What Facts can people agree upon about Detroit.

[animatedmartian]

The truth on Detroit | Detroit Free Press | freep.com (http://www.freep.com/article/20111016/NEWS01/110160558/The-truth-Detroit - broken link)

The Free Press points out that Detroit has been making efforts to improve for the last 20 years. At the same time, most other cities would make the same kind of improvements within a year or two, maybe even 5 years if it's a really big project(s) IMO. Interesting straight to the point article.

[313Weather]

Quite frankly, Detroit will never recover until there's a DRASTIC (note that word in bold again, DRASTIC) shift of wealth from the suburbs (especially far NW suburbs) back into the center. I don't EVER see that happening either. Even if gas were $25/gallon, I bet the suburbanites would jump up and move to Chicago or Minneapolis or New York before ever considering returning to Detroit.

It's a revenue problem, simple as that. Even if we did shrink the city, there would still be civic services problems because you'll still have the same people who aren't paying the taxes they should be, or rather they don't earn anything in order to pay taxes. Lets face it, if you're looking for Detroit to become some grandiose city when the unemployment rate is 50%, crime is rampant, mass transit is a joke, nearly 3/4 of the population is either undereducated or can't read at all and the poverty rate is likely just as high, you're quite frankly dreaming.

Furthermore, Detroit will NEVER recover unless another MAJOR industry that had as big of an impact on the world as the auto industry comes about (and we can't diversify if we don't have that "MAJOR" industry to leverage off of). I also don't see that happening due to the increasing wealth inequality and the rapid pace of globalization.

And I see it the same way on a national level as well. Until the growing wealth inequality is reserved or until we find some way to slow/stop the increasing trend to globalization, America will continue to slowly decline.

[detwahDJ]

Jobs.
White collar for the educated who can startup & staff businesses and grow the city (and who don't want to outsource).
Blue collar grunt jobs for those who can offer up their backs and sweat (S.E. Asia is utilizing this to clean our clocks).
Manufacturing - we have to make stuff here! Remove the "rust". There is always a need for manufactured items.

[snoopygirlmi]

313Weather has it partly right.

However, I'd add significant efforts to eliminate corruption and little fiefdoms that exist at all levels of government and throughout the public sector. If the government, the schools, the social service entities show that it's working for the people and doing what it needs to get done, then it will be a more attractive place to live. You can't have agencies splurging on $1K couches, tables and lamps when the money is meant to help disadvantaged groups and expect people to believe that your group really wants to help others.

The money would come back to Detroit if the city could show that it's able to provide basic services and could function. The people running institutions and creating policy matter.

BTW, Chicago and Minneapolis are nice towns, but way too cold in the winter and way too hot in the summer. Also, some people just prefer a more rural lifestyle. They just don't want to be "citified".

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by snoopygirlmi

313Weather has it partly right.

However, I'd add significant efforts to eliminate corruption and little fiefdoms that exist at all levels of government and throughout the public sector. If the government, the schools, the social service entities show that it's working for the people and doing what it needs to get done, then it will be a more attractive place to live. You can't have agencies splurging on $1K couches, tables and lamps when the money is meant to help disadvantaged groups and expect people to believe that your group really wants to help others.

The money would come back to Detroit if the city could show that it's able to provide basic services and could function. The people running institutions and creating policy matter.

BTW, Chicago and Minneapolis are nice towns, but way too cold in the winter and way too hot in the summer. Also, some people just prefer a more rural lifestyle. They just don't want to be "citified".

Minneapolis maybe much colder than Detroit in the winter, but Chicagos climate is just about exactly the same.

Except that maybe Chicago has more of those bitter cold, but clear and sunny winter days, while Detroit has more of those completely overcast, flurrier, more moderately cold days.

BTW: That was a great article from the free press.