San Bernardino Council meeting at 5 p.m. to consider declaring fiscal emergency

Council meeting at 5 p.m. to consider declaring fiscal emergency

By Ryan Hagen
Posted: 07/18/2012 02:17:52 PM PDT


San Bernardino City Hall. (Rick Sforza/Staff Photographer)
On Twitter: Reporter Ryan Hagen will be tweeting live from the meeting @SBcityNow
Catch up: Read more about the San Bernardino financial crisis.

SAN BERNARDINO -- The City Council will vote tonight on two measures moving forward the potential bankruptcy, two days after delaying both votes.

The city will first vote on whether to declare a state of fiscal emergency.

That declaration says that, unless it got protection from bankruptcy court, the city is unable to pay its obligations within 60 days and "the financial state of the city jeopardizes the health, safety or well-being of the residents of the city."

By passing it, the city sidesteps mediation and other steps otherwise required by state law, although Interim City Manager Andrea Travis-Miller has said she plans to continue those steps at the same time "to the extent possible" and without time requirements.

The council will also decide whether to direct city staff members to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection and take any other actions necessary to make that filing.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 300 N D St.