Freep: It's time for Gov. Snyder to appoint an emergency manager for Detroit

**Novine** · February-19-13, 08:48 AM

Stephen Henderson and company endorse a state takeover of city government. This is the same crowd that endorsed Bing for Mayor and everyone has seen how well that worked out.

**corktownyuppie** · February-19-13, 08:50 AM

Attacking the person is easy...attacking the idea is harder. If you don't think we need an EM, I'm sure there are 700,000 Detroiters who would be glad to entertain another option.

And if you're in favor of bankruptcy, I can get on board with that. You still have to go through emergency management to get to bankruptcy.

**313WX** · February-19-13, 09:15 AM

Per the Detroit News, no sane person wants to touch Detroit with a 6-foot pole [[and I don't blame them).

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130219/METRO01/302190338/Detroit-emergency-manager-may-hard-find?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Detroit

— Several named candidates for Detroit emergency manager have publicly said they do not want the job as Gov. Rick Snyder today is scheduled to receive a review of the state's finances.

**rb336** · February-19-13, 09:22 AM

I'm not sure Bing is a catastrophe as mayor. Pretty sure the biggest issue in righting the city is the council

**Hermod** · February-19-13, 09:45 AM

You don't need to make a politically correct appointment. The EM doesn't need to be black or from Detroit. What is needed is an honest, reasonably intelligent, Grade-AAA Asshole who carries a chainsaw in a holster ion his hip.

**rex** · February-19-13, 10:26 AM

Joanne Watson could fix all these problems in 1 term as mayor. I really hope she runs

**Wesley Mouch** · February-19-13, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

I'm not sure Bing is a catastrophe as mayor. Pretty sure the biggest issue in righting the city is the council

Biggest issue is fighting those who like power more than success.

**401don** · February-19-13, 11:06 AM

I don't understand how an EFM can operate a city where there simply isn't enough revenue to cover the most basic necessities. Does he just slash until the budget is balanced regardless of the consequences? Also, how can an EFM deal with the long-term debt issue, which is the really big problem?

**bailey** · February-19-13, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I don't understand how an EFM can operate a city where there simply isn't enough revenue to cover the most basic necessities. Does he just slash until the budget is balanced regardless of the consequences? Also, how can an EFM deal with the long-term debt issue, which is the really big problem?

Is there really not enough revenue or is it so badly managed it's completely wasted?

**brizee** · February-19-13, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I don't understand how an EFM can operate a city where there simply isn't enough revenue to cover the most basic necessities. Does he just slash until the budget is balanced regardless of the consequences? Also, how can an EFM deal with the long-term debt issue, which is the really big problem?

This is my main sticking point.

Bing has gutted public safety, on the state appointed financial teams reccomendations. And the city just reported it's highest homicide total in 20 years.

The legislative and executive politicos have ramming through all of the states suggested cuts.

So unless an EFM is gonna be granted extra state money, what exactly are they gonna do that the mayor and council hasn't?

And "hard decisions" don't mean anything to me. What specifically will this oh-so-needed dictator be hoisting on the public?

I'm guessing it's gonna be this "rightsizing" BS on steroids. And if it is I wish TPTB would stop playing these mind and word games.

**nain rouge** · February-19-13, 11:38 AM

It's time to cut entitlements, starting with pensioners. These crooks still think they can steal fat paychecks from the public sector decades after they've retired. I say - police and fire department response times come before the pensions. I say - reliable buses and infrastructural maintenance again come first. Most of the pensioners don't give a hoot if Rome burns as long as they get their bloated checks. To heck with 'em!

**dmike76** · February-19-13, 11:39 AM

I think it's both. But the EM can go in and get rid of these multiple levels of departments that are only wasting money but can't be dissolved because of union contracts/political cronies/power mongers. Miller Canfield and other teams are already going through the departments identifying broken, money wasting processes. I'm sure that the EM will have a close eye on how necessary departments are running. I wish the EM luck.

**iheartthed** · February-19-13, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Is there really not enough revenue or is it so badly managed it's completely wasted?

Well, if every resident of Detroit just chipped in $20,000 then that $14B in long-term liabilities that the city is carrying wouldn't be an issue. However, considering that the average house price in Detroit now is barely $40K, good luck on finding enough residents with enough equity to borrow against and help out.

**nain rouge** · February-19-13, 11:44 AM

Let's imagine a metaphorical scenario to understand the absurdity of the current budget situation....

City Official #1: We're running out of money for DDOT. We're going to have to dramatically cut bus services on the city's main avenues if we don't receive more funds soon!
City Official #2: We can't let that happen. Let's see... well, we do have some money we could maybe move. It would be tough, but...
***knock knock***
City Official #1: Who is it?
***Pensioner enters room***
Pensioner: It's me, Joe Blow. Yeah, I worked for your city 20 years ago. Gimme my money!
City Official #2: But you don't work here anymore!
Pensioner: But, sir - I signed a contract.
City Official #1: A contract? Well, forget the buses, then. Here's a bag full of money. Enjoy!
Pensioner: I'm glad we got this all sorted out.
City Official #2: Our pleasure.

