Some GOP lawmakers: Give Detroit bankruptcy, dissolution options
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By Tim Skubick Fox 2 News
LANSING, Mich. (WJBK) -- "That the city council of Detroit is dysfunctional and blatantly stupid," said Republican Senator Jack Brandenburg.
"I think it's just disgraceful. I think it's to the point of just outright delusional," said Democratic Senator Coleman Young II.
The rhetoric is heating up and Republicans have been watching the unfolding drama in Detroit between the city council and Mayor Dave Bing and the apparent lack of progress on the consent agreement hammered out last April.
"If they continue to push back and walk away, it becomes impossible to work with somebody who's behaving that way," said House Speaker Jase Bolger.
The Senate Republican leader does not believe the city is foot dragging, but he does believe it's time to give the city two options -- an emergency manager or a right to vote itself into bankruptcy.
"Allow those elected officials in the City of Detroit to vote whether they want an appointed emergency financial manager or whether instead they would like to go toward federal bankruptcy," said Randy Richardville.
One Republican senator is pushing a completely different option -- dissolving the city and folding it into Wayne County government.
"If we have to, that is one idea we have to look at. We have to look at everything that's on the table. Again, if this goes to federal bankruptcy, every employee down there will suffer. The city will suffer and the vultures will come in and take the jewels of Detroit and they will be gone," said Republican Senator Rick Jones.
The governor does want a new emergency manager proposal that would restore to local officials the right to determine their own destiny.
Meanwhile, Young believes what the state is doing to Detroit now amounts to blackmail.
"If you don't sign this contract to this person, we're going to withhold money from you, money that could go to police officers, money that could go to firefighters that you know we desperately need. That is outrageous. That's blackmail," Young said.
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