age 58-Thursday, September 7, 1978-The Michigan Daily
s,
2 Wne No tteir
rom left to right, Council member Ronald Trowbridge, Mayor Louis Belcher and Council members Susan Greenberg and
en Latta discuss an important city issue.
AREA LEGISLATORS
Laying down the laws
By MICHAEL ARKUSH
Ann Arbor is a city of many contra-
dictions. It's centered physically and
financially around a major university
famous for its progressive and
sometimes radical atmosphere. The
city is run by a Republican mayor with
the assistance of a predominantly
Republican council. And while Ann Ar-
bor is very cosmopolitan, for its size, it
is surrounded by a plethora of small,
farming communities.
It's difficult to imagine what kind of
legislators represent the citizens of this
fair community, but the given circum-
stances have fostered a diverse collec-
tion who claim to speak for the people.
FORMING LEGISLATION to meet
Ann Arbor's varying needs is the job of
State Rep. Perry Bullard, State Senator,
Gilbert Bursley and U.S. Congressman
Carl Pursell.
Democrat Bullard is often an out-
spoken and controversial figure in the
Michigan political arena. The Ann Ar-
bor lawmaker is rarely afraid to speak
openly and aggressively, no matter how
unorthodox his views may seem. The
sometimes radical, always liberal
legislator has consistently raised issues
of concern to students, such as tenants'
rights and tuition breaks.
In the past, Bullard has pushed for
legislation that would protect the en-
vironment, eliminate government
secrecy and prohibit state educational
institutions from investing in countries
which condone his discrimination. But
perhaps his greatest sacrifice to the
student cause came last summer when
a fellow representative bashed him in
sley has decided to step down from his
post this fall to seek a position on the
University's Board of Regents. Area
politicos are already gearing up for the
November elections.
Bursley, who describes himself as a
"moderate to liberal Republican," has
introduced more than 50 bills which
eventually became law. The Ann Arbor
native's voting record has consistently
revealedhis concern for improving
state education.
An active participant in the Senate
Appropriations Committee, which
plays a crucial role in determining the
amount of state funds the University
receives, Bursley sponsored a bill this
year to provide relief to cities like Ann
Arbor and Ypsilanti which provide
police and fire services to universities
Council dances to a GOP tune
i
By KEITH RICHBURG
Following the Republican city hall
litz in last April's elections - an elec-
oral victory that gave the GOP the
rayor's chair and six out of ten Council
eats -- fear of a Republican dynasty
pread through the democratic camp.
"What they have now is raw, naked
power," lamented victorious Second
Ward Democrat Earl Greene, who saw
his own re-election soured by the drub-
bing of his party.
SINCE THE April elections, the new
.1
\I1 46 .
WOL VERINE
PARTY& DELI
SHOPPE Features:
Republican-controlled Council has in-
deed taken on its own personality, in
sharp contrast to the Council of just a
year ago when former Mayor Albert
Wheeler sat at the head of the hor-
seshoe-shaped Council table.
For instance, meetings now begin
promptly at 7:30 p.m. on Monday
nights, instead of the typically late-
starting meetings under Wheeler. Also,
there is less of the broad-ranging and
far-reaching debates that often took the
meetings into the early hours of dawn,
while members discussed everything
from human rights in South Africa to
First Amendment freedoms.
The Democrats on Council - reduced
to holding only four out of the eleven
seats and representing only the two
student wards - have taken on the role
of government critics while they at-
tempt to rebuild some semblance of a
party organization before the next elec-
tions.
COUNCIL MEMBER Leslie Morris
(D-Second Ward) is now the official
spokesperson for the Democrats and
the de facto caucus leader. The soft-
spoken Morris, in her third year on
Council, has built a reputation for fer-
vently representing her student-
dominated ward with ordinances and
resolutions on rezoning and housing,
while leaving the more grandiose
proposals like the South Africa divest-
ment bill and the human rights or-
dinance to her more ebullient
colleagues.
Morris is almost too low-keyed,,
especially when compared to First
Ward Democrat Ken Latta. Latta has
built his own reputation as the most in-
tellectual member of Council, which
has often led to charges of "elitism"
from his opponents. On discussions of
local issues, Latta often expands the
debate to include far-reaching
philosophies of human rights and the
role of government.
While Morris is the elected head of
the four Council Democrats, Latta is
seen by many as the titular Democratic
leader. One Council Republican
acknowledged that Latta is being
primed for a larger role in city gover-
nment, and he is often mentioned as a
potential candidate for mayor in the
upcoming April elections.
THE OTHER ranking Democrat is
Earl Greene, a soft-voiced native of
Virginia who teaches music at Willow
Run Elementary School.
Greene likes to get to what he calls
"the bottom line," and will often attack
an ordinance with the preface "Maybe
See COUNCIL, Page 59
going to live here for
four years hove a major
role in the communFity.'
--Perry Bullard,
State representative
'It's extremely important
that students
who are
* A GREAT SELECTION OF COLD BEER
the head with an ashtray during an
emotional debate over a bill Bullard
sponsored which would reduce
penalties for marijuana use.
"IT'S EXTREMELY important that
students who are going to live here for
four years have a major role in the
community," says Bullard. "I try to
talk to them, to hear what they're
saying, so the state policy-making
process can take their concerns into
consideration."
Bullard's political career has cer-
tainly been a controversial one. Several
years ago the University and Harvard
Law School graduate blatantly lit a
joint at the Hash Bash and raised some
of his campaign funds by showing the
pornographic film "Deep Throat."
AFTER SERVING nearly four terms
in the legislature, the Republican Bur-
but can't reap tax revenue on 'the in-
stitutions' property because of state
statutes. He has also advocated pro-
abortion and environmental protection
legislation.
Pursell, who barely squeaked by
his Democratic opponent Ed Pierce
in the 1976 elections, is winding up
a relatively quiet freshman term in
Congress. For the most part, the for-
mer state senator advocates typically
Republican stances. he particularly
follows the party line on questions of
balancing the budget and strong
national defense. During his stint in
Washington, Pursell has specialized in
investigating the nation's energy
problems and is a vocal supporter of
channeling funds into the development
of laser fusion as an alternative energy
source.
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