SAN BERNARDINO – (INT) – A bankruptcy judge is giving San Bernardino’s financial recovery her blessing.

Judge Meredith Jury verbally gave the city Tuesday her approval to exit bankruptcy with a plan to pay off creditors. It becomes final with her signature.

It signals an impending end to a financial crisis that began years before the city filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in 2012.

Since then, the city turned over fire protection to the county, scaled back city services and left some jobs vacant. New leaders have followed those who failed to recognize the city’s fiscal difficulties and could not agree on ways to stop the flow of red ink.

Story Date: December 8, 2016