Detroit School’s Fiscal Czar

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has named Washington, D.C., consultant and former deputy mayor Robert Bobb to be emergency fiscal manager for the Detroit Public Schools.

The appointment comes about a month after the state declared DPS to be in a state of fiscal emergency stemming from a $130 million deficit and lack of a plan to overcome the shortfall. The state took over the district’s finances, and as the new fiscal manager, Bobb will have authority over its $1.1 billion annual budget.

“Robert has the ability to get the Detroit Public Schools’ fiscal house in order so the district can devote its attention to ensuring that every student receives a quality education,” Granholm said in a statement.

Bobb formerly served as a deputy mayor and city administrator in the District of Columbia. He has also worked as a city manager in Oakland, Calif., Richmond, Va., and Kalamazoo, Mich.

He is expected to take over in mid-February, according to local news reports.

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