flint emergency financial manager ed kurtz

In this morning’s news: Democratic insurance reform, tax increase in Flint, state officer salaries

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:20:01 +0000

Detroit Democrats propose auto insurance reform

Democratic state lawmakers from Detroit are proposing their own strategy to overhaul auto insurance in Michigan.

“The Democrats oppose Governor Snyder’s plan to cap insurance payouts for catastrophic injuries sustained in car accidents...Detroit caucus members say they’ll propose other measures, like requiring insurance companies to justify rate increases,” Michigan Radio’s Sarah Cwiek reports.

Flint’s EM recommends income tax increase

Flint’s emergency manager says his budget plan for the next year is balanced, but he warns that without new tax revenue sources, the city will again fall into debt.

“[Emergency Manager Ed] Kurtz says the loss of grant funding and declining property tax revenues will leave the city millions of dollars in the hole each year through 2018. Kurtz says Flint needs to raise its city income tax rate. Otherwise, Kurtz says Flint will face another round of budget cuts, including to police and fire,” according to Michigan Radio’s Steve Carmody.

Salaries for state officials expected to stay the same

“A state salary commission is expected to recommend no salary hikes for the governor or legislators. Governor Rick Snyder and legislative leaders sent word they’re not seeking bigger paychecks. There could be a battle over judges’ salaries, though, when the State Officers Compensation Commission meets today. Some judges have asked for a bump after a 10-year salary freeze,” Rick Pluta reports.

Flint's budget balanced, but multimillion-dollar deficits loom

Steve Carmody — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:01:00 +0000

Flint’s emergency manager is delivering a balanced budget for next year, but the future may not be as bright.

The city of Flint is closing out its current fiscal year with a balanced budget. Emergency Manager Ed Kurtz says next year’s budget should be balanced as well. City officials gave state Treasury Department officials a briefing on the budget, before showing Flint’s city council the plan.

Flint city council members expressed concern that the proposed FY2014 budget is a little too tight.

Flint's emergency manager to rollout the city's FY2014 budget today

Steve Carmody — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:23:00 +0000

Flint’s emergency manager will unveil the city’s budget plan for next year later today.

Elected officials in most Michigan cities have spent the past month or so holding public meetings to discuss and get public feedback on their spending plans for next year.

But in Flint, the emergency manager has sidelined the mayor and city council

So the budget has been drafted behind closed doors.

The plan will be made public late this afternoon, after state officials have had a look and possibly made some changes.

Flint city council asks governor to begin the process away from an emergency manager

Jake Neher — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:27:20 +0000

The Flint City Council has taken a first step toward taking back control of the city’s finances.

The council last night unanimously passed a resolution asking Governor Rick Snyder to remove the city’s emergency manager.

Flint city officials want the governor to replace the emergency manager with a transition team to phase out state control of the city’s finances over two years.

Flint leaders look to emerge from emergency manager control

Steve Carmody — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:07:00 +0000

The Flint city council is expected to vote tonight on a plan that may set the stage for the city to emerge from state oversight.

The council will consider asking the governor to appoint a “receivership transition advisory board.”

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling says the board would guide the city after the departure of the emergency manager.

“This is an area of the law that we want to take advantage of,” says Walling, “We want assistance with our revenue estimates…with budget amendments.”

Flint city council to consider signing on to water pipeline project

Steve Carmody — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:44:00 +0000

A decision could come tonight that may determine if the city of Flint will look elsewhere to get its tap water.

The Flint city council will consider whether to sign on with a project to build a pipeline to carry water from Lake Huron to Genesee, Lapeer and Sanilac Counties.

The quarter billion dollar Karegnondi Water Authority project has been in the discussion stages for years, but actual work on the pipeline may begin soon.

Flint telling people who haven't paid their city income tax: Pay Up Now

Steve Carmody — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:23:45 +0000

The city of Flint is hoping to collect some unpaid city income taxes. The money could help reduce Flint’s crushing budget deficit.

The city of Flint is struggling to reduce its $19 million budget deficit.

To chip away at part of that, city officials plan to pressure people who haven’t paid their city income taxes for a while.

The city estimates that it’s owed between $300,000 and $400,000 in unpaid income taxes for just 2010.

Flint's mayor talks about violent crime, budget deficit and 'reconstruction'

Steve Carmody — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 01:17:18 +0000

Flint mayor Dayne Walling says his city must now make a transition to an era of 'reconstruction' after a 'generation of decline.'

Walling told the audience at his ‘State of the City’ address Monday that in order to begin that transition Flint must deal with its crime problem.

Flint had the worst violent crime rate in the nation last year.

“We have lost too many lives. Too many of our promising youth who were confined to environments that were always dangerous and all too often became deadly,” Walling told his audience.

Flint leaders to talk with state officials about water pipeline

Steve Carmody — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:02:30 +0000

Leaders from Flint will meet with state officials in Lansing tomorrow. The conversation will be about water.

Flint has been getting its municipal water from Detroit’s water system for more than 30 years. But Flint officials say the Detroit water is becoming more and more expensive, and their city needs an alternative.

They want to be part of a project to tap water from Lake Huron.

Flint's Citizens Bank is being sold to Ohio bank

Steve Carmody — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:15:48 +0000

There are concerns that Flint could lose a major corporate headquarters.

Flint-based Citizens Bank is being bought by an Ohio bank for nearly a billion dollars.

Citizens has been an important institution in Flint since the bank was founded in 1871. Citizens Bank loaned General Motors founder William Durant money he needed to start his manufacturing career.