Tagged: Detroit City Council

Another Detroit city department says it simply can’t function if proposed budget cuts go through.

The law department says “there is no way” the unit can run on what’s allotted in Mayor Dave Bing’s budget proposal.

Corporation Counsel Krystal Crittenden told the Detroit City Council the city’s new charter gives the law department new responsibilities.

Bing proposes slashing their budget by more than half. But the Council moved to restore most of that funding.

The cuts concerned City Council member Saunteel Jenkins. She feared they could actually cost the city more in the long run—and put it on a path to violating its consent agreement with the state.

It’s all but official: Detroit and the state have struck a deal to avoid an emergency manager for the city.

In a contentious 5-4 vote, the City Council approved a consent agreement with the state. The narrow vote came after an emotionally-charged debate that sometimes erupted into hostility.

But everyone agreed on one point: the city of Detroit will never be the same.

In Detroit, pastors’ voices carry a lot of weight. And it’s fair to call Detroit’s Council of Baptist Pastors one of the most politically-influential groups in the city.

The Detroit City Council has again delayed voting on a consent agreement that would stave off an emergency manager.

The Council spent most of Tuesday discussing several court challenges that could doom the agreement regardless of how they vote.

Some Council members also questioned whether they should vote at all. They think the proposed agreement is itself illegal on several grounds.

Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown wanted to move ahead with a vote.

State officials had  hoped Monday would be the day the Detroit City Council finally approved a consent agreement with the state.

Instead, it started out with a contentious public hearing about union contracts, and ended in a confusing mess of court challenges—with no clear answer about how the whole process will go forward.

The day began with Deputy Mayor Kirk Lewis confirming he won’t ask the City Council to approve new labor contracts for city workers.

That infuriated union leaders, whose members gave up historic concessions in an effort to save money and avoid an emergency manager.

You may think I am pessimistic, but I have deep doubts about whether the governor’s proposal to save Detroit from an emergency manager will work. There are two main problems.

First, it isn’t clear that those supporting it can muster five votes on the nine-member council to approve it. Second, I am not sure it will work even if it is ratified. The structure is too complex.

While it takes some power away from those who have failed so badly to live up to their fiscal responsibilities, it may leave them too much authority still. And I can see the city leaders fighting every rational decision all the way.  Three of the nine council members are what you might call the irreconcilables. They are unwilling to listen to compromise, unwilling to face reality in any way.