SAID the cloled
primary and party declaration
forms could burt represent to
ome people as an inva ipn of
privacy or it may force some
people to make publicly tbeir
choice of political parties.
Flood doubted that crossover
took place in 'the open system
and aid he doesn't think will
happen much in the closed sys­
tem.
Secretary of St te Richard
Au tin, who e Department of
State admini ten election, said
he believes the clo ed primary
will prevent crossover but may
discourage ome participation
in that election because some
people may no(waiit to eftscloae'
their party preference.
Wittman said that while t
parties have paid for tb
caucuses, the taxpayer wlll be
paying for next year'. cloled
primary.