Detroit City Council To Begin Annual Budget Process

DETROIT (WWJ) - Some big changes coming to the city of Detroit as it begins its annual budget process.

WWJ's Florence Walton reports that Council President Charles Pugh says the consent agreement will force Detroit Mayor Dave Bing to make the necessary cuts to bring spending in line with revenue.

"Not only are we going to be budget setting, we are also going to be eliminating the deficit. Now people at home want to know how will services be delivered. Will the lights be on, will trash be picked up will the police come when I call? The answer is, 'yes', but it may not be a city employee doing it, because that's where we are," said Pugh.

Due to Bing's illness the Deputy Mayor is expected to present budget to council for review on Thursday.

More layoffs are likely some city departments will merge and others will be eliminated says Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown.

"Certain things are off the table - police, fire, EMS are certainly priorities, the city has to deliver those, everything else should be on the table for elimination, consolidation or merging ... everything other than police, fire and EMS. Even EMS should be on the table for privatization as far as I'm concerned," said Brown.

In addition to reviewing the budget council must also decided who will fill council's two seats on the financial review team under the consent agreement with the state.