Detroit emergency manager decision to be revealed by Gov. Rick Snyder Thursday

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Michigan Live

Detroit emergency manager decision to be revealed by Gov. Rick Snyder Thursday
By Khalil AlHajal | [e-mail]
on March 13, 2013 at 9:30 PM, updated March 13, 2013 at 10:09 PM

DETROIT, MI -- After months of talks, proposals, financial reviews, confrontations and protests, Gov. Rick Snyder will announce his final decision on Detroit's financial emergency Thursday.
Snyder is widely expected to appoint lawyer Kevyn Orr to take over the city as emergency manager.

He also has the option of arranging a new consent agreement for a path to financial stability with the city, though it's not likely that's what he has planned for his 2 p.m. press conference Thursday.

An emergency manger would have the authority to strip elected officials of their powers and pay, sell city assets and void union contracts.


Read more: http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2013/03/detroit_emergency_manger_decis.html

[Ed Suspicious]

1. The king is about to hand down his decree! nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. You do realize it is quite legal/constitutional and why

[Cal Carpenter]

5. Nominally, perhaps.

But the voters in the whole state of Michigan rejected the premise in a referendum a few short months ago.

By the letter of the law, your comment is still iffy. By the spirit of the law, it is wrong.


Regardless, the EM concept is anti-democratic bullshit.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Every state has some form of takeover legislation

It varies widely as to its nature and scope. Jerry Brown was all over the City of Bell too, but CA has different legal approaches (including forced disincorporation) than Michigan.

This is all based on the concept that cities are creations of the state and the state in the end has the responsibility for their operation. That goes for counties and other local agencies as well. When they start to meltdown, the state has the legal obligation to step in, and they do, not just in Michigan.

I have some skin in the Benton Harbor debacle. Something had to be done, BH was that screwed up. The decision and appointment of the EFM was done under a Democratic governor.

I have not been following Detroit saga that closely. Be interesting to see what actions are taken to try and get it financially solvent again.

[lonestarnot]

8. So legal doesn't equate with democracy and no I do not understand. Explain if you have time.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. Much like I stated in post #6

This is all based on the concept that cities are creations of the state and the state in the end has the responsibility for their operation. That goes for counties and other local agencies as well. When they start to meltdown, the state has the legal obligation to step in, and they do, not just in Michigan.

Every state has its own form of takeover powers. It varies widely as to its nature and scope. Jerry Brown was all over the City of Bell too, but CA has different legal approaches (including forced disincorporation) than Michigan.

I have some skin in the Benton Harbor debacle, also in Michigan. Something had to be done and the decision and appointment of the EFM was done under a Democratic governor. The state had to step in, Benton Harbor was just that screwed up.

I have not been following Detroit saga that closely. Be interesting to see what actions are taken to try and get it financially solvent again.

[lonestarnot]

11. Read. So run out of money = no democracy and a takeover punishment from the state. I'm not

buying that for one second.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. Legally its more a case of the state rescuing its citizens from an incompetent agent

of the state. There is no loss of democracy since nobody's right to vote has been taken away. A local agency is being restructured by the entity responsible for it.

All that said, its not clear to me how much trouble Detroit is in.

[lonestarnot]

13. I think you are full of crap.

[Ed Suspicious]

14. I agree with that assesment.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. I found the concept odd myself until I looked into it

[lonestarnot]

18. Your ideas are odd. What did you conclude after your research?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. That legally the state is responsible at some level for its sub-entities

that it creates and regulates, including cities. One of the areas they have an obligation to step in on is financial irregularities and insolvency. Cities are chartered by the state and the state can revoke its charter (IAW state law) if it chooses. Up until recently I was unaware of that aspect of the law.

The Michigan law is unusual, but the state intervention is happening all over the country, including CA.

[lonestarnot]

20. And just where do you think they get the power to regulate?

From the people of course, through democratic election.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

23. The EFM serves at the pleasure of the governor

A new one could change the EFM or cancel it.

[lonestarnot]

24. Unelected official override of democracy and it's bullshit.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

26. I did not realize that the Michigan Governor was unelected...

The argument, which is made elsewhere in this thread, is that Detroit did not need an EFM. That seems to have considerable merit. That was not the case in Bell nor Benton Harbor.

What would you suggest be done when a municipality is as screwed up as Bell and Benton Harbor were?

[lonestarnot]

28. He may have cheated his way in, but however he got there, he is obviously not representing. And NO,

not at any time would I suggest a mess like that one. Let the people straighten it out through representative government like the U.S. is supposed to be providing to its citizenry.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

16. That is the legal concept...never said I agree with it being used on Detroit

I first got interested in the MI process with Benton Harbor. I have some skin in the game there.

All states have some means to step in, Jerry Brown is doing it with some regularity in CA.

[lonestarnot]

21. If you don't agree with it, why are you trying to push it over here and then trying to step

on Jerry Brown in the process?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

22. I am trying to explain the legal justification for it and why it is not a loss of representation

I am not stepping on Jerry Brown, he had little choice with Bell as did Granholm when it came to Benton Harbor.

Not sure about Detroit, but BH and Bell required intervention IMO.

[lonestarnot]

25. Explain all fucking night. There is no justification for quashing democracy and what do you mean

not a loss of representation. My ass!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

27. What would you suggest be done when a city is as screwed up as Bell or Benton Harbor?

Both of which were taken over by elected Democratic Governors

[lonestarnot]

29. Gerrymandering is not representative.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

30. So both Democratic governors I cited are guilty of gerrymandering?

Since the local government (presumably freely elected) are clearly crooked (Bell) or incompetent (Benton Harbor), what do you suggest be done and by whom?

Declaring that local democracy should triumph is a lot like saying that the free market will solve all our troubles. What do you do when it clearly fails?

[lonestarnot]

31. I'm not talking about democrats.

[LovingA2andMI]

3. No its' NOT!

Constitutional in no way, no how. Maybe you should learn the facts that Detroit DOES NOT have a short-term cash crisis....

http://www.reachoutjobsearch.com/2013/03/oped-discussion-reveals-serious-flaws.html

[Javaman]

4. the press briefing...

Rick Snyder: I'm going to give a very brief statement then introduce the new emergency manager for Detroit. We are living in tough times and as such require tough measures such as denying American people their basic right to vote, but that's beside the issue, I'm now going to introduce to the new city manager for the city of Detroit. I give you Mr. S. Tan.

A big cloud of smoke "poofs" up behind the podium and the smell of brimstone fills the room.

S. Tan: Moooohooooohahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!!!! Don't let the pointy pointy horns fool you, I'm really a nice guy! Huh? No laughs? I was told to open with a joke!

[classof56]

10. Good one!

[lonestarnot]

7. So no money and all of a sudden no fucking democracy. WTF!

[0rganism]

15. i sincerely hope this is the last straw

and Detroit is a pretty fucking big straw.

It has become necessary for the people of Michigan to retake their government through overwhelming acts of civil disobedience. Shut Lansing down hard, so the governor and that crappy legislature can't even make it in to work. Anything less will be undone in an off-year election, and within a year it'll be right back the way it is now.