With urgency in his voice, Gov. Snyder today announced that the city of Detroit is in a 'financial emergency.' An emergency financial manager appointment could follow. The city has ten days to appeal Gov. Snyder's finding.
Update 12:30 p.m.
When asked what role Detroit City Council would have in a city with an emergency financial manager, Snyder said he thinks they're "going to have an opportunity to define that."
"If they just want to yell... and not come up with any solutions," Snyder said, he doesn't expect them to be part of the process.
Gov. Snyder praised the work of Detroit Public Schools' emergency financial manager Roy Roberts and said he hopes a new emergency financial manager for Detroit would have similar success.
The school system has been under an emergency financial manager for years. When asked how a Detroit emergency financial manager could get the job done in 18 months, Snyder responded that the new emergency manager law calls for the appointment to be reviewed after 18 months.
In closing his remarks Gov. Snyder made a plea for people to stop fighting over this decision.
"This is not the time for fighting and blame. Detroit is in a financial emergency," the Gov. said.
"I want to solve it. I want to help you solve it. Let's just go. I would appreciate your support in this. It's about speaking up and taking action," said Snyder.
The Detroit Free Press reports Detroit City Council members are considering a lawsuit to stop the appointment of an emergency financial manager:
The council has been discussing its options during a meeting today, including the filing of a lawsuit to challenge an appointment. “We have to fight till the end, but we have to fight smart,” Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins said this morning.
12:15 p.m.
Gov. Snyder indicated he does have a candidate in mind for the job of emergency financial manager of Detroit, but he would not name that person saying it would be inappropriate to do so at this time.
The city has ten days to appeal his finding of a 'financial emergency.'
Gov. Snyder said the people in Detroit are suffering because of its failing finances.
When asked if the state would bring more resources into Detroit to help the police department, Snyder said he would rather 'partner' with the police department in the city to improve crime prevention.
12:08 p.m.
Saying he looks at today as a 'sad day' for the city of Detroit, Gov. Snyder said the city is in a 'financial emergency.'
City leaders now have ten days to appeal this decision. After that, an emergency financial manager can be named to run things in the city.
"We went from the top to the bottom over the last 50 or 60 years [in the city of Detroit]", said Snyder.
If city leaders contest the finding, there will be a hearing on March 12th, the Gov. said.
