CHICAGO - Newly elected Wayne County, Michigan Executive Warren Evans said he believes the long-struggling county, home to Detroit, will be able to avoid a state-appointed emergency manager.
Evans, a former Detroit police chief and Wayne County sheriff, won 70% of the vote Tuesday to beat Republican John Dalton for the county's top office.
Outgoing Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, who held the seat since 2003, lost to Evans in the August primary.
In a radio interview after his victory, Evans said he doesn't believe the county is going to need an emergency manager despite a structural deficit of nearly $100 million and other problems.
"We're looking at the finances and it doesn't look good at all," Evans said. But, he added, "I think we might be able to avoid an emergency manager."
Evans has so far held off on detailing his plans for a controversial, half-built jail in downtown Detroit. With the authority to issue up to $300 million of bonds on the project, the county three years ago floated $200 million but has since halted the project amid major cost overruns and allegations of corruption. Evans has said there's not enough money to move it to a former state prison site but also may not be enough money to complete the project downtown.
