New bill could stop merger of local Secretary of State offices

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Consolidation of the East Lansing Secretary of State and the Lansing Secretary of State could come to a halt if a bill passed in the Michigan House makes it through the state Senate.

A merger of the East Lansing Secretary of State branch, 400 Albert Ave., and the downtown Lansing Secretary of State branch, 108 S. Washington Square, announced in November would combine the branches, creating a SUPER!Center, possibly near the Frandor Shopping Center.

But the House’s bill that passed last week would stop the closure or consolidation of any branches until the Secretary of State develops specific and written criteria to select branches for closure.

“What we noticed in my area when there was a closure … was a lot of problems that could have been avoided had there been a written plan,” said state Rep. Mary Valentine, D-Norton Shores, who sponsored the bill. “In our area, decisions to close didn’t make sense. It was highly questionable whether there was efficiency and financial savings, and nobody local had been contacted.”

The bill recommends that the Secretary of State establishes a standard procedure for consolidation, which would include a method to calculate financial and efficiency savings, factors to demonstrate convenience of a new location, proximity to public transportation and a requirement for the Secretary of State to contact local officials.

State Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, who voted against the bill, said the bill unfairly imposes on the Secretary of State’s power.

“The purpose of the bill is to take power away from the Secretary of State to close these offices in a time of crisis,” he said. “When there are not enough tax dollars, the Secretary of State must close offices.”

Jones said the Secretary of State’s office should be independent from the Legislature.

The bill passed the state House, 71-36, last week, but to become law, it must pass the Republican-led Michigan Senate and be signed by Mich. Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

The bill was referred to the Michigan Senate Committee on Local, Urban and State Affairs, which is chaired by state Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom, R-Norton Shores. Van Woerkom could not be reached for comment.

The East Lansing Secretary of State branch closure was announced along with branch consolidations in 11 other counties statewide to save money, Secretary of State spokeswoman Kelly Chesney said in November. Chesney did not return calls Sunday.

Many East Lansing officials, including state Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, protested the closure of the East Lansing branch and asked Republican Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land to reconsider.

“She shouldn’t be able to close an office when it is functioning and operating effectively,” he said.

Closure of the East Lansing branch would limit student access to important services and only would produce a savings of about $2,200, Meadows said.

He said closing the East Lansing branch during an election year would disenfranchise students, making it difficult for them to register to vote.

“It is quite clear she seems to want to close offices where we have a lot of young people and people who can’t afford appropriate transportation to register to vote,” he said. “It certainly raises the question as to why she is doing this right now.”

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