Photo: Jessica J. Trevino ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
April 25, 2023 ~ A new city law is potentially ending the mayoral career of Jim Fouts.
Mayor Fouts, who has served as the mayor of Warren for about 16 years, maybe on the outs after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Warren City Council Friday, saying that the mayor cannot run for a fifth term. This is due to voters approving a charter amendment in 2020 that limits mayors and other city elected officials to three, four-year terms.
Fouts, who is in his fourth term currently, told 760 WJR’s Paul W. Smith Tuesday that he does not favor the term limits amendment.
“Democracy is where people have a choice,” Fouts told Smith. “Where you limit their choice, it is not real democracy.”
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April 25, 2023 ~ Warren Mayor Jim Fouts talks to Paul W. about his political future and he says he is disappointed with a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that keeps him from running for another term.
April 24, 2023 ~ Warren Mayor Jim Fouts talks with Kevin Dietz and Tom Jordan after a court ruled that he cannot seek re-election.
(CONTINUED) In court proceedings, Fouts’ attorneys argued that the term limits charter does not apply to him, as it was enacted after he was elected to the position. The appeals court did not agree, with the case now potentially going to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Warren politics has been messy in recent years, with the mayor and city council taking each other to court about 10 times, Fouts said to Smith. Fouts claims that the council introduced the term limits in order to oust him.
Meanwhile, an article from WXYZ late last year talked about an organization, run by City of Warren employees, that tried to get signatures for a ballot proposal that would have extended mayoral term limits.
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