Ann Arbor, Michigan, October 26, 2026. The Ann Arbor for Public Power ballot question committee will host a virtual Town Hall on Proposal E this Wednesday, October 28, starting at 8pm. State Senator Jeff Irwin (D--Ann Arbor) will join campaign organizers in answering questions from the public. The press is cordially invited to attend. Please register in advance at this link.
Even this near to the election, many voters do not understand Proposal E. “The public has been swamped by an extraordinary amount of misinformation,” said Ann Arbor for Public Power executive director Brian Geiringer. “We hope that people will bring their questions to this Town Hall so that we can, to the best of our ability, provide factual answers.” Proposal E amends the City Charter to establish a municipal electric utility and a process for selecting a governing board in 2028. But Proposal E carries no cost obligation, much less the wildly inflated $1 billion municipalization figure used in opposition ads. And it does not authorize any action against DTE. Condemnation proceedings would require future action by City Council or the voters. Then voters would need to approve a final acquisition contract.
“People have legitimate questions about Proposal E, and that’s why we’re hosting this Town Hall,” Geiringer said. “We don’t claim to have all the answers. We especially need a thorough, objective cost study. But the benefits of municipal ownership--the ability to contract for renewable power, direct public accountability, reinvestment of surpluses, rate stability--are plainly evident in public electric utilities across Michigan. It’s clear we should consider adopting this model for Ann Arbor, and Proposal E is a first step.”
