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Mayor
Bing presents
2010-11
budget
to
council
By Karen
H.
Samuels/Tell
Us
Detroit
DETROIT
(Tell Us
Det) --
Mayor
Bing
appeared
before
the
Detroit
City
Council
Tuesday
morning
and said
"The
budget
is
balanced".
The cash
crisis
that
that
faced
the city
when
Bind
took
office
is being
reigned
in with
a $101
million
reduction
in the
general
fund
spending.
With all
sources
of
revenue
going
south
from
property
tax,
property
to state
revenue
sharing,
the
2010-11
budget
has been
cut from
$1.32
billion
to $1.20
billion.
"This
administration
also
promised
fiscal
responsibility
and
that's
exactly
what
we're
going to
provide."
The
Mayor is
calling
for
every
department
to cut
staff
and
spending.
Leading
by
example
the
Mayor
said "My
staff
alone is
shrinking
by 20%
and my
office
budg4et
will go
down by
1
million
dollars."
He
encouraged
the
Council
to do
the
same.
The belt
tightening
will
allow
the
Mayors
says for
"A class
of 50
police
officers
to start
each
quarter
beginning
in July
and
funding
to hire
a total
of 91
firefighters
throughout
the
year".
City
City
vehicles
for
directors
and
elected
officials
are a
luxury
that the
Mayor
says
should
have
ended a
long
time
ago. And
so, none
of his
executive
staff
has city
vehicles
and
going
forward
Bing
said all
city
officials
and city
departments
outside
of
public
safety
will be
asked to
turn in
their
vehicles.
The city
will
save on
the cost
of
insurance,
fuel and
maintenance.
Management
of City
Airport
will no
longer
be in
the
hands of
the city
by June
and will
save
Bing
said
half a
million
dollars.
But
during
questioning
by the
Council,
Joann
Watson
called
into
question
turning
over
management
of the
Pension
Board to
the
state.
Overall
Council
supported
the
improved
business
practices
outlined
by the
Mayor
and
planned
to study
the
budget
more
closely
in the
coming
days.
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