Benton Harbor's new EFM.

**brizee** · March-04-13, 03:57 PM

Somewhat old news. But the old one got the heave ho.

It is weird as hell to read about someone I went to high school with in such an important role. Makes me feel old too.

My feelings on the dictator law aside, I wish him luck.

His very last line is probably the most encouraging.

**iheartthed** · March-04-13, 04:37 PM

Um, wow.

Tony is a great guy but if Joe Harris -- Detroit's former CFO -- couldn't fix Benton Harbor then I have little faith that a EFM is the answer for that city.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-04-13, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Um, wow.

Tony is a great guy but if Joe Harris -- Detroit's former CFO -- couldn't fix Benton Harbor then I have little faith that a EFM is the answer for that city.

Being an EFM has to be one of the hardest things around. Don't be surprised.

Its like being a cancer doctor. You're really happy when you have success, but you're not surprised.

Article suggests that Harris was having success -- and that this was political. No surprise there. EFM's do unpopular things daily. The more insulated from politics, the better the result will be.

EFM's are great part of our democractic system.

**Detroitnerd** · March-04-13, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

EFM's are great part of our democractic system.

Now you're just being silly, Wes.

We need a Marshall Plan for America's cities.

Too bad we're out, what, $16 trillion trying to shore up criminal banks instead...

**Jimaz** · March-04-13, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

...EFM's are great part of our democractic system.

You're trying to make George Orwell blush, aren't you?

**Bham1982** · March-04-13, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Too bad we're out, what, $16 trillion trying to shore up criminal banks instead...

The U.S. Treasury made considerable money off the bailout.

Those "criminal" banks, forced to take the bailout whether or not they needed it, paid extremely high interest rates.

The only part of the bailout that didn't come out net positive was the auto bailout, which, of course, wasn't part of the original financial bailout, and which benefitted Detroit more than any other region.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-04-13, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Now you're just being silly, Wes.

We need a Marshall Plan for America's cities.

Too bad we're out, what, $16 trillion trying to shore up criminal banks instead...

Before you can institute a Marshall Plan, you need to conquer Detroit.

I did intend the wording, and had my tongue in my cheek while typing.

Its not much more Orwellian than calling an EFM anti-democratic, however. We live under rule of law. And the EFM law is legal. Tomorrow, maybe it'll be found illegal, but until then, its the law. We operate under that law. Our laws are created by democratic process, under constitutional rules.

The EFM laws are the result of democratic process. Its does not eliminate any rights whatsoever.

**Novine** · March-05-13, 12:43 AM

Years of an EFM and the books still aren't balanced in Benton Harbor. Joe Harris effectively ignored the will of the voters and imposed a special assessment district for police and fire after the voters said no to more taxes. But an EFM is going to turn Detroit around in 18 months.

**Honky Tonk** · March-05-13, 04:51 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

Years of an EFM and the books still aren't balanced in Benton Harbor. Joe Harris effectively ignored the will of the voters and imposed a special assessment district for police and fire after the voters said no to more taxes. But an EFM is going to turn Detroit around in 18 months.

No, the local elected mayor and city council will. How long have they been @ it? 50 years? Any day now.

**Detroitnerd** · March-05-13, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

The U.S. Treasury made considerable money off the bailout.

Those "criminal" banks, forced to take the bailout whether or not they needed it, paid extremely high interest rates.

The only part of the bailout that didn't come out net positive was the auto bailout, which, of course, wasn't part of the original financial bailout, and which benefitted Detroit more than any other region.

Wha? Ha. Haha. Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

**Wesley Mouch** · March-05-13, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

Years of an EFM and the books still aren't balanced in Benton Harbor. Joe Harris effectively ignored the will of the voters and imposed a special assessment district for police and fire after the voters said no to more taxes. But an EFM is going to turn Detroit around in 18 months.

Nobody is turning Detroit around in 18 months.

An EFM will be successful is they can keep Detroit alive for 18 months.

EFM's are not for turnaround. Just salvation from payless paydays.

**douglasm** · March-05-13, 06:12 PM

"Nobody is turning Detroit around in 18 months."

That's the most realistic thing I've heard in a long time. It's been a fair stretch since I've lived in Southeastern Michigan [[40 years, maybe), but I got the impression that people expected Mayor Bing to turn the city around within 6 weeks of taking office. It's going to be a long, hard process no matter if it's run by the city or an EFM, and the sooner people understand that, the better.

**Smirnoff** · March-05-13, 07:25 PM

18 months was only a political gesture.....

**Novine** · March-06-13, 01:06 PM

I read somewhere that the new EFM law allows the local government to give the EFM the boot after 18 months. To my earlier comment, I dropped the question mark at the end of the last sentence. There's no way anyone can fix what's wrong with Detroit in 18 months, not even an EFM with sweeping powers to do what they want unilaterally without public consent.

**313WX** · March-06-13, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Novine

I read somewhere that the new EFM law allows the local government to give the EFM the boot after 18 months. To my earlier comment, I dropped the question mark at the end of the last sentence. There's no way anyone can fix what's wrong with Detroit in 18 months, not even an EFM with sweeping powers to do what they want unilaterally without public consent.

And that's not including any delays due to lawsuits.

That's why Detroit needs to file for bankruptcy yesterday.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-07-13, 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

And that's not including any delays due to lawsuits.

That's why Detroit needs to file for bankruptcy yesterday.

I prefer bankruptcy over EFM. And most certainly think that CA is the worst possible option.

But we've left the best option off the table. The absolute best option, and the only one with any real chance of success is doing nothing at all. Let Detroit have at least one payless payday.

Suddenly, a line forms at Snyders desk asking for an EFM. And when the reforms come, people will actually accept them because they will truly understand that there is no money.

If we don't do this and let Detroit get off with bankruptcy, EM, EFM, or CA -- we'll find ourselves right back because too few will really believe there's a problem. They've all been trained for years to believe its a vast right-wing conspiracy to steal Detroit's jewels. That only if they'd stop taking Detroit's money, we'd be rich.

Bring on the payless payday.

So please, lawsuits. Bring on Sharpton and Jackson. File a few civil rights lawsuits claiming some discrimination. Have federal courts filled with suits claiming voter fraud. Anything. Just gum up the works a little more.