Rick Snyder makes clear emergency dictator could still be coming to Detroit despite recent action [View all]

[HiPointDem]

eased this afternoon praised Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and City Council for actions they took this week as the city faces a cash crisis. But he made it clear the actions may not be enough to prevent the appointment of an emergency financial manager.

“I commend the collaboration and the difficult, but necessary, actions taken by Mayor Bing and the Detroit City Council earlier this week,” Snyder said. “While these were noteworthy steps in helping Detroit move forward, I am asking the Detroit Review Team underway to analyze whether the actions taken Tuesday were sufficient to actually address the city’s short-term cash crisis.”

Bing repeatedly walked into Tuesday’s City Council meeting to urge approval of measures he said will help his reform agenda and put the city in a better position to overcome its financial woes.
The council obliged on four financial consulting contracts and the removal of the city’s top lawyer Krystal Crittendon, who has challenged the state-involved reform agenda.

Bing is also asking City Council to approve a number of cost cutting measures, including a health benefits change that would have employees paying 30 percent of their insurance premiums, a freeze on city pension contributions and a set of furloughs for workers. The mayor also plans a staff reduction of 400 to 500 workers by March through layoffs and retirements.

He’s said that he opposes an emergency manger, but doesn’t know whether the recent initiatives can prevent a state takeover.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2013/01/gov_rick_snyder_makes_clear_em.html