Public Power Group Responds to Ann Arbor City Council Resolution
Ann Arbor, Michigan, October 2, 2026. Ann Arbor for Public Power (A2P2) opposes, in the strongest possible terms, the resolution on the October 5 Ann Arbor City Council agenda that urges a ‘no’ vote on Proposal E. This November 3 ballot proposal would establish a city-owned electric utility and its governance structure. More than 5,300 voters signed petitions to put the question on the ballot. “Our Council members certainly can make their individual views known, and we welcome that conversation,” said A2P2 executive director Brian Geiringer. “But to our knowledge it’s unprecedented for the City to take an official position against a ballot question before an election. We’re baffled by the City Council’s extreme and completely disproportionate reaction to Proposal E.”
Our point-by-point response to the City Council resolution can be found here.
Proposal E would amend the city charter to create a new municipal electric utility as a department of city government, along with a process to select governing board members in 2028. Contrary to claims in the Council resolution, it does not authorize any action regarding DTE. Such action would require Council or voter approval, ideally following a rigorous cost study. “Our proposal is not extreme or radical in any way. It just establishes the utility, with a governing board very similar to other Michigan public power boards,” said A2P2 president Sean Higgins. “Approval would cost the city very little, probably some part time staff support for board meetings and for drafting an ordinance.”
The charter amendment, if approved, would be a first step towards breaking DTE’s monopoly on electricity distribution and establishing democratic control over energy decisions in Ann Arbor. Forty other Michigan cities and villages have their own electric utilities, virtually all of which run more reliably and affordably than DTE. Unlike Ann Arbor, these local governments can access renewable energy on the regional grid. “Municipalization is the only feasible path to achieving Ann Arbor’s goal of powering the city with 100% renewable energy,” Geiringer said. “It’s common sense climate action at a time when it is needed most.”
The new utility would be completely compatible with, and complementary to, the city’s useful but limited Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU). Contrary to claims in the Council resolution, Proposal E would not interfere with the SEU. “The SEU is an innovative model of distributed generation, and we strongly support it,” said Geiringer. “But as long as DTE controls electricity distribution in the city, most people will be forced to use its dirty unreliable power, while paying some of the highest rates in the entire Midwest.”
Ann Arbor for Public Power, a nonprofit grassroots citizen group, originated Proposal E and has been leading the municipalization effort since 2020. For more information, go to https://annarborpublicpower.org