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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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http://www.abc12.com/story/25509632/flint-police-and-fire-chiefs-present-new-budget-options-tuesday-to-help-avoid-job-cuts?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=10158383#.U3MHqDG_cXY.facebookFLINT (WJRT) -
(05/13/14) – To help solve a budget deficit, Flint is considering laying off 36 police positions and 19 firefighters.
But Tuesday night, during a 5.5 hour city council meeting, each department presented a plan aimed at keeping people on the job.
City council's finance committee sat down with the police and fire chiefs to take a deeper look at the proposed public safety cuts.
First the Flint Fire Chief made his presentation. The fire department just lost their federal SAFER grant - putting 19 jobs on the line. The chief says he thinks they can reorganize the department in a way that would mean losing no jobs. It's not set in stone yet, but it involves eliminating positions that are already empty because of sick leave and retirement.
Another big take-away from his presentation – that federal grant mandated the department always have four firefighters on each truck. Now that they don't have the money, he's looking at putting three firefighters on each truck instead. He says that will help them keep more stations open.
Next up, the police chief spoke. In Emergency Manager Darnell Earley's proposed budget, they could lose up to 36 jobs at the police department. The chief said one option is to look at lowering their supervisor to employee ratio. The city says it would take $2.6 million to fund those 36 police jobs. They say that money is directly tied to rising retiree health costs that the city must pay.
City council president Scott Kincaid suggests using a portion of a $2 million grant for the city's LockUp to help fund the police department instead. Many are wondering why the public safety millage money isn't being used.
The budget is far from being finalized, but the city’s Emergency Manager wants it wrapped by next month.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Wed May 14, 2014 3:16 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Wed May 14, 2014 3:04 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Councilman Wantwaz Davis
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This was our city council meeting on public safety, they cut some of my statement exposing them on how they have misappropriated some of the 5.3 million dollar public safety millage, that was voted on in 2012 by the people, that is 5 million dollars a year for the next five years. Tap on the picture to view the video. |
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Wed May 14, 2014 3:07 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint looking for ways to save police and fire positions
by Kyle Mitchell
Posted: 05.14.2014 at 1:20 AM
Flint City Council Finance Committee members discussed proposed cuts to the police and fire departments.
/ KYLE MITCHELL
Photo
FLINT -- The Flint City Council Finance Committee held a public hearing Tuesday night to talk about ways to avoid the proposed job cuts in the police and fire departments.
A budget proposal by the city’s Emergency Manager could mean losing 19 firefighters and 36 police officers.
In the meeting, council members spoke about some other options to make up the funds and keep the positions.
The fire chief says the 19 positions could be eliminated through attrition. He is also proposing to lower the number of firefighters on an engine from four to three.
The police chief answered questions about his current staffing and the impact budget cuts would have on the department. Council President Scott Kincaid suggested closing the city lockup to save money but the chief felt having the lock up helps deter crime.
Emergency Financial Manager Darnell Earley was not in attendance at the meeting. He has said in the past that his job is to meet the budget and get Flint out of receivership.
Council Member Wantwaz Davis, is concerned that the public safety millage is not being allocated properly and is being spread out over multiple years.
Many council members want to look for other grant opportunities to cover all or part of the cost of the positions. |
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Wed May 14, 2014 3:12 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint's top cop says loss of 36 positions could reduce station hours, force city out of drug team
Print Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on May 13, 2014 at 10:14 PM, updated May 14, 2014 at 1:12 AM
FLINT, MI -- Chief James Tolbert says Flint might have to end its participation in FANG and cut back on other services unless officials find an alternative to cutting 36 police positions.
Appearing at a budget hearing that stretched more than five hours today, May 13, Tolbert didn't offer a specific plan to pay for the police positions that are not funded in emergency manager Darnell Earley's proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
But he said the fallout would be a further hardship for area and could involve dropping out the the Flint Area Narcotics Group and other task forces, a lessened ability to send officers to investigate certain crimes, and reduced hours at police headquarters.
"There's a lot of different things that could happen," Tolbert said. "There's going to have to be some tough decisions."
The city's top cop said he will work with a public safety consultant Earley has said he plans to bring on board to reorganize public safety in the city during the next six months.
Earley's proposed budget would reduce the Police Department from 151 to 115, but officials said today they have no plans to make the cuts immediately when the fiscal year starts.
Flint Mayor Dayne Walling has also said he's working with state and federal legislators in an effort to find the $2.6 million needed to keep the positions in the budget.
