David Bing: It's a crucial week to balance Detroit's budget
BY JOHN WISELY
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Mayor Dave Bing said Monday that this is a crucial week for Detroit to balance its budget and that he needs help from city workers, their pension boards and legislators in Lansing.
"You either come to the table and make it happen or else something else happens," he said, "and I think that something else is much worse."
Bing said he would not seek an emergency financial manager or a consent agreement with the state but acknowledged those are options if he doesn't get the help he needs.
Bing planned to begin meeting with unions Monday and representatives of the pension boards later this week.
He wouldn't specify the concessions he wants, though last month, he called for employees to pay 20% of the costs of their health insurance, a "best practice" identified by Gov. Rick Snyder.
The Free Press recently surveyed other local governments and found most haven't met Snyder's goal.
Bing said Monday that he met last week with legislators and the governor and came away positive.
"Everybody is talking a good game, but I need actions," he said.
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