Snyder to begin process for Detroit emergency manager

**bopcity** · December-01-11, 12:07 PM

Fasten your seat belts, this could be a bumpy ride ...

Snyder to begin process for Detroit emergency manager
By Suzette Hackney - Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

Gov. Rick Snyder is expected as early as Friday to begin the process to appoint an emergency manager for the city of Detroit, the Free Press has learned.

Snyder is expected to call for a financial review, the first step in state intervention. Both Mayor Dave Bing and Detroit City Council have refused to initiate such a review.

Bing and Snyder had a conversation Wednesday, and Snyder informed the mayor he intended to start the emergency manager process.

Snyder also has been involved in conversations with the council and the faith-based community to gather support for state intervention, according to a source close to the situation...

http://www.freep.com/article/20111201/NEWS01/111201029/Snyder-begin-process-Detroit-financial-review-city-sets-5-p-m-news-conference?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|FRONTPAGE

**Scottathew** · December-01-11, 01:55 PM

Well, the budget must be balanced. If the democratically elected government of Detroit won't\can't do it, then someone appointed by the state will.

Good luck Detroit!

**animatedmartian** · December-01-11, 03:39 PM

Wait wait wait, wasn't Bing saying that we did need an EFM? And now he's going back on it? I think he might have stuck his own foot in his mouth there...

Btw the link in OP's post takes you to the Freeps home page rather than the article itself.

**Hypestyles** · December-01-11, 03:50 PM

... another depressing holiday season..

I wonder why religious community folks are to be at the press conference [[and just who, exactly? are the megachurch pastors going to chip in to balance the budgets?)..

**townonenorth** · December-01-11, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

... another depressing holiday season..

I wonder why religious community folks are to be at the press conference [[and just who, exactly? are the megachurch pastors going to chip in to balance the budgets?)..

I think Bing is not announcing a EFM at all. It's just a attention grab to curry favor for his plan. Or he's succeeded in extracting what he wanted from the unions?

**mwilbert** · December-01-11, 04:39 PM

And so, it begins. The final battle for the city of Detroit.

I don't see this. Appointing an EFM is just one incident in the long arc of the city's decline. Possibly, this could be an inflection point on the arc, but I wouldn't even count on that.

**English** · December-01-11, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by mwilbert

I don't see this. Appointing an EFM is just one incident in the long arc of the city's decline. Possibly, this could be an inflection point on the arc, but I wouldn't even count on that.

I know you can't see it. Most don't. What is saddest is that while our eyes are trained on Detroit, we aren't looking at what is happening elsewhere -- everywhere -- until it is too late. What an effective ruse.

**Zacha341** · December-01-11, 11:42 PM

Compelling point. And for certain who ever the EFM is they will probably have a hefty signing bonus, with perks for themselves and their enterouge [[um, er - I mean assistants). No one uh 'works' for free when it comes to the D, right up to the last thinnest dime...

Originally Posted by mwilbert

I don't see this. Appointing an EFM is just one incident in the long arc of the city's decline. Possibly, this could be an inflection point on the arc, but I wouldn't even count on that.

**aj3647** · December-01-11, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

... another depressing holiday season..

I wonder why religious community folks are to be at the press conference [[and just who, exactly? are the megachurch pastors going to chip in to balance the budgets?)..

The "faith-based leaders" are the powerbrokers. You can't get anything done without including them, or they will sway public opinion against you. These flashy Cadillac-driving Reverends all need their piece of the pie. They have to get their face time in front of the camera, or their palm greased, in order to win over their support. Otherwise, they'll wield the influence they carry over their congregations against you.

**Ray1936** · December-01-11, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by aj3647

The "faith-based leaders" are the powerbrokers. You can't get anything done without including them, or they will sway public opinion against you. These flashy Cadillac-driving Reverends all need their piece of the pie.

I've often wondered how many Detroit 'pastors' and 'ministers' actually have a theology degree. Three or four, maybe?

**aj3647** · December-01-11, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

I've often wondered how many Detroit 'pastors' and 'ministers' actually have a theology degree. Three or four, maybe?

Being a "Reverend" in Detroit is a guaranteed meal-ticket. And the best part is, anyone with an internet connection and a printer can become a "Reverend" practically overnight.

Isn't it amazing how many of these "servants of God" wear flashy suits and drive expensive cars?

The Reverends of Detroit are every bit as corrupt as the politicians. Remember they were in league with Kilpatrick even until his last day in office. These faith pimps make it their business to stick their noses into every political and financial aspect of the city, to the detriment of the people who live in the city.

**English** · December-01-11, 03:56 PM

And so, it begins. The final battle for the city of Detroit.

