Potential emergency managers for Detroit

[Richard]

Michael Finney
Joseph L. Harris
Fred Leeb
Joyce Parker
Louis Schimmel

http://www.freep.com/article/2011110...nagers-Detroit

Considering how cozy Snyder is with Finney and the back history would you feel comfortable with these two in control of Detroit?

http://www.annarbor.com/business-rev...eeping-errors/

After three years in operation, LDFA discovered SPARK had not properly documented some of the hours its workers spent providing services to businesses within the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. LDFA commissioned a law firm to conduct an audit of the contract between LDFA and SPARK, a contract in which LDFA provided $872,836.
After the $20,000 audit, the entities agreed SPARK had over billed LDFA by $45,643.75 and under billed it by $22,031.25 for various services. SPARK, which had an annual budget of $2.7 million at the time, agreed to refund $23,612.50 to LDFA, and the dispute was resolved.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D9GPMCH80.htm

But maybe his relatives in Detroit that own a major building company with lots along woodard would prefer the family to be closer anyways.

The others I do not know much about any thoughts?

[adamjab19]

It should be someone from timbuktu who does not know a soul in the city and who carries a huge shovel to get rid of the shit! No connections means no pats on the back, good fellow stuff.

[Lowell]

What about Dave Bing?

[Richard]

What about Dave Bing?

He is where they want him.

The Target is here

http://bridgemi.com/2011/09/get-crac...ceRecrawl:%200

http://detroitregionaerotropolis.com...rs.htm#private

Notice who the backer is at the bottom ,They need Finney in Detroit,if Michagan was so in need of attracting buisness why would the Gov take what he said was the best man to head MEDC now remove him to be a EFM in Detroit?

[jackie5275]

Isn't Joe Harris still the EFM in Benton Harbor at least until January?

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Bill Bonds for EFM. At least it would be fun to watch.

[professorscott]

Shit, man, I could do that job. I would be very effective, very quickly, and then would have to leave the midwestern United States because I would be the most hated man in the history of Detroit.

Anyone who wants to be effective in that job had better not give a damn what people think about him or her. Detroit is still operating a bureaucracy as if there are 1.6 million people in the City with a great deal of wealth. They aren't even close to what they need to do in order to be financially sustainable with a population under 800K and still dropping, and [[on average) quite poor.

Best of luck to whoever does it. If you do a good job I'll let you hide out at my crib until you can sneak out of state entirely.

[R8RBOB]

There is action to repeal the emergency manager law passed by the Republican legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Snyder earlier this year. As many of us know, this law allows the governor to inject steroids into any emergency manager that he appoints thus giving that EM dictatorial powers over any school district or municipality. Using these powers have already been demonstrated by Roy Robers and Joe Harris.

Now, I think many of us understand that when a municipality or a school district is in trouble, then someone from the outside should come in to help straighten things out but to allow them to have the only voice was never the way to go. Dave Bing would love to have these powers because he would be the only voice in Detroit and he wouldn't need to run for reelection because he would be in control of the city through decree of the state. This should never happen. I would sign this petition because too much power is a bad thing. Would you sign it?

http://www.freep.com/article/2011110...aw-gains-steam

[313WX]

Yes I would sign it.

[firstandten]

In my world Dave Bing would not be able to be mayor and EM at the same time.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I would never sign it. While EMs are harsh and should be seldom used, they do have a purpose. Part of governing- perhaps the major part of governing- is raising money and spending it on services. When said government is unable to pay for its services, it effectively ceases to be self-governing. That imperils not only the physical safety of the citizens and financial well being of said government, but of localities throughout the state, and ultimately the state of Michigan. No one would lend a penny if there was a decent chance they would not be repaid.

I do strongly agree that neither Mayor Bing nor anyone in a city's already dysfunctional political culture should be considered for EFM. To be effective, it would really need to an outsider to government.

[Melocoton]

I would never sign it. While EMs are harsh and should be seldom used, they do have a purpose. Part of governing- perhaps the major part of governing- is raising money and spending it on services. When said government is unable to pay for its services, it effectively ceases to be self-governing.

The logic of your argument seems to be that poor cities are "effectively" non-self-governing because they can't efficiently provide services. Therefore, removing the elected government's authority via an EFM isn't violating citizens' rights to self-government, because they've already "effectively" lost it. You're essentially saying that poverty disqualifies cities from governing themselves.

[Wesley Mouch]

The logic of your argument seems to be that poor cities are "effectively" non-self-governing because they can't efficiently provide services. Therefore, removing the elected government's authority via an EFM isn't violating citizens' rights to self-government, because they've already "effectively" lost it. You're essentially saying that poverty disqualifies cities from governing themselves.

That's a persuasive argument, if you have compassion.

So what to do about cities that can't afford to pay their own way? Ideas?

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

The logic of your argument seems to be that poor cities are "effectively" non-self-governing because they can't efficiently provide services. Therefore, removing the elected government's authority via an EFM isn't violating citizens' rights to self-government, because they've already "effectively" lost it. You're essentially saying that poverty disqualifies cities from governing themselves.

Well, not really. First, Detroiters vote for state legislators and the governor, so it's not like an "outsider" group is taking over; their own state goverment is. Second, the process is not permanent. The city gets self-government back when finances stabilize. Third, what is the point of electing a city government? Is it to have pride in your self-government, or is it to render services? If it is the former, a state takeover is a terrible violation. If it is the latter, an EFM actually saves long term self-government. A Detroit in bankruptcy won't have self-government. Wouldn't it be funny if Detroit did enter bankruptcy and a conservative, Bush-appointed bankruptcy judge took over? There are 2 ways to avoid that: the city council and mayor bring spending in line with revenue in the long-run; or, the state appointed EFM straightens things out.

