Tagged: Fred Durhal

When Governor Rick Snyder came into office, one of the priorities of his campaign was to build a new international bridge to span the Detroit River.

Snyder's proposal for the  bridge - from Detroit to Windsor - was denied time and again by Michigan's state Legislature. Democrats in the State House and Senate were against the idea, as were many members of the Governor's own party. 

But last May Snyder made an agreement with Canada in which Canada would pay for the construction of the new bridge - without the consent of Michigan Legislature. 

More candidates are entering the Detroit mayoral race. State Representative Fred Durhal Jr. announced his plans to run this week.

In the best of times, running a city the size of Detroit is incredibly challenging. The city will face some considerable challenges for some time to come. So we asked Rep. Durhal Jr. why he wants the job.

Others possible candidates for Detroit mayor include State Rep. Lisa Howze, Detroit Medical Center CEO Mike Duggan and Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon. Current Mayor Dave Bing has not yet announced whether he plans to run for reelection.

Detroit won’t elect its next mayor for nearly a year, but the field is already getting crowded.

Detroit State Representative Fred Durhal threw his hat in the ring Monday.

Durhal is a veteran of Detroit politics. He cut his teeth under longtime former Detroit mayor Coleman Young, and is now in his third term in the Michigan State House, where he sits on the appropriations committee.

Governor Snyder has signed legislation he says will let financially-strapped school districts guarantee their bond payments—using state school aid funds.

The legislation applies to all school districts with deficit elimination plans or emergency managers. But it was written with the Detroit Public Schools in mind.

Detroit State Representative Fred Durhal, who sponsored the bill, says the new law should help set bondholders’ minds at ease.

A political fight in Lansing could mean tens of millions of dollars in un-budgeted borrowing costs for Detroit Public Schools over the next few years.

At issue is legislation that would have allowed the district to make a new deal with creditors. The deal would have given the troubled school system more time to pay off its bonds. But the measures were tabled after Republican and Democratic leaders had a disagreement over an unrelated measure and adjourned for the year. Now officials with the school system will have to come up with the cash more quickly.