Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson

DETROIT, MI -- Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said Thursday that Detroit needs an emergency financial manager to start "kicking ass and taking names."

He made the comments during a Detroit Economic Club meeting at the Cobo Center during the auto show featuring the "Big Four," Mayor Dave Bing, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Patterson.

Bing said bringing in one person to try to solve Detroit's financial problems wouldn't improve upon the team of executives and consultants working under the city's current consent agreement with the state.

"I do think that we have the team and the talent here in Detroit to work our way through the process," Bing said.

But Patterson pointed to Pontiac Emergency Manager Louis Schimmel eliminating a number of city departments, including police, leading to that city's credit rating being upgraded earlier this month.

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano (left), Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson speak during the Detroit Economic Club's Big Four speaker series, in the Aisin display in the downstairs of Cobo Center during the North American International Auto Show, Thursday Jan. 17, 2013.

"I think Dave does a disservice when he says 'just one man,'" Patterson said. "You bring in one man with awesome powers. It's not just a man or a woman. It's someone who comes in with power. One by one, (Schimmel) lowered the city's costs by getting rid of departments. The mayor can't do that. Your're bringing in one man who has awesome powers.

"... You don't want to go through bankruptcy. Your're going to get some judge in Atlanta or somewhere who knows nothing about the region calling the shots."

He stopped short of saying that it would be impossible for Bing's team to bring Detroit out of debt on its own, but that "all the dominoes have to fall Dave's way and it's going to take some years.

"The emergency manager comes in and he starts kicking ass and taking names tomorrow."

The comment drew laughter and cheers from the crowd, and Bing responded with a crowd pleaser of his own.

"I've been kicking ass for a while," he said.

"... Too many people harp on the problems that we're having as opposed to the positive things that are happening in Detroit and throughout the area."

He said the city has made as many cuts as it can and is now looking to leverage some of the new investment in the city to raise some revenue.

"We're not opposed to outside help... It's a 40-year problem and we're not going to fix it in one term," Bing said.

Follow Khalil AlHajal on Twitter @DetroitKhalil or on Facebook at Khalil MLive. He can be reached at kalhajal@mlive.com or 313-643-0527.