LANSING—State Senator Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) said today that legislation giving the Detroit City Council an ultimatum on the future of Cobo Center is the wrong way to deal with the issue.

“I am vehemently opposed to Republican-sponsored bills that try to force the Detroit City Council to accept a plan for the Cobo Center that they have already rejected,” said Senator Hunter. “This is not the time to threaten Detroit with ultimatums. This is the time, however, to allow Mayor Dave Bing the opportunity to work with city council and regional leaders to reach a compromise that is fair and equitable. Only after that has happened, should the legislature get involved.”

“I am disappointed that Senate Republicans would try to bully Detroit council members into accepting a deal that they do not believe is in the best interest of the city,” said Senator Hunter. “I also see this as being an attempt by the Senate Republican Leadership to persuade the North American International Auto Show officials to take sides on this critical piece of legislation. This is an extremely important issue for Detroit, and we all need to work together on a solution, but the Republican way is not conducive to true regional cooperation. I ask my colleagues to reject these bills and instead look for a real solution to improving Cobo Center.”

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Sen. Hunter represents the 5th district, which is comprised of northwest Detroit, Dearborn and Inkster. He serves as Minority Vice Chair of the Banking & Financial Institutions and the Homeland Security & Emerging Technologies Committees. He is also a member of the Commerce & Tourism and the Economic Development & Regulatory Reform Committees.