Consent Decree Challenge

Detroit’s corporation counsel has asked the Michigan Court of Claims to overturn the consent decree recently inked between the state and city that allowed Detroit to avoid an emergency takeover.

Krystal Crittendon told local reporters last weekend that she filed a court complaint Friday to invalidate the historic consent agreement that was signed in April. She argues that the agreement is invalid because the state owes the city more than $224 million in revenue-sharing aid and $4.75 million for an unpaid water bill.

State law prohibits intergovernmental pacts when one party owes the other, according to the Detroit Free Press.

“The law department has exercised its right to challenge the consent agreement,” Mayor Dave Bing said in a statement released Saturday. “Whatever the legal outcome, we will abide by it. But I’m not interested in getting into any legal battle that will distract us from executing my fiscal stability plan.”

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