But, as of this month, they are literally powerless and hold no power to make decisions. PAS even on potholes.
The city is now led by Joseph l. Harris, accountant and auditor of kilometres later, one of a small group "managers of emergency" sent by the State as firefighters to extinguish the flames financial in the most troubled cities of Michigan.
In Benton Harbor, where records show, finance have had down in a morass of commingled funds, puzzling accounting and expenditures unchecked, Mr. Harris was given sweeping new powers under the legislation of the recent state that managers of emergency as he said was necessary to deal with extreme situations.
Critical say the new powers granted by the new Republican leaders of the State, are average of Michigan shrinking benefits for public workers and undermine the strength of unions, just as officials tried in Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Managers of emergency of appointed by the State of Michigan have the power to cancel collective agreements, giving the State, in the eyes of some, the opportunity to overwrite any local union treats for the repair of budget.
"The dictatorship, plain and simple," said Dennis Knowles, a Commissioner of the city who was sitting in a dark, especially empty Office City Hall the other day.
But Mr. Harris insisted that the policy and the future of collective bargaining had no impact on everything he does.
"I'm looking for what is good for Benton Harbor, nothing more, nothing less,", said Mr. Harris. "And until you can break the contracts, your hands are tied."
Only four entities in Michigan, including the Detroit public schools system, currently are deemed sufficient distress to require monitoring by managers of emergency. But some economists predict that these ranks increase, taking into account reductions in aid of State tax revenues and stagnant.
Now, managers fighting intensifies around the State. Last week, Detroit pension funds filed a lawsuit against the Governor Rick Snyder and others challenging the extent to which, according to the prosecution, gives managers who arrive with "tsar-like powers".
Others see new career opportunities: last week, 400 people participated in a training session for two days on emergency managers in a Radisson Hotel in Lansing. Some were local leaders to prevent their cities of requiring one such financial supervision, while others hope to become managers of emergency.
Around the nation, the States have long had a range of methods - appointed receivers monitoring tips - to the stage where the cities are at the edge near bankruptcy. A financial control Board has helped pull New York City at the precipice, in the 1970s. But the powers and functions of these bodies vary widely, as do the views on knowledge if they contribute to long term.
Few places with title of serious financial difficulties as Benton Harbor, a town of about 10,000 people next to Lake Michigan, where it is estimated that almost half of the population were living below the poverty line.
A financial study assigned by the State in 2009 found that the city had mismanaged the federal tax arrears. He inappropriately borrowed money to manage shortfalls in others, and its accounting was negligence.
And if last year, the administration of the predecessor of Mr Snyder, Jennifer M. Granholm, a Democrat, sent to Mr. Harris, former Auditor General Detroit and its former Financial Director.
Mr. Harris began to pay debts, laid off workers and to consider a plan to merge the fire and police services in a single unit where firefighters could respond finally burglary calls and police officers could extinguish fires.
