Detroit faces state takeover

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — It’s crunch time for Detroit.

City and state officials are facing a Thursday deadline to save the city from the threat of looming financial insolvency or a takeover of city government by Michigan.

Fierce opposition from unions — in a city that remains a bastion of labor power — has so far stymied efforts to pass a rescue package.

A deal backed by Mayor Dave Bing and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, would grant the city the power to void contracts and slash costs but not provide state funding or loans to bail the city out of its financial problems.

Without city council agreement on that deal, Snyder can by law appoint an “emergency manager” who will assume the powers of the mayor and council to run day-to-day operations. He has until Thursday to take such action.

The city council is under pressure from the public and city unions to reject the deal with the state. At the same time, it would lose its powers if Snyder goes ahead and names an emergency manager.

The council was set to meet again Wednesday. So far the only action it has taken this week to deal with the crisis was to double the city’s corporate income tax to 2%.