DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Dave Bing's efforts to remake the city have been thwarted at virtually every turn.
Now, the frustration has boiled over to the point where State Representative John Olumba has decided enough is enough. He has started a petition to recall Bing from office.
Olumba has been questioning the mayor's decision-making for the past several months. In October he tried to get petition language past the Wayne County Election Commission but failed.
A couple of weeks later, the day before the November presidential election, Olumba quietly succeeded.
The approved language reads:
"Mayor Bing reduced the hours that police precincts are open to the public."
Related: Bing says his is among toughest mayoral jobs in country
Detroit political consultant Adolph Mongo says Bing is less than a year away from another election. Mongo does not believe Bing could get re-elected and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars the city does not have is ridiculous.
"Say they recall him. Then, you got (City Council President) Charles Pugh as mayor," Mongo said. "(Then) we have three mayors, because I don't think Pugh could get re-elected, or get elected, and another year. Six mayors in four years? And they wonder why the city is where it is now."
When the petition was started Olumba had 90 days to get 43,000 signatures.
Local 4 attempted to contact Olumba through the Democratic legislative staff but he did not get back. Local 4 also went to his home where there was no answer at the door even though there were lights on and cars out in front of the house.