Tolbert found a sympathetic ear among City Council members, who praised the chief's performance in his first six months on the job, and universally said the city can't afford fewer public safety officers.
"We cannot lose any police officers," said Councilman Bryant Nolden. "We had a very long, very cold winter (but people) are going to be out" and crime will rise.
Tolbert praised Flint's police officers, saying they are making new efforts to reach out and interact with the community.
"Our goal is to get as many officers on the street as possible," he said. "We have to find the resources (and might) have to ask for (additional help) from Michigan State Police."
BwanaJim 5 minutes ago
Two of the primary services any community owes it citizens is security and infrastructure, which includes police and fire protection, maintenance of roads, streets and water & sewer lines. Over the years when money wasn't an object Flint added less essential services, which are now seen as rights by those receiving those services. Now that money is a problem it is time to go back to the basics. It's time to look at county wide and private services for everything else. Individual pay is a generally a lesser problem in most areas then headcount. We should not be cutting safety and infrastructure services until the last dime is removed from everything else.
wereintroubl 2 hours ago
This problem will continue indefinitely until decent jobs are found for the city. This lies at the feet of Tricky Ricky Liar. I know he is excited about the Michigan State Police helicopter that patrols the I-75 corridor, but that does nothing to bring jobs to Flint. We were promised when workers rights were stripped, and seniors had taxes raised that there would be an abundance of good jobs. Hey Tricky Ricky WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY!
burtonguy 39 minutes ago
@wereintroubl
Businesses will not locate in Genesee County, especially Flint, without financial incentives/subsidies. It's just too expensive from theft/robberies, insurance rates, water rates, overall crime, and the difficulty in finding well educated and trained workers with good ethics. Here's a thought experiment: pretend you are a smart business person with a few million dollars to invest, are you going to locate here with all the other locations you could pick?
john 2 hours ago
Flint has income of 52 million. They pay 35 million a year out of that on pensions. They have to run the entire city on what's left over. This must stop. They plain and simple must get out from under that pension expense.
Ivan 2 hours ago
Agreed!
However, that doesnt negate the fact that rhere are plenty of places to save the necessary money to save these police jobs.
The fire chief has already shared his plans on re-structuring to save their jobs!
burtonguy 36 minutes ago
@john
If Flint does not pay for pensions, and some of our tenants rely on that pension to pay rent. do our properties have to pay property tax and water bills to Flint? If yes, how and with what?
n
Ivan 3 hours ago
There are a number of things that the city could do to free up some monies, and help save public safety jobs!
But the question is, are they willing to do them?
Earley continues to say that the sacrifices must be "shared by everyone!"
So why hasn't he rescinded the lavish pay raises certain people in city hall have recieved?
There is not ONE SINGLE person who works for the city of Flint who should be paid over 100k !
The Human Resources Dept. Is the first place to cut salaries, or even consider out sourcing to a private company! Does Flint really need, or can they afford to have their own medical cinic for employees? Contract it out, you dont have to pay benefits that way.
Flint could consolidate with county central dispatch .
How about eliminating some of the unnecessary civilian employees on the payroll?
They could go back to running their own towing/impound yard, and save a good amount of the $1 million a year that goes to the current towing company that is on currently on contract.
There were only 5 police cars on duty one night this past weekend....cutting ANY police positions is totally unacceptable to me or any residents of Flint, and should not even be considered!
Just so people know, a new hire on the Flint Police Department only makes $15.85 an hour. They face a clear and present risk EVERYtime they put the uniform on and serve the residents!
$15.85 per hour.......think about that!
Cup 6 hours ago
what they the state needs to do is get rid of these so called managers who only have a one track mind,police and fire are the main stay of and city,town etc start using your heads instead of your behinds.
2fast4luv 6 hours ago
I say lay them off
and all of those folks who say flint is a wonderful place to live
I bet they will change there song.
milivid 6 hours ago
When I first noticed the headline in the mlive list I thought it said "loss of 36 politicians" and I thought, "Well, at least it is a good start" only to be dejected upon further examination.
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exairmankis 6 hours ago
"The city's top cop said he will work with a public safety consultant Earley has said he plans to bring on board to reorganize public safety in the city during the next six months."
