Detroit has recruited top municipal and corporate executives from New York to Kentucky to run the city once it leaves bankruptcy, Mayor Mike Duggan testified as the final witness in favor of a plan to cut $7 billion in liabilities, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. The mayor described the city’s progress rebuilding services including streetlights and buses, as well as police and fire protection. One focus has been on persuading residents to begin repairing their own blighted neighborhoods. Duggan cited lessons he learned restructuring Wayne County, Mich., where he was a top executive, and as head of the Detroit Medical Center. The mayor said that he’s skeptical about the wisdom of borrowing another $50 million as city Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr proposed, which would bring its bankruptcy exit loan to $325 million. The city has the authority to borrow the extra money but isn’t required to.