**townonenorth** · December-01-11, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by English

And so, it begins. The final battle for the city of Detroit.

What battle? Not with a bang, but a whimper. It could not be any worse than it is now, Look at the bright side, perhaps services will improve. Or, one could expect the worst, and get ready for Thunderdome. Your call.

**English** · December-01-11, 04:01 PM

Folks, I have to teach this evening... I'd appreciate any liveblogging here or postmortem thoughts about the conference. Thanks in advance.

**1953** · December-01-11, 04:03 PM

This is sad, but necessary. I hope it leads to better things for the city.

**Crumbled_pavement** · December-01-11, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by 1953

This is sad, but necessary.

True.

Originally Posted by 1953

I hope it leads to better things for the city.

Doubt it. Detroit is headed for further chaos no matter what happens. The last chance for Detroit to mount a real turnaround happened during Kilpatrick's administration. The city is too far gone now for anything or anyone to save it. Now it's just about the details of Detroit's final demise. The demise, however, is certain.

English, I doubt much negative will come out of Snyder's EFM. All I see is instead of local Detroit officials being able to rob the city blind, it'll be state officials robbing the city blind. Either way, the train off the cliff speeds up...

**professorscott** · December-01-11, 11:21 PM

I have mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand, Detroit is speeding over the cliff [[and actually may already have gone over, but thanks to Wile E. Coyote Syndrome, hasn't looked down so doesn't realize it yet).

On the other hand, Google the following: "Gesetz zur Behebung der Not von Volk und Reich". Also known as the "Enabling Act", it was the law of German Parliament [[passed by the required 2/3 majority) that essentially appointed the recently selected Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler, to assume the extra role of [[let's just call it for fun) Emergency Manager.

Now, everybody howls and screams when you make a Hitler reference. [[Even after all these years, nobody and I mean NOfuckingbody names a child Adolf.) So I want to be very clear: nobody is actually Adolf Hitler in the Detroit scenario. The point of the second full paragraph of the post is, sometimes when you give somebody a little too much power, things don't go quite how you imagined.

**English** · December-02-11, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

On the other hand, Google the following: "Gesetz zur Behebung der Not von Volk und Reich". Also known as the "Enabling Act", it was the law of German Parliament [[passed by the required 2/3 majority) that essentially appointed the recently selected Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler, to assume the extra role of [[let's just call it for fun) Emergency Manager.

I thought about this, too, but then remembered Godwin's Law, and decided to refrain.

**Zacha341** · December-01-11, 11:48 PM

Yeah don't forget the 'ejector' seats on the train for the 'managers' who will be jettisoning for their own career and fiscal betterment.

Originally Posted by Crumbled_pavement

...All I see is instead of local Detroit officials being able to rob the city blind, it'll be state officials robbing the city blind. Either way, the train off the cliff speeds up...

**Detroitnerd** · December-01-11, 04:15 PM

If my worst fears are true, they'll probably appoint a union-hating ideologue who wants to sell off and privatize everything and will leave the city in worse financial shape than ever.

**townonenorth** · December-01-11, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

If my worst fears are true, they'll probably appoint a union-hating ideologue who wants to sell off and privatize everything and will leave the city in worse financial shape than ever.

I don't think that will happen. I'm hoping for a middle ground being claimed, with some union contracts, work rules, and city government structure changed for the common good. I prefer that to a bankruptcy any day, since bankruptcy would be worse for the retirees interests, Now you may lose a few dollars, but I doubt that they will be bailing on their obligations totally.

**Hermod** · December-02-11, 05:59 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

If my worst fears are true, they'll probably appoint a union-hating ideologue who wants to sell off and privatize everything and will leave the city in worse financial shape than ever.

Since the city has more employees now with 750,000 residents than it has with 1,800,000 residents, it is just possible the a "union dis-regarding" manager could achieve significant savings without privatization.

Most government entities could use a periodic clean sweep to eliminate decades of Parkinson's Law in full operation, nepotism, and buddyism and Detroit is really ripe for such a sweep.

.

**Meddle** · December-01-11, 04:38 PM

and the faith-based community to gather support

What the hell have the Bible-Thumpers got to say about anything?

lilpup · December-01-11, 09:24 PM

I don't think it makes that much of a difference in the sense that there can either be somewhat controlled chaos with a chance of a comeback with an EFM or complete uncontrolled chaos at the whim of the mob [[which will, indeed, involve to use of violence on many fronts).

**mwilbert** · December-01-11, 09:46 PM

There's no way this stands up in court.

I do question whether the EFM statute is legitimate under the Michigan constitution. It will be interesting to see what happens if it is challenged. My general opinion is that ultimately the state has all the cards, home rule or no, but using the EFM as the instrument of control could be struck down.