Didn't the city have a consultant from MSU come in around 3-4 years ago? Didn't this consultant tell the city that the problem is there aren't enough officers? How many are in FANG now? 2? I understand that the officer's really like Chief Tolbert, but isn't cutting FANG similar to bailing out the Titanic with a spoon? There are many posters here that don't like the police and use this forum to bash them....they aren't here to help solve the problems. Who knows if Chief Tolbert or anybody else that is in a position to actually make changes even read these forums?.?. Several years ago there were people in the police department that TRIED to implement change. The problem was that the people at the top, for whatever reasons...you fill in the ________.....refused to make the changes or even try new ideas. There was no "real accountability" in directing the troops, just the squeaky wheel gets the grease. We always heard..."Well the mayor doesn't want this or city council wants that or that will never work". Well.....where did that get the department? Today there are many officer's at the FPD that are incredibly talented people......MANY OF THEM!! The problem is they don't have the numbers or resources to get the job done.
The budget problems in Flint are going to continue and they will spread out across the rest of the county. If we take a look at our tax base, it isn't rocket science to see that the GM retirees make up a large percentage of homeowners (i.e. taxpayers) in Genesee County. What are we going to do as their numbers continue to dwindle? What are Grand Blanc/Davison/Swartz Creek/Flushing/Fenton and all of the smaller cities and townships in our county going to do? Who is going to be able to afford the 200k+ homes in these cities as the previous homeowners vacate them? Isn't it probable that property values and the tax base will NEVER return to what it was?
Public safety is expensive. Period. Isn't it time for the leaders in this county to start making tough decisions? Take a look at consolidating resources?
FACT: The City of Flint isn't going to solve their problems long term continuing on the road they are on. A short term fix is municipal bankruptcy. It isn't going to solve ANYTHING long term. They still won't be able to field the numbers necessary to properly staff/fund public safety.
SOLUTION: Consolidate Public Safety resources throughout the county. Start the meetings now. Tell our "leaders" to leave their egos at the door and start thinking about the residents of the entire county.
Ivan 3 hours ago
They could start by consolidating the 911 center!
Paul Jordan 7 hours ago
Over the past 30 years, a shift has been underway to demonize government and government services and reducing taxes and budgets has been the weapon which has been used to to reduce government. The state government has reduced taxes, which has been roundly applauded by folks who apparently don't realize that reducing government means not just reducing those services that they don't like, but also reducing services on which they depend every day.
As it has reduced its own budget, the state has consistently shifted responsibility for paying for local services down to local government. The last straw for many communities (already under great stress from declines in property values & manufacturing) was the reductions in state revenue sharing.
What people don't realize is that regardless of how you feel about the necessity of environmental or other regulations that primarily effect businesses, local governments provide most of the services on which we depend every day: Water, schools, sewer, garbage collection, enforcing health regulations, and--fire & police protection.
The state under the leadership of The Republican governor, state house, and state senate has been attempting to end any sense of state-level responsibility for the local services on which we ALL depend while refusing to increase local governments' (and residents') ability to raise money to pay for local services. This shift should alarm everyone who depends on local government services--which is all of us whether or not we live in Flint or Flushing.
Even though your town might be comfortable now, don't think that its situation can't change!
formerlyflint 7 hours ago
After the 36 get their walking papers, how many Flint police officers will there be in Flint?
Ivan 3 hours ago
The article says 115.
Dont be fooled to think that that means 115 officers working the streets.
That would be a total of police officers in patrol, command officers, and civilian employees!
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com 5 hours ago
@starr38 In his most recent report to the state on April 15, emergency manager Darnell Earley says if the federal district court decision that prevents the city from changing retiree benefits isn't reversed "the city will be in an extremely precarious financial position with insufficient resources to meet basic functions.
"The city will be engaged with others to assess the potential avenues for the city, including bankruptcy, should the city not prevail," the report says.
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fireatwill 2 hours ago
They need to negotiate with the retirees and the retirees need to do the same or they both lose. Get rid of Earley and bring in someone with some business sense. Earley ran Saginaw into the ground, now he's doing the same in Flint.
Rylaw 13 hours ago
If it is still a question of whether they will have to end FANG, then they have not lost enough officers.
Cut enough too where they are not able to extort peoples money and time through non-violent actions such as traffic tickets, drug use, etc.
This will put all their attention on violent crime, and end the mob mentality of their police force.
Rylaw 13 hours ago
Cut their budget down too where all the have are detectives and one swat team, put the rest towards fire departments etc.
Jeffrey S Fillmore 14 hours ago
Perhaps the time is now to take an objective look at a Metro Public Safety Department with independent SWAT, FANG, GAIN, etc teams composed of Officers already in place initially.
