Detroit council chief could get spot on oversight panel

**Vic01** · May-21-14, 04:34 AM

Looking at history, HELL NO! I hope this fails...

The Detroit City Council president would have a seat on a state commission with broad oversight of the city’s finances under amended legislation to be considered by a House committee today.Republican-authored legislation tied to $195 million in state aid for Detroit pensioners now includes a seat for the council president or a designee on a nine-member financial review commission.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz32LCWTkWB

**Hypestyles** · May-21-14, 10:10 AM

when it comes to all the proposed panelists/board- are these paid positions or are their services in-kind?

**corktownyuppie** · May-21-14, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Vic01

Looking at history, HELL NO! I hope this fails...

The Detroit City Council president would have a seat on a state commission with broad oversight of the city’s finances under amended legislation to be considered by a House committee today.Republican-authored legislation tied to $195 million in state aid for Detroit pensioners now includes a seat for the council president or a designee on a nine-member financial review commission.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz32LCWTkWB

In case it wasn't clear from my last 100 posts, I'm certainly not a fan of Brenda Jones, and I've found City Council historically obstinate and obstructive.

But.

I think it's important to put a City Council appointee on this board for a few reasons:

[[1) Having had direct experience with leadership from afar, it's common that when local leadership lacks the expertise [[or political will) to do what is right, it is crucial that outside leadership steps in. But the potential flaw in the structure is when outside leaders -- who have the necessary expertise -- lack the local knowledge necessary to make well-founded, fully-informed decisions. Putting a city council appointee ensures that at least one person at the table is bringing forth knowledge that might not always be known by the other experts.

[[2) For obvious reasons, it is important that the governed feel that they have a voice that is being heard. Even if that voice does not carry the full authority to make decisions, just knowing that someone is in the discussions advocating your interests can go a long way to keeping people from sabotaging efforts and wasting energy obstructing.

[[3) It's 1 seat in a 9-person committee. I'm not worried about a city council appointee getting in the way of progress.

For what it's worth, Duggan and Jones appeared well-prepared and united [[especially compared to some of the state congressmen who clearly did not understand some of the technicalities of how this bankruptcy process works), which will be very crucial in this turnaround.

**Honky Tonk** · May-21-14, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Vic01

Looking at history, HELL NO! I hope this fails...

The Detroit City Council president would have a seat on a state commission with broad oversight of the city’s finances under amended legislation to be considered by a House committee today.Republican-authored legislation tied to $195 million in state aid for Detroit pensioners now includes a seat for the council president or a designee on a nine-member financial review commission.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz32LCWTkWB

I hope she gets it. She could increase the speed limit on Belle Isle.

**corktownyuppie** · May-21-14, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I hope she gets it. She could increase the speed limit on Belle Isle.

As an aside, the state has already agreed to increasing the speed limit to 25 mph. I believe it takes effect in June.

But that means that those of you driving 26 mph with 18 outstanding warrants have even less of an excuse as you did 1 month ago. Just sayin.

**Honky Tonk** · May-21-14, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

As an aside, the state has already agreed to increasing the speed limit to 25 mph. I believe it takes effect in June.

But that means that those of you driving 26 mph with 18 outstanding warrants have even less of an excuse as you did 1 month ago. Just sayin.

You know you ruined my joke.

**corktownyuppie** · May-21-14, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

You know you ruined my joke.

But I laughed when I read it. So at least I thought it was funny

**Honky Tonk** · May-21-14, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

But I laughed when I read it. So at least I thought it was funny

I appreciate that.

**rex** · May-21-14, 11:03 AM

Thats a terrible idea and its endorsed by the mayor. Im curious as to why. What sort of financial background does B Jones have if any? If she had an advanced degree in business or finance and years of industry experience her place on the board would make sense but looking at her profile on detroitmi.gov it doesn't make sense at all.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-21-14, 11:36 AM

At some point, Detroit's elected officials need to act like adults. They've been sitting at the kids table for a while. Letting one of them sit at the big table is a good first step. We'll then be able to see if they can act like adults. But you gotta start sometime. And starting with 1 of 9 is a good place.

**Vic01** · May-21-14, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

...I'm not worried about a city council appointee getting in the way of progress.

an "appointee" by the city council as a whole might be OK... I still say the president of the city council is too high risk based on history.

**rex** · May-21-14, 12:31 PM

well did they or did they not earn their place at the kids table? They have certain comedic value but beyond that on a constant basis they prove themselves to be self absorbed, corrupt, tax cheats, law breakers, immoral and arrogant. Should they really be allowed any say in finances? The 130 something square miles that isnt mid-downtown need to be represented and there has to be a better way. I cant say I would collectively trust City Council to walk my dog or to not spit in my food

**313WX** · May-21-14, 12:32 PM

Brenda Jones won't be the City Council president forever folks...

**Wesley Mouch** · May-21-14, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by rex

well did they or did they not earn their place at the kids table? They have certain comedic value but beyond that on a constant basis they prove themselves to be self absorbed, corrupt, tax cheats, law breakers, immoral and arrogant. Should they really be allowed any say in finances? The 130 something square miles that isnt mid-downtown need to be represented and there has to be a better way. I cant say I would collectively trust City Council to walk my dog or to not spit in my food

Rex, I think any thinking individual sees that council presidents have not been what they should be. Yet they need to be. Detroit needs a strong and competent council and council president. Not just for the financial board. What about the 1,000 other responsibilities of these positions?

