Council President and City Attorney speak with state on tentative hearing on possible state takeover

(WXYZ) - Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh and acting City Attorney Edward Keelean told City Council members that they spoke on the phone with Michigan State Treasurer Andy Dillon and Treasury official Fred Headen about the tentative hearing next Tuesday to try to stop a state takeover of Detroit. 

They were told the state would have 20 minutes to present its case. The state will argue that a financial emergency exists in Detroit and city officials have no viable plan to fix it. 

Detroit would then have 20 minutes to present its case and each side would have 10 minutes for rebuttal. 

The hearing would last no longer than one hour. 

City council members were also told that Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has assigned two staff members to work on the resolution with City Council that will formulate the plan for the hearing. 

A vote by City Council could be taken by the end of the day that would result in a formal request to the state for the hearing. 

It has been reserved for 10:00 a.m. Tuesday in Lansing in expectation of Detroit challenging the takeover process. 

Mayor Bing has told the Associated Press he supports the challenge to the takeover and teaming up with City Council for the hearing, but Bing also suggests that he would work together with an Emergency Financial Manager if one is appointed.