The thing we must do in GC is eliminate all of the duplicity, redundancy and "chiefdoms" inherent in each municipality for so long. GC does NOT need nor can it support 20+ police departments.
Imagine, just imagine if we could eliminate the waste and duplicity and utilize those funds for actual manpower and equipment upgrades. This conversation would NOT be happening (again).
r
mlslammer 7 hours ago
@Jeffrey S Fillmore So true,this idea is just good common sense and has been suggested again and again. for years..End the unnecessary duplication, and DOWNsize Flint.
Steve S. 12 minutes ago
@Jeffrey S FillmoreThe only thing supposedly under discussion by the Police Chiefs Association is a "out county" detective's bureau and some form of sharing is under discussion with (from the Future Genesee shared services "plan"). Problem is that all those office in FANG and GAIN (no SWAT as that I am aware of) they all have different contracts. But that would be a start with putting one officer in charge of GAIN and FANG under the 911 boards then asking for full monetary funding then hire their own officers. Then add the detective's bureau, etc. As they see it works hopefully then they will start taking over muni. patrol duties.
Problem at this point is partnering with Flint for any public safety would that Flint would dominate the department stripping coverage from the out county unless structure right. That was the fear that stopped Swartz Creek from merging their Police Department with Flint Township.
valtwin 16 hours ago
It's called "the end of the rope" and Flint has finally arrived. You can't live on other peoples money forever. The entitlement attitude is what gets you here.
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fireatwill 16 hours ago
I don't live in Flint but I live in a community facing the same financial problems. You sound like you take enjoyment in men and women losing their jobs. These are families who will face hardships and struggles and you act like it's a joke. I don't understand your mentality, but I do hope you never face what it sounds like these brave men and women will.
jacobsmith 8 hours ago
@fireatwill You are correct, you do not live in Flint. Therefore you do not understand that this city has been losing jobs since 1974. We fell from a population over 280k to under 100k from job loss. Everyone in the city has lost a job, had a family member lose one, is about to lose one, has worried about losing one, etc.
The job plight is something you may be touchy about, but to Flintoids it is a matter of life. To quote the street, "You ain't Flint, you don't know!"
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fireatwill 5 hours ago
Jacob,
Not only has there been job loss from manufacturing but hundreds of public safety positions have been eliminated as well. A community can't operate sufficient number police or fire. What surprises me, if you live in Flint why are you arguing this point? You should want the protection for yourself and property. These are government employees, the city should be assisted by the Federal government.
How does this State have so much money to buy extra helicopters. They have the money because it was taken from the inner cities.
john 2 hours ago
@jacobsmith @fireatwill Flint never came close to 280k population.
diggerdude 7 hours ago
@fireatwill It's not the govts job to keep people working. That way we won't have as many 42 yr old 'brave' retirees sucking off the system for 50 years apiece. You and your foolish demands in your foolish contracts have brought this on yourselves. The free money is gone, make due with the revenue you have...................
fireatwill 5 hours ago
Yes it is, these are government employees genius. The tax payers supply the government, the government has workers some of which are public safety. There's not too many 43 year old retirees anymore. There's no 20 and out departments anymore. But what these men and women see on a daily basis there should be. You diggerdude sound more jealous then anything.
artznow 17 hours ago
I only hope that the police and prosecuting attorney are as sympathetic to the newly forming armed neighborhood militia groups as they are to the known criminals.
w
artznow 17 hours ago
I want a refund on my amount of the 5 million millage we passed for public safety that the city was holding for a rainy day or to plunder as they did. What they are doing with the water fund and present water charges along with the safety millage has to be illegal when will someone investigate?
Buick City neighbor kid 80's. 17 hours ago
Find 2.6 million? Call Woodrow he may know.
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fireatwill 17 hours ago
Wow, sounds like the Chief has thrown up the white flag. I have been waiting for him to make a statement following the bad news for the community. I did feel he would come forward with better options then requesting more State Police. I guess being hired by the state we see where his true colors lie... |
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Wed May 14, 2014 3:34 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint chief says he can keep five stations open using three firefighters per truck
Print Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on May 13, 2014 at 8:17 PM, updated May 14, 2014 at 1:14 AM
More Flint budget news: Flint's top cop says loss of 36 positions could reduce station hours, force city out of drug team
FLINT, MI -- Fire Chief Dave Cox Jr. says he can keep five fire stations open in the city despite the possible loss of 19 positions in the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Cox, appearing before the City Council in a budget hearing today, May 13, also said few -- if any -- layoffs may be needed to reduce the number of positions in the department to 75 as recommended by emergency manager Darnell Earley.
