Yvonne Ross, Yolanda King and Rose Roots are suing the City of Detroit. (Credit: WJBK | myFOXDetroit.com)
DETROIT (WJBK) -
"When I came to Michigan and Detroit, in particular, I was impressed with how people in the City of Detroit lived," said Yvonne Ross.
However, that was 30 years ago and the Detroit three women see today is a lot different.
"There was a time when there were seniors on the block, people looked out for the seniors. Now the seniors are looked out for someone to be preyed upon," said Rose Roots.
"You go to downtown Detroit and you see plenty of police officers, but you call them when you're not downtown, call them when you have somebody breaking into your house, and see what the response is," said Yolanda King.
"I am hurt. I'm angry," Ross said.
Ross, Roots and King have lived in Detroit for decades, and like so many, their frustration with the current state of the city has reached a boiling point and the consent agreement was the final straw.
"We're being told what to do with no input. What we say does not matter," said Ross.
Now they've filed a lawsuit, not against the state, but the City of Detroit, the City Council and Mayor Dave Bing. They claim the city had no right to agree to the Financial Stability Agreement, and they are making a lot of the same arguments Detroit Corporation Counsel Krystal Crittendon made in her lawsuit, claiming the state owes the city millions of dollars in unpaid bills and revenue sharing, thus making the consent agreement invalid.
Both King and Ross work for the city. Roots is retired. All three are union members, but they say this has nothing to do with the union and everything to do with being citizens.
"To appoint people to come into the city and be paid money for a city they say is going broke and pay their staff whatever amount of staff they choose, there's something wrong with the system," said Roots.
However, legal experts say this lawsuit could be thrown out because the judge could rule that, as citizens, these women don't have legal standing, but they believe they do because they live there and are affected by every decision that's made.
"I want to be able to live here with some dignity," said King.
We contacted the mayor's office and were told no comment. Meanwhile, a hearing is scheduled for July 13.
Thursday, May 16 2013 9:04 PM EDT2013-05-17 01:04:18 GMT
13 people were shot in Detroit in just 24 hours, five from one block, including a woman who was just hours away from a kidney transplant. She did not survive.
13 people were shot in Detroit in just 24 hours, five from one block, including a woman who was just hours away from a kidney transplant. She did not survive.
Thursday, May 16 2013 8:23 PM EDT2013-05-17 00:23:43 GMT
54-year-old Almeter Walls was set to have a transplant surgery on Thursday, but instead she is dead. We're told she was shot when a neighborhood argument ended in gunfire. The shooting also left four others wounded.
54-year-old Almeter Walls was set to have a transplant surgery on Thursday, but instead she is dead. We're told she was shot when a neighborhood argument ended in gunfire. The shooting also left four others wounded.
Wednesday, May 15 2013 9:01 PM EDT2013-05-16 01:01:40 GMT
Recess at Academy of the Americas in southwest Detroit is 20 minutes out of the day where all kids have to do is play, and that time is more valuable than you think.
Recess at Academy of the Americas in southwest Detroit is 20 minutes out of the day where all kids have to do is play, and that time is more valuable than you think.
Monday, May 20 2013 1:10 PM EDT2013-05-20 17:10:41 GMT
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the majority of southeast Michigan until 8 p.m. Monday as temperatures soar into the upper 80s.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the majority of southeast Michigan until 8 p.m. Monday as temperatures soar into the upper 80s.
Monday, May 20 2013 11:42 AM EDT2013-05-20 15:42:57 GMT
Perfect weather for a wonderful cause on Saturday in downtown Detroit and some Fox 2 viewers shared a few photos with us to help capture the day. Take a look and add your photos.
Perfect weather for a wonderful cause on Saturday in downtown Detroit and some Fox 2 viewers shared a few photos with us to help capture the day. Take a look and add your photos.
Monday, May 20 2013 8:24 AM EDT2013-05-20 12:24:48 GMT
The Detroit Red Wings look to go up 2-1 in their second-round series tonight when they face the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings evened the series at 1-all with a 4-1 victory on Saturday.
The Detroit Red Wings look to go up 2-1 in their second-round series tonight when they face the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings evened the series at 1-all with a 4-1 victory on Saturday.
Monday, May 20 2013 6:10 AM EDT2013-05-20 10:10:15 GMT
A trip to Subway turned into a nightmare for an elderly Berkley couple Friday afternoon in Commerce Township. Oakland County Sheriffs say a man left his 74-year-old wife in the car, while he ran inside
A trip to Subway turned into a nightmare for an elderly Berkley couple Friday afternoon in Commerce Township. Oakland County Sheriffs say a man left his 74-year-old wife in the car, while he ran inside
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Yvonne Ross, Yolanda King and Rose Roots are suing the City of Detroit. (Credit: WJBK | myFOXDetroit.com)
