State Looks To Force City's Hand By Withholding $28 Million In Revenue Sharing

DETROIT (WWJ) - Michigan State Treasurer Andy Dillon is threatening to withhold a $28 million state revenue sharing payment to Detroit unless the city's top attorney renounces her challenge to the consent agreement.

However, Council President Charles Pugh tells WWJ Newsradio 950's Florence Walton attorney Krystal Crittendon has not said she plans to pursue her appeal to the agreement.

"The State is our partner but sometimes it's hard to tell ... I will talk to our preparation counsel - I will talk to as many people as I have to, to find out what is really going on," said Pugh.

"Both the mayor and the state is holding the city's funds hostage on the basis that you want to make the corporation counsel do something she hasn't said she is going to do yet - she hasn't said she is going to appeal the thing, yet," said city councilman Kwame Kenyatta.

Kenyatta also says that Crittendon has advised Mayor Bing that he (as Mayor) can take the state to court to challenge the latest threat to withhold $28 million in state revenue sharing.

The city of  Detroit needs the money to pay off a short-term debt.