Why not annex Highland Park, MI into Detroit? What about other merging other municipalities into other municipalities? (Hamtramck: neighborhood, school districts)

[Vicman]

I understand the City of Detroit is stressed and cursed with bad management, but isn't Highland Park, MI even worse off?

If so, why not *force* Detroit to accept the city in a merger? I understand it would burden Detroit, but at least city services and boundaries would become more streamlined. The school boundaries would be streamlined.

How well-managed is Hamtramck? Would it be better off by itself?

What about other municipalities in Wayne County? Which municipalities should be merged with which ones?

[Dexterguy]

The suburbs of Wayne County try to distance themselves from the City of Detroit as much as possible. They would never accept to this.

As for Highland Park, yes the city is in very bad shape, probably even worse than Detroit. But merging it with the city at this point in time would be a bad plan. Detroit already cannot control the land and people that it already has, the city is trying to get smaller (splitting into wards, council by district) before they annex anymore land into the city.

Plus, why would Detroit want to take on more problems than they already have? Highland Park has had worse financial and population problems than the city.

As for Hamtramck, they try to act as a suburb, distancing themselves from Detroit's problems and corrupt politics.

[Vicman]

1. In that case, which suburbs should be merged into which suburbs? The question left that option open too. It seems like, by the way, that Hamtramck would be fine by itself.
2. In a way isn't Detroit already getting "smaller" due to population loss? I'm not sure if absorbing Highland Park would put a significant slowdown to that.
3. In Texas poor-performing independent school districts have been absorbed by larger school districts which have less severe problems than the districts that they absorbed. For instance the Dallas school district took over the Wilmer-Hutchins school district and all of the WHISD kids now attend Dallas schools. The Webb CISD took over the Mirando City School District and all of the Mirando City kids go to Webb CISD schools. Both Mirando City and Wilmer-Hutchins had ghastly conditions. Having Detroit take over Highland Park would be similar in principle to these Texas school district consolidations, even if Detroit has very severe problems already.

Originally Posted by Dexterguy

The suburbs of Wayne County try to distance themselves from the City of Detroit as much as possible. They would never accept to this.

As for Highland Park, yes the city is in very bad shape, probably even worse than Detroit. But merging it with the city at this point in time would be a bad plan. Detroit already cannot control the land and people that it already has, the city is trying to get smaller (splitting into wards, council by district) before they annex anymore land into the city.

Plus, why would Detroit want to take on more problems than they already have? Highland Park has had worse financial and population problems than the city.

As for Hamtramck, they try to act as a suburb, distancing themselves from Detroit's problems and corrupt politics.

[BurtsBees]

No. For one, they'd lose the better police response.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by BurtsBees

No. For one, they'd lose the better police response.

Is there an article that states that Highland Park has a better police response than Detroit?

[enigmaingr]

I think merging is a viable option for the area. Louisville, Kentucky did so with a good amount of success. Of note though is that each community still maintains its name and a certain amount of distinction. Government, schools, and police are unified.

[Dexterguy]

Originally Posted by enigmaingr

I think merging is a viable option for the area. Louisville, Kentucky did so with a good amount of success. Of note though is that each community still maintains its name and a certain amount of distinction. Government, schools, and police are unified.

Do you know how many people would pack up in Hamtramck and leave the city if it were to become part of Detroit? Probably at least 30-40% of Hamtramck. The citizens of Hamtramck are happy to live in a seperate city, that's why that area has seen the least amount of white flight out of every Detroit neighborhood, Highland Park, and some of the suburbs.

There is no need to annex Hamtramck to Detroit, it would just make more people from Hamtramck want to leave.

[BurtsBees]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Is there an article that states that Highland Park has a better police response than Detroit?

Do you need one?

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by BurtsBees

Do you need one?

Well, I would like one so I can confirm it.

As I said above, Hamtramck is probably fine as is. In the Houston area there are several small cities that are surrounded by Houston. While it's good to be in Houston, it's also good to be in the small cities too.

[BurtsBees]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Well, I would like one so I can confirm it.

As I said above, Hamtramck is probably fine as is. In the Houston area there are several small cities that are surrounded by Houston. While it's good to be in Houston, it's also good to be in the small cities too.

You're welcome to call 911 while in Highland Park and start the stop watch vs doing the same thing on the Detroit side. My buddy in HP should be there in minutes vs hours in Detroit