While this week’s municipal bankruptcy news focuses on Detroit, where a judge has just ruled the city can proceed with its bankruptcy filing, tonight a small California city holds a council meeting to try to avoid the same fate.

Desert Hot Springs isn’t on the national radar, but its situation is hardly unique. With only 27,000 residents and only 55 full-time city employees, Desert Hot Springs lacks the financial heft that allows larger cities – think Los Angeles – to put off their day of reckoning.

If you review the city council’s meetingagendafor December 3rd, 2013, you will see item 5, “Budget and Financial Update – Fiscal Year 2013/14.” Clicking on that link will open a window containing links to five exhibits that constitute the most recent financial projections for the city for their current fiscal year ending 6-30-2014. And as can be seen from the one-page summary document, Exhibit 2, “… Read More