Just who is Kevyn Orr?

**socks_mahoney** · March-14-13, 08:41 PM

Okay. Who has heard of Kevyn Orr before this week? He led Chrysler out of bankruptcy, we know this. Does he have any municipal experience? What is his knowledge of the history and politics here?

Most importantly, what will he do?

**Cliffy** · March-14-13, 09:10 PM

Well he already "resigned" and his law firm has some kind of contract with the Mayor's office. Nothing suspicious there. He will probably privatize everything but then again Detroit is broke so they can't keep going as is. Its not his fault.

**corktownyuppie** · March-14-13, 09:17 PM

He's a Democrat who worked on John Kerry's and Obama's campaign, so maybe we can start nixing all the conspiracy theories about how Snyder's trying to hand the city over to GOP massa's in Big House.

Shollin · March-14-13, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

He's a Democrat who worked on John Kerry's and Obama's campaign, so maybe we can start nixing all the conspiracy theories about how Snyder's trying to hand the city over to GOP massa's in Big House.

It's still hard for me to work past the fact the citizens of Michigan voted to repeal this law and he just passes the same exact law again.

**corktownyuppie** · March-14-13, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

It's still hard for me to work past the fact the citizens of Michigan voted to repeal this law and he just passes the same exact law again.

Doesn't the new law allow for a municipality to choose between an EFM, bankruptcy, mediation, or some other 4th choice? I'd say that alone makes the new version substantially different from the old law.

Shollin · March-14-13, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

Doesn't the new law allow for a municipality to choose between an EFM, bankruptcy, mediation, or some other 4th choice? I'd say that alone makes the new version substantially different from the old law.

So where was Detroit given this choice?

**Honky Tonk** · March-15-13, 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

He's a Democrat who worked on John Kerry's and Obama's campaign, so maybe we can start nixing all the conspiracy theories about how Snyder's trying to hand the city over to GOP massa's in Big House.

Certainly admirable on Snyder's part.

**313WX** · March-14-13, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

Doesn't the new law allow for a municipality to choose between an EFM, bankruptcy, mediation, or some other 4th choice? I'd say that alone makes the new version substantially different from the old law.

EFMs appointed prior to March 28th are grandfathered into EMs with the same provisions as PA 4.

Well played by Snyder.

**louis** · March-14-13, 09:44 PM

I don't think it matters what political party he is in. Snyder's whole advantage of appointing an emf as to handing the city off to a bankruptcy judge is that Snyder gets to appoint the emf. So it would only make sense that who ever Snyder picks would be either a puppet or someone who is willing to go along with anything Snyder says or wants.

**Mark Smiles** · March-15-13, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by louis

I don't think it matters what political party he is in. Snyder's whole advantage of appointing an emf as to handing the city off to a bankruptcy judge is that Snyder gets to appoint the emf. So it would only make sense that who ever Snyder picks would be either a puppet or someone who is willing to go along with anything Snyder says or wants.

Isn't the point of hiring someone, to get what you want done?

**Novine** · March-14-13, 09:59 PM

Detroit doesn't get this choice. Snyder appointed the EFM in advance of the change in the law to prevent Detroit from exercising that option. A reporter called him out at the presser today about the timing of the appointment but Snyder claimed the timing had nothing to do with it.

**Lowell** · March-14-13, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Novine

Detroit doesn't get this choice. Snyder appointed the EFM in advance of the change in the law to prevent Detroit from exercising that option. A reporter called him out at the presser today about the timing of the appointment but Snyder claimed the timing had nothing to do with it.

Mr. Orr seemed very adamant that he would have this done in 18 months in the conference when asked about that. "I'm highly motivated. I'm all in. That's why I quit my job at my firm. If we work together we can get it done in less time."

I heard the press conference on radio. He was very impressive in his ease and command of speech. His resume and credentials are extensive and sparkling. He is UM grad and a Dem having worked with the Obama campaign and in voter protection activities.

He came of with an energetic, almost idealistic fervor as if he had been waiting all his life for a challenge like this, calling it the "Olympics of Restructuring" and saying "If we can do this I will have participated in one of the greatest turnarounds in the history of this country".

However we feel, he is here, he is in charge. Let's give him a chance.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-15-13, 03:15 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Mr. Orr seemed very adamant that he would have this done in 18 months in the conference when asked about that. "I'm highly motivated. I'm all in. That's why I quit my job at my firm. If we work together we can get it done in less time."

I heard the press conference on radio. He was very impressive in his ease and command of speech. His resume and credentials are extensive and sparkling. He is UM grad and a Dem having worked with the Obama campaign and in voter protection activities.

He came of with an energetic, almost idealistic fervor as if he had been waiting all his life for a challenge like this, calling it the "Olympics of Restructuring" and saying "If we can do this I will have participated in one of the greatest turnarounds in the history of this country".

However we feel, he is here, he is in charge. Let's give him a chance.

Well said, Lowell. We shouldn't be prejuding this guy or the results. Let's give him a chance.

**kenp** · March-15-13, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Well said, Lowell. We shouldn't be prejuding this guy or the results. Let's give him a chance.

It is amazing to me how people want to keep things just the way they are.

