Bing's Budget: Detroit City Council's Fiscal Analysis Shows Some Problems

DETROIT (WJBK) - It's been a couple of weeks since Mayor Dave Bing presented his budget plan to City Council.  They're now taking a closer look and say some of the numbers just don't add up.

"We have some tough decisions to make, but we need to be patient and we need to allow the people they elected to make them," said Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh.

Pugh is confronting the grim reality that is Detroit's budget crisis -- address a $200-million deficit and come up with a comprehensive, five year deficit elimination plan or the city will find itself at the mercy of a financial manager.

Analysts strongly advised against entering into a consent agreement with the state.

"We at Fiscal Analysis humbly recommend that we do not go in that direction," said Detroit Fiscal Analyst Irvin Corley, Junior.

Council Member Joann Watson agreed and uttered the phrase "praise the Lord".

However, it won't be easy.  Mayor Bing presented his budget overview to council a couple of weeks ago.  Their own fiscal analysis of the plan now shows some problems.  Bing's proposed suspension of a pension payment and a tax on casinos are considered unrealistic.

"I don't see any willingness coming out of Lansing to pass the casino tax," said Council President Pro-Tem Gary Brown.

That could mean further cuts to the city's payroll and services to make up the difference.

Council has to vote on the budget by May 24.

"We need not only our unions to come to the table so we can talk about health care and our pension obligation, but we also need our contractors to come to the table," Pugh said.

If the mayor and council and the unions and the contractors can't work it out, the appointment of a financial manager could happen sooner rather than later.

"We need to be realistic that we have growing costs and shrinking revenue, and now we're under the gun to make responsible decisions or somebody else will come in and make them for us," Pugh told FOX 2.

Tuesday night, Detroit residents were invited to sound off about the mayor's latest budget proposal. Click on the second video in the player above to hear what some of them had to say.