**EastsideAl** · May-21-14, 01:28 PM

I don't like Brenda Jones either, but she is a duly elected representative of the people of the City of Detroit, and is our legally elected City Council president under our current City Charter. It's bad enough that there's only going to be a couple representatives on this board of the actual city and its people whose financial fate they are deciding, but, unless the goal is to strip us Detroiters completely of our democratic rights as American citizens, I say she [[or whoever is the City Council president) definitely belongs on the board.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-21-14, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

I don't like Brenda Jones either, but she is a duly elected representative of the people of the City of Detroit, and is our legally elected City Council president under our current City Charter. It's bad enough that there's only going to be a couple representatives on this board of the actual city and its people whose financial fate they are deciding, but, unless the goal is to strip us Detroiters completely of our democratic rights as American citizens, I say she [[or whoever is the City Council president) definitely belongs on the board.

ESL, do you not think the other 8 members are representatives of the people? Sure, they're not locally elected. Most of our government operates like this. We elect people. They hire and appoint people. They assign duties, and we give them certain powers. In this case, we of course did not choose them by local election.

I think you can even say that we did choose the appointment of the other 8. If our elected leaders had wish, they could have managed our finances so we didn't go bankrupt. None of this was a bait and switch. The assignment of the other 8 was a direct result of the actions of local leaders.

That all said, I agree that there should be locally elected representation. But of course if they run this oversight board, it wouldn't really be oversight, would it. It would just be city council reconvened. The goal of this group is different and it appropriately reflects that.

**coracle** · May-21-14, 05:41 PM

It cannot get any crazier that having a member from the entity you have oversight over on the oversight committee.

**Vic01** · May-21-14, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Brenda Jones won't be the City Council president forever folks...

next in line... the Cush, I'd trust him all the way

**EastsideAl** · May-21-14, 06:54 PM

Why shouldn't Detroit have some representatives on a board that is going to be making important decisions over our lives? Do we lose all of our democratic rights, or just most of them? Goodness, I think a lot of folks around here would have been happier in 1950s Alabama or Mississippi.

But don't worry paranoid outstate back-country white folks, you'll still have the majority of the board appointed by someone from Marshall and someone from Monroe and especially someone from wherever it is that Snyder is from [[Battle Creek? Ann Arbor? L.A.?).

**coracle** · May-22-14, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Why shouldn't Detroit have some representatives on a board that is going to be making important decisions over our lives? Do we lose all of our democratic rights, or just most of them? Goodness, I think a lot of folks around here would have been happier in 1950s Alabama or Mississippi.

But don't worry paranoid outstate back-country white folks, you'll still have the majority of the board appointed by someone from Marshall and someone from Monroe and especially someone from wherever it is that Snyder is from [[Battle Creek? Ann Arbor? L.A.?).

"Some" representatives? You have to be joking! NONE is the ideal number. As a paranoid tax paying white "folk" I don't want ANYbody from Detroit to have ANYthing to do with making decisions how the State "settlement" [[another joke) will be pissed away - maybe you think it's intended for pensions. I would prefer the money to go to Marshall, Monroe, Battle Creek, Ann Arbor et al where I'd have more confidence it would be used to every bodies benefit.

**jt1** · May-22-14, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by coracle

"Some" representatives? You have to be joking! NONE is the ideal number. As a paranoid tax paying white "folk" I don't want ANYbody from Detroit to have ANYthing to do with making decisions how the State "settlement" [[another joke) will be pissed away - maybe you think it's intended for pensions. I would prefer the money to go to Marshall, Monroe, Battle Creek, Ann Arbor et al where I'd have more confidence it would be used to every bodies benefit.

But you have no say in the matter so your preferences don't really matter.
Are you also as outraged when outstate communities and communities up north are net takers from the state? Outside of SE Michigan there are few communities that pay more to the state than they get in return. Why are you not outraged about that? Is it color, geography, socio-economic makeup of the communities?

**Wesley Mouch** · May-22-14, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by jt1

But you have no say in the matter so your preferences don't really matter.
Are you also as outraged when outstate communities and communities up north are net takers from the state? Outside of SE Michigan there are few communities that pay more to the state than they get in return. Why are you not outraged about that? Is it color, geography, socio-economic makeup of the communities?

Not speaking for anyone else... I think the idea that this is racist is dead wrong and highly divisive. Adding race to this conversation is only a reflect of paranoia.

Now it is possible that race is a factor to some. Maybe the main factor to some. And certainly it is a factor.

I believe, however, that the main reason to not send cash to Detroit is because Detroit has not used it well. I may not like money being sent to the UP -- but at least they don't have a history of squandering the money and making bad choices.

I favored bankruptcy for Detroit. Why? Because Detroit was like your alcoholic family member. You don't give them money to solve their problems until they accept that they are an alcoholic and make life changes. Detroit is making some life changes -- and I do hope that council has seen the light too -- and their participation on the oversight panel will properly oversee the financial actions of Detroit's council.