Flint prepares to sue Michigan over water crisis

Leaders in Flint have filed advance paperwork for a possible lawsuit against the state of Michigan over the town’s drinking water crisis.

The paperwork, filed last week on behalf of Mayor Karen Weaver, seeks damages from Michigan for its role in the crisis for costs related to its water system, medical problems, reduced property values and more, reported the Detroit News Friday, which obtained the filing.

{mosads}It does not necessarily mean the city will proceed with its case.

Investigations have found that emergency managers appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) were responsible for Flint switching to the Flint River for its water. State environmental and health officials repeatedly downplayed Flint’s concerns over the water and pushed back against efforts to resolve the problem until late last year.

State lawmakers have approved $67 million to help Flint, and Snyder has requested a total of $165 million for the city.

But Kevin Cotter, the Republican Speaker of the state House, called the move “very unfortunate and very reckless on the part of the mayor.”

“I think that the mayor’s actions here could potentially blow up the state’s checkbook, and I think it’s going to have a real chilling effect on the House, as to providing any further resources in the interim,” Cotter said.

Ari Adler, a spokesman for Snyder, added that the governor is “very surprised” at the filing, and state and city officials are talking regularly about what Flint needs.

City officials did not respond to the Detroit News’s questions about the filing.