Tag Archives: Emergency Manager

Detroit’s Fiscal Emergency – Declared & Responses

  March 20, 2013 - 4:32 am | ,
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An opinion from Stephen Boyle

Detroit’s government continues to be under pressure by the State of Michigan. A Detroit Financial Review Team was assembled January 2013.

Recollect December 27, 2011 as reported by Fox Business:

Michigan’s governor on Tuesday appointed a team to review Detroit’s finances, a move that could end in a possible state takeover of the city as it struggles with a shrinking auto industry and falling revenues.

This leading paragraph might have some believe the auto industry is heavily influencing Detroit’s financial picture. However three decades of push toward globalization, free trade agreements, and segmentation of labor into multi-tier negotiations have moved the auto industry well outside Detroit. The city has become a hallmark of corporate destitution when you drive past hundreds of abandoned assembly facilities. Today corporations in the city are awarded tax abatement to encourage “job growth”. These abated dollars show up as unfunded services such as lighting, water, transportation, and more. The infrastructure supporting new business is not being funded due to abated taxes.

State Interview of #DetroitEFM Kevyn Orr

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  March 16, 2013 - 5:37 am |
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Notice was received on March 13 at 4:38 pm that a meeting of the State Emergency Loan Board would be held the following day at 3:00 pm. Details as to the purpose of this meeting were brief and not specific as shown in the media advisory received. According to the Open Meetings Act 18 hours notice to the public is required.

Broadcast of the Emergency Loan Board Meeting


Prior to the video starting you can hear Andy Dillon speak into the mic "He will not be able to convince me to do the Ronald Reagan joke about the Red Phone or The Button during his off-mic or pre-event mic check." The video then begins at 11:44 minutes into the livestream session.

Candidate Interview for the Emergency Financial Manager for the City of Detroit

Andy Dillon starts off the meeting stating "The Governor has asked us to consider Kevyn Orr for this position." As he further states he has had several occassions to meet with Mr Orr and he wishes for his colleagues and those watching to get to know him.

The questions of the candidate during this interview were prepared, Mr Orr's responses appear very comfortable as if speaking with people whom he has had a number of meetings.

Public comments begin at 23:30 and close at 28:00
Only one person requested an opportunity to speak - Robert Davis, a union activist from AFSCME Council 25.


Meeting Conclusion

Meeting resumes at 28 minutes into the recording. The following two items on the agenda are quickly moved through.
  • Approval of candidate
  • Approval of Emergency Financial Manager Contract
Meeting adjourned at 29 minutes and end of video.

Detroit RALLY and MARCH

  November 16, 2012 - 10:30 pm |
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We See Genius

We See GeniusNovember 6th we watched the votes tally - We saw Michigan Democrats win the Senate. We saw the re-election of President Barack Obama and saw Proposal 1 come in with a NO vote. The next morning we found …

  • The Emergency Manager Law had been repealed
  • Detroit’s Proposal C to ensure Corporation Counsel retained independence and the ability to prosecute Mayor Bing

and what we didn’t get was a CELEBRATION in the streets. We were the ones and we thought certainly someone would start the celebration. We realize now that WE ARE THE ONES to start the celebration!!

Detroit Rally and March starts this weekend

WE ARE RALLYING IN THE STREET ON SATURDAY AT GRAND CIRCUS PARK AT NOON
WE ARE *MARCHING ON* CITY HALL MONDAY & TUESDAY MORNING AT 9AM
WE ARE *CALLING ON YOU* TO STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS AND PARTICIPATE – sitting through a revolution was never the way of accomplishing what is needed.

  • We are NOT WAITING 30 days to claim victory.
  • We are NOT WAITING for Detroit to have more services farmed out to private business that would have no responsibility to care for the public other than by terms of a contract.
  • We are NOT WAITING for the State of Michigan to push through new Emergency Manager Laws to “save us” from bankruptcy court.
  • We are NOT WAITING to develop a citizens plan for how our government will address a … [read more] Continue reading →

Anti-Emergency Manager Lobbying

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  August 15, 2012 - 6:31 am |
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Today bus loads of activists from across Michigan will come to the State Capitol to speak with legislators about the future of Emergency Managers, and Emergency Financial Managers. We are asking them to push back and remove laws from the books that equate to targeted suppression of the public.

This nation was founded upon the belief that each person has a voice worthy of being heard. Our government was formed to enable the public to participate in it in various ways. While participation is voluntary, the resulting government is what establishes the laws to be enforced. We find that Emergency Manager Laws have restricted the public’s ability to participate in government.

  • Petition government for change
  • Approval by the representatives of the people when managing collected taxes
  • Hold elected office as a representative of the public
  • Being a servant of the public – this public being people before corporations
  • Upholding ethical standards in government

Today we visit Lansing Continue reading →