Rohde v. Ann Arbor Public Schools

The first issue in this case is whether a letter sent by a resident taxpayer to a public official that “request[s]” the official “investigate and halt” the use of public funds for illegal purposes is adequate to constitute a “demand” pursuant to MCL 129.61 so as to allow the taxpayer, should the public official not act, to undertake a legal challenge to the expenditure of the public funds. We conclude that a letter that conveys a call to act is sufficient to constitute a demand. Having *340concluded that the plaintiffs’ letters did constitute a demand as contemplated by MCL 129.61, we are…