Detriot Mayor: Job cuts unless union deal in 20 days

Detriot is the poster child for the declining urban way of life.The Detriot Free Press reports on what's coming:

Unless union workers agree to pay cuts and health care concessions in the next 20 days, the City of Detroit will be forced to lay off hundreds more workers to keep from running short of cash by the end of the year, city officials said Tuesday.

The continuing dire financial outlook emerged as Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick briefed the City Council on his proposals for keeping the city solvent through the next budget year.

Union officials remain unswayed by the mayor's threat and unreceptive to more cuts.

While Michigan law says a city's inability to pay its employees, vendors or debt could trigger a state takeover of its day-to-day finances, Kilpatrick maintained Tuesday that despite its challenges, the city is nowhere close to receivership.

Government workers actually taking pay cuts? This could be somewhat of a trend over time.