Duggan has heavy lifting to get DPS bailout to pass in Lansing

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Lansing lawmakers continue to battle over Detroit's Public School bailout and how it will be done. One of the sticking points is Mayor Mike Duggan's call to create and education oversight board but it may be a losing battle.

Duggan orchestrated a show of force Tuesday by creating the Detroit Education Commission (DEC). It won't mean anything if House GOP Speaker Kevin Cotter has his way - he wants the DEC out of the DPS rescue deal.

The mayor argues there is a need for some authority to open and close public and charter schools. Cotter's response? Who needs that?

FOX 2: "Does there need to be an entity to open and close schools in Detroit?"
Cotter: "In my opinion, it doesn't. I don't think it does at all."

Meanwhile, a one-time supporter of the DEC has changed his tune. Republican Sen. Arlan Meekhof, the Senate leader, was a staunch backer last week - but that's all changed.

"It’s an integral part and any leaders knows you have to find the place to land to get the most votes and we're going to do that and when we do that it may or may not include the DEC," Meekhof said.

It isn't looking likely to get support on the other side of the aisle, either. Detroit Democrat Brian Banks said there needs to be some real change.

"There needs to be a mechanism to deal with the closing of schools in Detroit," Banks said.

That means if the Republicans want a deal, they may have to do it alone.

Cotter says they're close to having a deal done and a vote could come as early as this week.

Looks like the mayor has some heavy lifting to do, if he wants to flip this GOP rescue package into something more to his liking.