Kevyn Orr says it's time for Detroit to move forward

TROY (AP) — The state-appointed emergency manager who helped take Detroit into bankruptcy said Tuesday, Dec. 2, that it’s time to bring this part of the city’s financial history to a close.

Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Kevyn Orr as Detroit’s emergency manager in March 2013. Four months later, they decided that bankruptcy was the best solution to get rid of billions of dollars of debt. Last month, a judge approved the city’s plan to get out of bankruptcy.

“Bankruptcy is a slip-and-fall practice; you slip and fall into it,” Kevyn Orr said. “From day one, we had to think ‘how are we going to get out of here?’”

Orr was the keynote speaker at the Oakland County Business Roundtable event, an annual gathering of business, community and education leaders. He commended Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson for working toward a deal with Detroit and others on the region’s water system, The Detroit News reported.

Orr reiterated that the financial numbers made Detroit’s bankruptcy necessary. The goal, he said, is to move forward as a sustainable city that’s an attractive place to live. He noted some public opposition to the bankruptcy, but said people had to look beyond their emotions.

“At some point, people had buy-in and realized we were sincere,” he said.

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