(WXYZ) — Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said at a press conference on Thursday that he’s disappointed with the Michigan Supreme Court decision to not hear a case revolving around term limits, preventing him from seeking another term.
“I have a First Amendment right to run, and that should supersede the right of the council to put a vague, unclear proposal on that fools the people. I've had many people tell me 'I voted for it, but I didn't think it would affect you,’” said Fouts.
This all stems from an amendment to the Warren city charter in 2020 limits all Warren elected officials — including the mayor — to just three terms in office.
The court battle began when Warren City Council filed a lawsuit to challenge whether the mayor could be on the upcoming ballot.
In a two-sentence order issued on Wednesday, the Supreme Court wrote "we are not persuaded that the question presented should be reviewed by this court."
The Supreme Court decision means the lower Court of Appeals ruling stands, determining Fouts can't run for a fifth term.
“I have been told you must respect the courts, I’m trying to respect the courts,” he told media, noting that he’s strongly in favor of state court reforms.
On April 21, the appeals court issued their ruling, saying the Warren city clerk is "hereby ordered to immediately disqualify Mayor Fouts as a candidate for mayor in 2023 and not place his name on the ballot for election."
The appeals court ruling reversed a Macomb County Circuit Court judge's decision in March that would have allowed Fouts to be on the ballot.
According to that opinion issued by Judge Joseph Toia, the confusion on whether Fouts could run for re-election was "based on the fact that the 'any terms or years served prior to this amendment are included' language was included in the ballot's explanatory caption, but was not included in the 'Proposal' section on the ballot or in the amended Charter.'"
He went on to say that "there is no specific language in the Charter indicating that prior years served are counted towards the amended term limits" before ruling Fouts could seek reelection.
The Warren City Council appealed the decision, which led to the ruling issued by the Michigan Court of Appeals.
“Jim Fouts is not going anywhere … I may no longer be mayor, but I’m going to speak out for the citizens of Warren and good clean government,” he said.
Fouts said he has plans to become a “passionate reformer,” and move forward to help get good leaders at the helm.
“We must elect a new mayor this year, I’m all for that … and we need to elect all new council,” he said.
Fouts won his first term as mayor in 2007.
