LANSING – Whether it is through new legislation or amending the old deal, the Detroit Caucus intends to reengage discussions with the governor, lawmakers and county and city officials on how to implement a new plan for Cobo Center, members of the caucus contend.

Meanwhile, Detroit Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. said he would not use his veto pen Tuesday to reject the city council’s opposition of the legislation, which would mean transfer of Cobo from the city to a regional authority. Cockrel has until Friday to veto the council’s action.

But Council President Monica Conyers told Detroit newspapers Cockrel doesn’t have the authority to veto the council’s decision and would fight any veto in court.

Meanwhile, Cockrel, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and other top officials, including officials from Governor Jennifer Granholm’s office, held a conference call Monday night to hear some proposals from Cockrel on attempting to get the proposal back on track. Patterson said in a radio interview, however, he is still disinclined to make changes to the original proposal.

Rep. Bert Johnson (D-Highland Park), who chairs the Detroit delegation, said members plan to start negotiations over with all parties at the table. He argued the tight deadline to get something done in lame duck less session meant that not everyone was involved in that kind of process.

Rep. Shanelle Jackson (D-Detroit) said members of the caucus did improve on the Cobo deal as it was going through the Legislature, but the problem was everyone was not working with the same information and time simply ran out.

This time, the caucus is looking not to set any self-induced deadlines, but to have an open discussion about Cobo and what it means to the region, the two said.

Johnson said he doesn’t believe the current political climate should stop a new negotiation from starting.

“It (only) sets back the process if people are unwilling to do their job, period,” he said, adding he does believe there is political will to come back and negotiate.

But Jackson added the conversation has to begin not on Cobo, but on how volatile a relationship communities in southeast Michigan have with one another. She said most of the problem on the Cobo deal relates to the lack of trust between government officials.

A spokesperson for the governor could not be reached for comment regarding the caucus’ call for new negotiations. House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) was also unavailable for comment as he was in Washington, D.C. meeting with Obama administration officials regarding help to the supplier industry.

On the Senate side, officials were part of the negotiations on the legislation that created the Cobo deal said there had been no discussion there on many any other changes to the proposal the city council rejected. One official said the Senate is now focused on other issues and Cobo simply isn’t on the table for discussion or action.

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