Budget Battle: Bing To Propose New Compromise

DETROIT (WWJ) - With just a day left until the city's budget deadline, members of the Detroit City Council say there is still time to negotiate. And, apparently, the Mayor agrees.

After saying the "time for talk is over", Mayor Dave Bing has had a change of heart.  That's according to Bing's assistant, Denise Gardner, who broke the news to Council members Wednesday afternoon.

"I just wanted to alert this committee that the Mayor is in the process of preparing a budget amendment ... and, once it's received, we will submit it to the (City Council) president," she said.

Although Gardner would not specify, according to sources talking to WWJ's Florence Walton, this latest amendment proposes that $25 million be restored to the budget -- that's $5,000 less than the Mayor had previously requested.

Council President Charles Pugh said he would support this amendment, although he doesn't know about the rest of Council.

Earlier, Wednesday, six council members stood with Pugh as he urged Mayor Bing to keep working with Council to reach a deal on the budget that begins on Friday.

"We are willing participants in this process, and we realize that it's a process. It also does not end at the end of the fiscal year. Throughout the fiscal year that begins Friday, we still can receive budget amendments as revenue comes in," Pugh said, speaking before reporters Wednesday.

Councilman Kwame Kenyatta brought a basketball to the Council's news conference to illustrate the need for Council and the Mayor to work as a team on the upcoming budget.

"The Mayor is an NBA superstar. You cannot leave the stadium even though it's the fourth quarter.  The team is still on the court. You can't leave the stadium," said Kenyatta.

"So, we brought the ball so we can continue to deal with the situation and make the responsible decisions for this community," he said.

In a 7 to 2 vote, Tuesday, Council rejected Mayor Bing's $30 million budget amendment. Bing has been threatening cuts to city services and public safety if $30,000 isn't restored, but Council members call Bing's threats "scare tactics."

City Council is expected to vote on the Mayor's latest proposal at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Stay with WWJ for the latest.