There are 94 Fire Department positions in the current budget, about one-third of the number Flint had at its all-time high, according to city officials.
Cox also said:
He has a plan to reorganize the department, making cuts by eliminating positions that are already vacant due to sick leaves and retirements. The plan is not writing, he said.
The number of firefighters on each truck responding to fires can be reduced from four to three because the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant that expires at the end of June. One requirement of that grant was that four firefighters be aboard each truck.
He's proposed cutting some of the department's top positions, saying the current structure is "top heavy."
How Cox's plan will mesh with the work of a consultant that Earley has said he plans to hire to help reorganize police and fire services isn't known, but Cox said after sharing his ideas in an initial meeting, the consultant told him he was "pretty much on the right track."
Cox's plan to carry three firefighters on each truck wasn't popular with some on the City Council, including President Scott Kincaid.
"I'm personally concerned -- deeply concerned -- about three people on a fire truck," Kincaid said. "I'm concerned not only for firefighters' safety but for residents in our community."
Police and fire services currently account for 58 percent of the general fund in the current fiscal year, Mayor Dayne Walling said.
Earley's budget would cut 36 police and 19 firefighter positions, using reorganization and attrition to help achieve those reductions.
Cox said he started working on ways to run the department with 75 employees a few months ago.
He said the force can still be effective -- despite the expected loss of personnel.
"The Fire Department is still the largest department in Genesee County," Cox said. "We may be able to utilize our personnel in different ways" going forward.
Councilwoman Jackie Poplar said she fears a reorganization is not enough to make up for cuts.
"We need firemen ... We got some people out there setting fires," Poplar said. "I feel a long, hot summer coming here ... I can't OK losing (police and fire. That's) complete insanity." |
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Wed May 14, 2014 3:38 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint gains public safety millage, loses emergency manager law
Print Kristin Longley | klongley1@mlive.com By Kristin Longley | klongley1@mlive.com
on November 07, 2012 at 7:10 PM, updated November 07, 2012 at 7:12 PM
FLINT, MI -- While the fate of Flint's emergency financial manager is on shaky legal ground following Tuesday's election, the city's public safety force is in line for a boost.
Even in the midst of an economic recession, Flint voters passed what local officials say is the largest voter-approved tax increase Genesee County has seen in decades.
Follow this link for our latest reports on the Genesee County election results.
"It's an incredible testament to the community that voters overwhelmingly stepped up to meet this difficult challenge with public safety in such a tough economic climate," Flint Mayor Dayne Walling said Wednesday. "It's a statement about the people who are living and voting in Flint that they would commit to that level of investment."
Residents will see the 6-mill tax increase on their December tax bills, Flint emergency financial manager Ed Kurtz said. It's expected to raise $5.3 million in its first year and will cost the average Flint homeowner about $79.
The millage is intended to stabilize the city's public safety departments, which are currently supported by grants that are set to expire over the next few years without any guarantee they will be renewed.
Officials have said 10 positions could be added over the next two years. Walling said the recruitment process "will start any day,” though Kurtz said officers won’t be hired until about January.
Flint millage proposals have had mixed results in recent history, with voters approving a 4-mill increase for a Flint school buildings sinking fund in 2010 but rejecting a 2-mill increase to reopen the city jail in 2011.
Genesee County Clerk Michael Carr, who oversees elections, has said the millage proposal was the largest he's ever seen in the county. He was elected in 1976.
"The voters put a lot of faith and trust in us and now we've got a responsibility to live up to that," Kurtz said of the measure.
Official results from Tuesday's vote aren't finalized. With 95 percent of the city's precincts reporting their results, about 14,819 voters, or nearly 59 percent of ballots cast, were in favor of the millage.
The affirmative vote was winning by 4,000 votes, but there were still about 10,000 absentee ballots that had yet to be counted late the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 7.
Flint City Council President Scott Kincaid, who opposed the millage, said the absentee ballots could flip the result.
Flint police Officer Kevin Smith, president of the patrol officers union, said he hopes to see police officers hired as soon as possible.
"We're kind of in limbo," Smith said. "The millage was very vague."
City resident DeVonta Jones, 23, said he voted "yes" on the millage and wants to see more officers on the streets.
"Adding more police I think would give Flint a more safe environment," he said. "It's just so much going on, it's like the survival of the fittest. It's crazy out there."
