Bing On Budget: Time For Talk Is Over
DETROIT (WWJ) - After weeks of wrangling, a budget agreement has been reached in Detroit, but it wasn't what Mayor Dave Bing was hoping for. The Mayor forced to accept City Council's latest budget plan, after his proposed compromise was rejected.
"The time for talk is over. I will administer the budget approved City Council," said Bing, speaking before reporters, Tuesday.
However, Bing said he does so with deep concern about the pain the cuts will cause, especially when it comes to cuts to police and fire.
"The cuts they made will have a devastating impact on public safety, transportation and recreation," said the Mayor.
"Council demonstrated today that they are determined to reduce our public safety presence in the community and on the street by demanding additional police and fire budget cuts. This is a deal breaker for this administration," Bing said.
Bing said the budget, as it stands, will not allow him now to fill more than 240 vacancies on the police force that were left over through attrition.
Bing said it's "going to be painful," but would not elaborate any further as to where any particular cuts would be made.
"That will come at a later date. I now have to sit down with department heads and figure out, with the cuts, where they're gonna be, and we have some ideas but they're not finalized at this point," he said.
In 7 to 2 vote, earlier Tuesday, City Council rejected Bing's budget compromise. Those who voted against Bing's request to restore $30,000 to the budget said that deal would undermine the city's ability to reduce the accumulated deficit and put Detroit in jeopardy of an emergency state take over.
The new fiscal year starts July 1.
