Detroit (WWJ) -- As Detroit city wrestles with an estimated $300 million dollar budget, City Council President Ken Cockrel Jr. says the Bing Administration will need to make some hard decisions on personnel.
Cockrel told WWJ's Ron Dewey the city will have to bite the bullet and eliminate some city jobs, although Mayor Bing has made no suggestions about doing so.
"I don't know if that's a political thing with the elections coming up, but sooner or later we're going to have to bite the bullet," Cockrel said.
Cockrel said he has not been asked for his input on concession talks that started Tuesday, and he added it's fine if Mayor Bing wishes to use his own people, so long as it gets the city where it needs to be.
"(As mayor) We were in negotiations, but it never came to a head at least in producing results, so he's going to have to pick up where we left off."
Cockrel says the Administration needs to find ways to bring money in to the city coffers, too.
"One of the things I suggested is to securitize certain city assets to get up-front money so we can maximize our revenue to reduce the deficit, such as parking, public lighting and the Detroit side of the Windsor Tunnel....things the administration should take a seriously look at."
Cockrel made his comments after speaking with students at Bagley Elementary, where Wayne State University's Center for Excellence and Equity in Mathematics conducted a fun-filled class on mathematics to the schools' fifth graders as part of their summer learning academy.
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