The vote came on a night when three people were shot within one hour -- one fatally and another critically. At 60 deaths, the city has already surpassed its homicide total from last year.
If the tax didn't receive voter approval, the city was looking at possibly laying off the 11 officers the C.S. Mott Foundation funded for six months with a $743,000 grant that expires at the end of the year. Carol D. Rugg, vice president for communications at the Mott Foundation, said it was too early to determine what would happen to its grant.
Kincaid said the money from the tax could easily hire 30 police officers and open some of Flint's closed fire stations, but the city will probably hire 10 or 15 and save the rest of the money for a rainy day.
"I don't think that's what residents voted for," he said.
Other public safety grants the city has received include the $1.2 million COPS grant that funds six officers and the $6.9 million SAFER grant for firefighters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Flint firefighters union President Trent Farnsworth said he was pleased that the millage passed and he would be vigilant that the dollars be spent wisely. He said his union members expect the tax to at least maintain fire staff levels, and possibly increase staffing.
"There will be staunch oversight on how this money will be spent, I guarantee that," he said.
For now, the city's coffers are in the emergency financial manager's hands under the old version of the emergency manager law, since Michigan voters rejected Public Act 4 on Tuesday.
Proposal 1 -- a referendum of the toughened emergency manager law -- had 2,239,006 "no" votes, or 52 percent, and 1,983,228 "yes" votes, or 48 percent, with 94 percent of precincts reporting as of this morning, Nov. 7.
Kurtz said he's still in charge in Flint, based on a legal opinion from Attorney General Bill Schuette, which says that the old law, Public Act 72, would be revived if Public Act 4 is defeated by voter referendum.
"For us, it's the status quo," Kurtz said, adding that he talked to state officials on Monday about the situation. "We've been acting under Public Act 72 and that's what we'll continue to do until someone tells us we can't."
At least two challenges to Public Act 72 are waiting in the wings. Lawsuits from the Flint City Council and the Detroit-based Sugar Law Center for Social Justice are pending in the Genesee and Ingham Circuit Courts.
The lawsuits argue Public Act 72 was repealed when the Legislature signed the newer version, Public Act 4, into effect, and that it can't be revived.
The defeat of Proposal 1, and Public Act 4, was a victory for the grassroots Stand Up for Democracy group, which had a strong coalition of volunteers in Genesee County, where Flint has been under an emergency manager since Dec. 1.
The statewide coalition collected more than 200,000 signatures to get the referendum of Public Act 4 on the ballot.
Voters in Flint were clear in rejecting the law. It was defeated with 58 percent of the vote with 92 precincts reporting their results this morning.
"It was an effort by a group of people who stood together in order to bring change about," said Bishop Bernadel Jefferson, chairwoman of the Genesee County branch of Stand Up for Democracy. "It was a long fight that came out victorious."
Public Act 4 allowed the state to appoint emergency managers in cities and schools districts facing serious financial trouble.
Michigan has had such a law on the books for more than two decades, but a new version passed by Gov. Rick Snyder and the Republican-controlled Legislature grants the managers broader powers, including the authority to amend collective bargaining agreements.
The law's opponents say those powers go too far, and the law undermines democracy because it strips elected leaders of their authority.
Snyder and the law's supporters argue the law provided an early-warning system for cities and school districts falling into financial crisis, and helped communities avoid municipal bankruptcy, which would have statewide implications.
Snyder said Wednesday that the repeal of the emergency manager law should spur healthy dialogue about potential replacement legislation and the prospect of municipal bankruptcy.
"I am disappointed, because it does make life more complicated," Snyder told reporters in Lansing. "I believe Public Act 4 was a good law. It was working well."
Staff writers David Harris and Jonathan Oosting contributed to this report. |
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Wed May 14, 2014 4:42 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Quote:
Residents will see the 6-mill tax increase on their December tax bills, Flint emergency financial manager Ed Kurtz said. It's expected to raise $5.3 million in its first year and will cost the average Flint homeowner about $79.
The millage is intended to stabilize the city's public safety departments, which are currently supported by grants that are set to expire over the next few years without any guarantee they will be renewed.
Officials have said 10 positions could be added over the next two years. Walling said the recruitment process "will start any day,” though Kurtz said officers won’t be hired until about January.
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Obviously Kurtz, Brown, and Earley don't plan on keeping the promises made to convince rresidents to pass the millage! |
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Wed May 14, 2014 4:46 pm |
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