[noggin]

I would not sign it but I would sign a petition where Oakland County become the financial manager of Detroit.

[Locke09]

I would definitely sign a petition to repeal the current version of the emergency manager law.

[gazhekwe]

When I was reading the list of potential EMs for Detroit, it gave me pause. How does the EM actually help? The list included the former EMs of Pontiac, Hamtramck, Benton Harbor, and Ecorse. Looking at progress made in these cities, it is hard to see how the whole process helps at all. Also the DPS under emergency management has failed to progress much by all appearances. I guess we could say a start has been made, but it is hard to see forward momentum in any of the cases.

Michael Finney: President and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the state's lead economic development agency; past president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK, a public-private partnership with a mission of advancing innovation-based economic development in Ann Arbor; former assistant city manager of Saginaw. • Joseph L. Harris: Emergency manager for Benton Harbor; served 10 years as City of Detroit auditor general, ending in 2005; served as Detroit's chief financial officer under Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr.; taught accounting at several universities.
• Fred Leeb : Former emergency manager in Pontiac, appointed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2009; ordered the sale of the Pontiac Silverdome; has operated his own consulting firm since 1995.
• Joyce Parker: Emergency manager for Ecorse; served as city manager of Saginaw, 1995-97, and of Inkster, 2004-08; was president of the Municipal Group, an Ann Arbor-based company that provides organizational assessments, training, community and economic development, personnel and interim staff services to cities, townships and counties nationwide.
• Louis Schimmel: Emergency manager for Pontiac; served as the court-appointed receiver in Ecorse and emergency manager in Hamtramck; served on the Michigan Commission on Public Pension and Retiree Health Benefits; worked for Warren as an executive assistant before being named to the Pontiac post in September.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I think that the EM law helps because, among other powers, the EFM can nullify labor contracts, if I recall correctly from when the lawwas passed. A mayor and city council would need the union to go along. But operating with an EFM is like operating in bankruptcy. A lot more is on the table. The step after EFM is bankruptcy, which means that a federal bankruptcy court would takeover city government. The court's legal mandate would be to sort out the financial mess, not to administer the city's programs. The court would be free to sell any and all assets and fire anyone. The EFM law I think is designed to keep it from going that far. NYS set up a financial control board to monitor NYC's finances for 30 years to keep it out of bankrupfcy. The last thing they wanted was a federal judge closing departments, chopping salaries, and in effect running the city. It was a mixed blessing. It did keep NYC solvent, but the tax burden did become oppressive for residents. Not a lot of middle class homeowners left in NYC. Rich people, poor people, and in-betweeners living in small apartments with multiple roommates.

Detroit's best solution, even if unlikely to occur, would be to make it's own massive cuts. At least then Detroiters will be choosing what they want to keep or get rid of.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

One other point: the petition is useless. This law will not be repealed by the legislature or by Michigan voters. The law prevents Detroit [[or Pontiac or wherever) from taking down the states credit status and financial viability. Detroit, Benton Harbor, Pontiac, and Flint are a relatively small part of the state. The rest of the state will justifiably act in their own self-interest and keep the law.

This whole situation reminds me of a little kid [[Detroit) not wanting to clean up its room. Mom & Dad have said, "If we need to clean your room, we'll throw away whatever we need to." The kid's response is not to seriously clean up the room, but rather to protest that the parent's don't have the right. Good luck with that, kids.

[R8RBOB]

One other point: the petition is useless. This law will not be repealed by the legislature or by Michigan voters. The law prevents Detroit [[or Pontiac or wherever) from taking down the states credit status and financial viability. Detroit, Benton Harbor, Pontiac, and Flint are a relatively small part of the state. The rest of the state will justifiably act in their own self-interest and keep the law.

This whole situation reminds me of a little kid [[Detroit) not wanting to clean up its room. Mom & Dad have said, "If we need to clean your room, we'll throw away whatever we need to." The kid's response is not to seriously clean up the room, but rather to protest that the parent's don't have the right. Good luck with that, kids.

My friend, I would like to know where you came across the idea that a law, any law can't be repealed? Last time I checked, this is still a democracy or have the Republicans already turned Michigan into a dictatorship.

[Jimaz]

I'd sign the petition.

The law gives incentives to would-be emergency managers to do anything possible to sabotage the very groups they would hope to manage. Read Shock Doctrine.

Side note: In today's hardcopy Free Press they misspelled "manager" as "manger" twice—once on the front page and again on page 3A.

[Mark Smiles]

I would not sign it. Cities are a creation of the State Government and as such the State has to be able to control the situation.

It is like this. Suppose a parent is a co-signer on their kid’s credit card. As long as the kid pays his bills, no problem. When the co-signer has to get involved, things will get resolved.

[gnome]

It is a good law as it stands, it had the support of our former Governor Jennifer Granholm because she had learned the previous EFM law was toothless.

Deal with it.

[R8RBOB]

It is a good law as it stands, it had the support of our former Governor Jennifer Granholm because she had learned the previous EFM law was toothless.

Deal with it.

That is not true. When Robert Bobb was EFM for DPS, he was in control of all finances. That means he was in control of the money but Bobb wanted control over everything. He wanted to be able to hire and fire and set curriculum for DPS students and he forgot that his job was to stop the bleeding. No, it was not toothless.

[R8RBOB]

Would the MI Supreme Court overturn the law? Prior to the Legislature passing the new EM bill, maybe they should have repealed the Home Rules Cities Act.

http://michiganmessenger.com/53725/s...nager-law-case