**casscorridor** · March-15-13, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by kenp

It is amazing to me how people want to keep things just the way they are.

It is amazing to me how people believe what Snyder is saying. The argument is "well the EM is better than doing nothing"... but is it? Seriously, what evidence is there to suggest that the Emergency Manager will IMPROVE services? The Emergency Manager of DPS has only made the problems WORSE.

Washington and Wall Street insiders call Orr the ax man, butcher or undertaker for a reason. All the rhetoric about helping ordinary Detroiters is just that... rhetoric.

**Detroitnerd** · March-15-13, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

A reporter called him out at the presser today about the timing of the appointment but Snyder claimed the timing had nothing to do with it.

Oh, yes. The timing had NOTHING to do with the grandfathering in. *eyeroll*

Sneaky, sneaky Snyder

**Lowell** · March-15-13, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by Novine

Detroit doesn't get this choice. Snyder appointed the EFM in advance of the change in the law to prevent Detroit from exercising that option. A reporter called him out at the presser today about the timing of the appointment but Snyder claimed the timing had nothing to do with it.

Just another thought on this...

The EFM is ahead on one score. He has completely blown Kwame Kilpatrick off the front pages.

Poor Kwame must be pondering in his cell in Milan, "Hey, what about me?" I wonder which will be more of a downer to him - sitting in a cell or the loss of attention.

In that aspect the appointing of Mr. Orr could not have been timed better. Synder gets a two-fer.

**Novine** · March-15-13, 09:17 AM

Give him a chance to do what? It's not as if he's going to be able to rebuild Detroit's tax base and until the city is growing, not shrinking, he's simply cutting off limbs to keep the patient alive until he leaves, to follow the surgery analogy he used yesterday. Even if he's allowed to rebuild city government from the ground up, which no one could do in 18 months, it doesn't change the reality that Detroit is too poor, too lacking in human capital and has massive legacy costs in areas like infrastructure that no bankruptcy can fix. No amount of right-sizing of city government can change those realities and it's going to take years of rebuilding city services to change that reality. Is he going to implement the Detroit Future City plans? Is that even within the mandate of his position? With Bing and City Council sidelined, my best guess is that DFC is sidelined with it and while Orr focuses on finances, any of the other major initiatives that need to happen that were outlined in DFC aren't going to happen to any appreciable degree.

**Lowell** · March-16-13, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

Give him a chance to do what? It's not as if he's going to be able to rebuild Detroit's tax base and until the city is growing, not shrinking, he's simply cutting off limbs to keep the patient alive until he leaves, to follow the surgery analogy he used yesterday. Even if he's allowed to rebuild city government from the ground up, which no one could do in 18 months, it doesn't change the reality that Detroit is too poor, too lacking in human capital and has massive legacy costs in areas like infrastructure that no bankruptcy can fix. No amount of right-sizing of city government can change those realities and it's going to take years of rebuilding city services to change that reality. Is he going to implement the Detroit Future City plans? Is that even within the mandate of his position? With Bing and City Council sidelined, my best guess is that DFC is sidelined with it and while Orr focuses on finances, any of the other major initiatives that need to happen that were outlined in DFC aren't going to happen to any appreciable degree.

I have long made a similar assessment regarding the hopelessness of Detroit's position of having to carry the burden of the region's and state's poor, homeless, felons and disabled who are incapable of paying taxes yet require great expenditures. In a sense the city has become a dumping ground for the state and metro's burdens.

Any limbs he might cut off are falling off anyway so I am not sure if that matters that much. I am holding out hope that the outcome will result in regional sharing of this burden - perhaps through insurance control and tax sharing. So I will give him a chance, not that we actually have a choice anyway.

**TheUsualSuspect** · March-15-13, 10:17 AM

If this was industry, Kevyn Orr would be called "the axe man".

He's being paid to make decisions which will piss many, many people off, but which are necessary to the fiscal solvency, and long term health [[if there is one to be had) of the city.

He's got a very, very dirty job. Mike Rowe wouldn't touch this one with a 10 ft pole.

TUS

**Wheels** · March-15-13, 10:33 AM

I don't trust anybody with a forced smile!!

**Novine** · March-15-13, 10:52 AM

"He's being paid to make decisions which will piss many, many people off, but which are necessary to the fiscal solvency, and long term health [[if there is one to be had) of the city."

The City of Detroit as an organization can be fiscally solvent and the City of Detroit as a place can be a hellhole at the same time. Don't confuse the two.

**Novine** · March-15-13, 01:29 PM

"Council cannot vote when eliminated......

The EFM doesn't have the power to eliminate the City Council. There's limits to the benevolent dictatorship.

**kenp** · March-15-13, 01:36 PM

Council will remain, just basically powerless.
This EFM must be a socialists dream. You would think most Detroiters would favor this

**mwilbert** · March-15-13, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

Council will remain, just basically powerless.
This EFM must be a socialists dream. You would think most Detroiters would favor this

This is a misunderstanding of either socialists, EFM's, or both. The EFM doesn't have the power to tax. He doesn't have the power to do uncompensated takings. He operates under rules that are intended to privilege creditors while reducing government spending on services to the public. There is literally nothing socialist about such an appointment.