CHICAGO — Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said a state review team's recommendation to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder about a state takeover could come as soon as Friday.
Bing made his comments at a press conference Tuesday, hours after he and the Detroit City Council fired the city's corporation counsel and approved four consulting contracts that are part of the city's financial stability agreement with the state.
Michigan in December launched its second financial review into Detroit's finances, and found a serious fiscal emergency. Snyder on Dec. 20 appointed a team to dig deeper into the city's books, a move that could pave the way for the appointment of an emergency financial manager. State officials at the time said the team's recommendation could come as soon as mid-January.
"I think the review team — maybe on the 11th or so — will go back to the governor with a recommendation," Bing told reporters. "With that recommendation it will be incumbent upon the governor to make a decision as to whether or not to bring somebody else in or to let us keep going forward," he said. "Our goal is to keep going forward. I've said from the very beginning we didn't want an emergency manager."
Bing would have 10 days to appeal a decision to appoint an emergency manager.
Earlier Tuesday, the city council voted 6-3 at Bing's request to fire Detroit corporation counsel Krystal Crittendon. It's the second time Bing has tried to fire Crittendon — the council rejected the first his first effort — who last year filed a lawsuit calling the city's financial stability agreement with the state illegal. She also refused to sign off on a bond transaction last August with the Michigan Finance Authority and recommended that the city council vote against a state request that the city hire Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC to act as Detroit's outside counsel.
Bing told the council Crittendon had the position when he took office and he wanted to appoint his own person to the spot.
"I don't have a problem with people disagreeing with me, but at the same token, we have to do what's best for the city," Bing said. "I don't think some of the decisions that were made were in the best interest of the city."
