Ann Arbor for Public Power is going all in on its ballot initiative on January 31. They are trying to achieve municipalization—which is the establishment of a city-owned and operated power company that is fully under democratic control through the city government, and there-by fully cuts ties with the for-profit DTE Energy regional power utility.
A2P2 will have a kickoff celebration for their signature collection drive at the Clonlara School on Saturday. This free event will feature a question and answer session, free food provided by Star’s Café in the Westgate shopping center, and A2P2 is actively inviting as many people as possible to attend. It will go from 3-5pm.
“Starting the democratic process to replace DTE with a city-owned electric utility is both urgent and necessary,” A2P2 President Sean Higgins said in a press release. “We believe that Ann Arbor is ready to begin the process of replacing DTE,” Higgins said. “A not-for-profit, democratically governed city utility can reinvest profits into upgrading the local grid instead of enriching shareholders, while keeping rates affordable and developing local renewable energy. We are extremely excited about enabling Ann Arbor to make this choice,” Higgins added. “People can now begin collecting signatures from their friends and neighbors. A2P2 will provide training and everything needed.”
Background on the organization
This grassroots democracy and environmentalist organization has been around for a few years now. They are heavy critics of the publicly traded DTE Energy utility company on both reliability and climate responsibility grounds.
The politics of this is where things get tricky. A municipality can technically can do this; but due to ironclad American protections for due process and property law, the city would need to buy the assets in a lengthy, procedural process that is rarely attempted and succeeds even more rarely.
A2P2 goals
The success of this signature gathering effort and ballot measure would only be part one A2P2’s goals, and if they get the ballot measure on the Midterm election, they would not be done. It would simply begin the process by, in the words of the A2P2 press release, establishing “the governance structure for a municipal electric utility that would replace DTE.”
The press release goes on to clarify: “If approved, a charter amendment would set elections for the public utility governing board in 2028. The proposal would not authorize the acquisition of DTE’s assets. That requires a separate vote, as stipulated by state law. The current proposal only establishes the board and defines its powers, and as such would cost taxpayers almost nothing. It’s an important first step.”
The argument against municipalization
One of DTE Energy’s arguments against municipalization is the length and expense of the process, which is sure to result in a protracted, and expensive series of courtroom visits. Even if Ann Arbor does eventually succeed, they would still need to purchase power from either DTE Energy or their competitor, Consumers Energy, and the city still wouldn’t be 100% powered by sustainable sources. Ann Arbor’s new municipal power company would then have to find ways to fund green power generation construction process itself.
“When it comes to Ann Arbor for Public Power’s government takeover proposals, the biggest risk for Ann Arbor residents is cost,” DTE Energy Spokesman Ryan R Lowry said in an emailed statement. “DTE remains focused on continuing to improve reliability, supporting Ann Arbor’s clean energy goals, and keeping bills as low as possible, without asking residents to shoulder the financial risk of an uncertain and expensive experiment.”
RELATED: A2P2 Is Now Gathering Signatures For Municipalization Ballot Question
The work continues
The Ann Arbor City Council was considering doing this over the course of 2024. In 2025, the vote on whether or not to conduct a formal study to consider this resulted in a tie vote. The councilors who voted against it cited concerns over the Trump Administration in explanation of their no votes; essentially deciding that given the Trump Administrations extreme hostility to climate science and any effort to end a reliance on fossil fuels, it was smarter to protect the gains that the City of Ann Arbor has already made in becoming a fully sustainable community.
They will need signatures from five percent of registered voters in Ann Arbor in order to get this on the ballot and they have a year to get them, according to Ann Arbor City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry. If they meet that deadline, and the signatures are verified to be authentic, then the proposal will go to voters registered in Ann Arbor as part of the Midterm elections.
“We currently have 98,660 registered voters so 5% is 4,933 [signatures]. We recommend a buffer to account for unqualified signatures—not registered, outside the city, duplicates, etc.—and of course for changes in registration numbers,” Beaudry said over email. “Depending on staffing and other office priorities, we do make our best efforts to certify petitions as quickly as possible.”
A2P2 Executive Director Brian Geringer told Current that they’re planning on canvasing door to door, ask for signatures “from friends and neighbors” and to have people go to public events. Ann Arborites interested in supporting A2P2 can fill out an online volunteer form, or email annarborpublicpower@gmail.com.
For full context, you can read the full proposal of the charter amendment they want voters to approve this November right here.
Drew Saunders is a freelance business and environmental journalist who grew up just outside of Ann Arbor. He covers local business developments, embraces his foodie side with reviews restaurants, obsesses over Michigan's environmental state, loves movies, and feels spoiled by the music he gets to review for Ann Arbor!