**nain rouge** · February-19-13, 11:46 AM

And, hey, Joe Blow has that payment to make on his Escalade that he drives around Bloomfield Hill. You can't stiff him.

**casscorridor** · February-19-13, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Novine

Stephen Henderson and company endorse a state takeover of city government. This is the same crowd that endorsed Bing for Mayor and everyone has seen how well that worked out.

Same paper that endorsed Snyder for Governor too! And isn't that working out great?! [[SARCASTIC).

Snyder is the worst Governor since Engler which is not saying much, as Granholm was almost as bad. She is the one who appointed the EM in DPS, who set up the plan to destroy public schooling in Detroit, closing school after school and plunging DPS into more debt than when he started.

The EM will be nothing but bad for working people, especially women of color, who are disproportionately affected by layoffs of public service workers. This will be in addition to expected cuts to the post office and other federal and state workers.

**Hermod** · February-19-13, 12:31 PM

Long term debt and pensions can be looked at for long term solutions.

Beginning from the top, take a meat axe to current employment with the only untouchables being beat cops and in-station firemen/EMT. Everyone else is expendable with the priority for pink slips going to those who make the most money.

I would start with the clownsil offices and staffs. Find a boiler room in the CAY building and cram nine small desks into it.

**nain rouge** · February-19-13, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Long term debt and pensions can be looked at for long term solutions.

Why is it that everyone is all for firing people left and right, but can bring themselves to seriously consider cutting or eliminating existing pensions? I feel like there is a generational bias at work here that I don't completely understand.

Look, a lot of young people are fighting tooth and nail for decent paying jobs while baby boomers are collecting big pensions that Generation Y would drool over having as regular paychecks. There's an extreme imbalance at work and everyone is seemingly in denial about it. Pensions don't work when the subsequent generation is smaller than the previous generation. What's so hard to understand about that? Why can't we look at the elephant in the room first?

**bailey** · February-19-13, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by nain rouge

Why is it that everyone is all for firing people left and right, but can bring themselves to seriously consider cutting or eliminating existing pensions? I feel like there is a generational bias at work here that I don't completely understand.

Look, a lot of young people are fighting tooth and nail for decent paying jobs while baby boomers are collecting big pensions that Generation Y would drool over having as regular paychecks. There's an extreme imbalance at work and everyone is seemingly in denial about it. Pensions don't work when the subsequent generation is smaller than the previous generation. What's so hard to understand about that? Why can't we look at the elephant in the room first?

no one is taking the bait. you can stop now.

**Hypestyles** · February-19-13, 01:38 PM

i hope a comprehensive plan for revenue development is created.

**corktownyuppie** · February-19-13, 01:42 PM

One reason why an EM [[or bankruptcy) is necessary is that doing so may allow us access to attractive [[rather than punitive) bond rates if an EM puts together a realistic and executable restructuring plan.

Unfortunately, mayor and city council cannot...and even if they could, it's debatable whether the banks would be able to lend given their inability to get a restructuring agenda through.

It will be right sizing on steroids, and it's exactly what the doctor ordered. BUT, there needs to be a plan for after the right-sizing to have a sustainable model of operations for the city.

And I do think that pensions are at risk as well.

**Eber Brock Ward** · February-19-13, 01:52 PM

This article absolutely broke my heart to read: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...O01/302190338/

Particularly this entry:

A Detroit community group has been pushing for the appointment of Charlie Beckham, Bing's former chief administrative officer and chairman-elect of the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce.

Beckham has been praised for his knowledge of city government, but he served two years in prison after being convicted of taking a $16,000 bribe related to a sludge-hauling contract from a company called Vista when he was director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department under Mayor Coleman A. Young.

What. The. Fuck. I hope this isn't a semi-legitimate community group.

And I can't believe that Snyder is floating names. The whole point of the EM process is to dismantle the dysfunctional political culture in the city. You don't seek the permission of the crooked [[or incompetent) people you are trying to replace.

**Honky Tonk** · February-19-13, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Eber Brock Ward

This article absolutely broke my heart to read: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...O01/302190338/

Particularly this entry:

What. The. Fuck. I hope this isn't a semi-legitimate community group.

And I can't believe that Snyder is floating names. The whole point of the EM process is to dismantle the dysfunctional political culture in the city. You don't seek the permission of the crooked [[or incompetent) people you are trying to replace.

Amen. Watch this get botched up as well.

**nain rouge** · February-19-13, 02:01 PM

I never really understood what the bribes had to do with the city's budget problems. Is it shameful? Yes. But name me one governmental agency that doesn't overpay on contracts! Detroit is hardly unique in that regard. We pretty much accept that the politicians in Washington get constant kickbacks. You think big cities are any different?