Highland Park residents' concerns grow over council's plans to seek bankruptcy over water bill debt
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Residents in Highland Park are starting to fear for the worst after city council passed a resolution Monday to pursue bankruptcy over millions in water bill debt.
"When do we become the victim and not someone that needs to come and save us. We didn't ask for this," said Jaime Edwards.
Edwards is one of many Highland Park residents who are concerned about not only the future of the city, she's also concerned about her future.
"I live off of my retirement that will be affected if you go into chapter nine," she said. "And then you're going to ask me to pay three time the amount of taxes. How can I afford it."
Edwards is referring to the potential the bill for the city's water debt will be placed on the city's residents.
Recently, the state Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of the Great Lakes Water Authority (GWLA), ordering Highland Park to pay $24 million in water debt.
Last week, the city council asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to look into the city's finances. On Monday, Highland Park City Council passed a resolution for an expedited bankruptcy.
Edwards said residents could be the biggest losers.
"This isn't the first time that the city went into financial hardship and I lost the first time they did. You took money from me, but I never stopped paying my bill."
"I was not happy with my vote but I knew that was the only option to see what our options are."
Highland Park City Councilman Khursheed Ash-Shafii said he reluctantly voted for the resolution to file for bankruptcy.
He said the issue plaguing the city isn't their fault, placing blame on previous state-appointed emergency managers.
"The rates, in which we are paying now, are direct results of the three emergency managers who raised those rates regardless of the fact the contract we had with the Detroit water apartment, now GLWA."
He said the bankruptcy resolution is one of the few options the city has the resolve the issue. But he's also reiterating the city's call for Governor Gretchen Whitmer to step in and help.
"If they're willing to bail out everybody else, why not bail out highland park," he said.
Shafii and Edwards believe the governor's decision could determine the fate of Highland Park
For Edwards, the deciding factor on whether she stays in her home.
"Save our city, governor," said Edwards. "We need our home and we need to live like everyone else. And we are just asking to live."
During the city council's meeting on Monday, many residents were concerned about claims the Great Lakes Water Authority will shut off the city's water. In a statement, GLWA said that is untrue.
CBS News Detroit reached out to the Governor's office about the city council's request and potential bankruptcy, but a spokesperson declined to comment.
