Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr threatens to sell off DIA Art Collection (Detroit: leasing, loan)

[maclock]

Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with anyone here but I have a question. This is art work were talking about. Can't they just sell it and have some more artist paint them some more pictures and donate it to the DIA??? Hell, this is actually a sad story and may be inspirational to alot of artist and they may donate to the DIA to get it back on track.

People will likely drone on about irreplaceable treasures, Marvin, but I, for one, appreciate your open-mindedness about this possibility. I'm highly skeptical that donations would make up for any of what is lost, but if the DIA's collections could pay off the long-term debt and allow Detroit to push the proverbial reset button, then to cling to that fine art only because some artsy types and some academics deem it to be important strikes me as being crazy during a time when the city around the institution that houses these works quite literally falls apart

I do freely allow that if selling off the art would net only $3,000,000,000, however, then it's not a good idea to do so. Doing so would only put a small dent in the city's long-term debt of $15,000,000,000 and it would only postpone the inevitable.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by scolls

What else does the city have to sell? I think I would rather sell Belle Isle before the DIA.

How about we don't sell anything.

Instead, we go through Chapter 9 bankruptcy, have the judge impose an agreement where the creditors receive much less than what they're owed and then we instead use the DIA/Belle Isle/DWSD as collateral for long-term bonds so the city can continue to function while in bankruptcy.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with anyone here but I have a question. This is art work were talking about. Can't they just sell it and have some more artist paint them some more pictures and donate it to the DIA??? Hell, this is actually a sad story and may be inspirational to alot of artist and they may donate to the DIA to get it back on track.

A Vincent van Gogh can't just be re-donated, just like you just can't rebuild the Detroit that we had in the past once it's been destroyed.

We don't build cities like we did in the late 1800s/early 1900s, and people most certainly just don't donate rare, valuable pieces of art like a Van Gogh to any ol' one.

Besides, if the donor knows the art can be lost in state receivership anyway, they would be less likely to donate more art again anyway. The purpose of them donating art in the first place as so the general public could appreciate it, not so fat cats on Wall Street could get their hands on it.

[313Weather]

And let me just say also...

Part of the problem with Orr is he's trying to have his cake and eat it too.

He doesn't want to make more enemies by imposing more cuts to the already god awful services or imposing even more god awful union contracts on the city workers, yet at the same time he doesn't want to go through a bankruptcy even though the retiree pensions which are costing the city the most money are guaranteed by the state constitution and the health benefits will be litigated to hell and back if he dare touches those.

It doesn't work like that. Something's going to have to give. Obama and Bush aren't around to hand out billions of dollars and buy the city's assets like they were with Chrysler.

[Slappy san]

It's really something how people are so cavalier about killing working people's pensions. I guess when it isn't you...

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by Slappy san

It's really something how people are so cavalier about killing working people's pensions. I guess when it isn't you...

In Michigan it is called RIGHT TO WORK---NOT right to retire..

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by Slappy san

It's really something how people are so cavalier about killing working people's pensions. I guess when it isn't you...

No, people care about the police/fire/ambulance coming on time, their parks being maintained properly, the abandoned houses in their neighborhood being knocked down and the streetlights being cut on (all 88,000 of them, not just half of them).

A government first and foremost has an obligation to serve its taxpaying citizens by offering them the basic services they pay for in an efficient manner. Everything else is secondary.

If the taxpaying citizens can't get the efficient service they're paying for from their government, then they leave. If enough of them leave, there won't be anyone remaining to sign those pension checks.

[Natural510]

Originally Posted by 313Weather

While your entitled to your opinion, my opinion is that your opinion is short-sighted.

The purpose of preserving assets such as the DIA artwork is so Detroit will maintain the bones to make itself a great city in the future again. Selling off its assets will further reduce its appeal when the city is in a position to come back strong (sort of like what's already happened with the destruction of the city's urban fabric).

I agree with this statement....the DIA is probably the only reason I'd go out of my way to visit Detroit. Don't get me wrong, the city has other attractions, but as an "art lover", it's a museum which could convince me to take a weekend road trip to Detroit over Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, etc.

[maclock]

Originally Posted by Natural510

I agree with this statement....the DIA is probably the only reason I'd go out of my way to visit Detroit. Don't get me wrong, the city has other attractions, but as an "art lover", it's a museum which could convince me to take a weekend road trip to Detroit over Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, etc.

And it's good that the DIA could convince you to visit Detroit. After all, every visitor counts. It wouldn't get you to move to and live in Detroit though, would it?

I'd also suggest that the overwhelming majority of people from places other than Detroit are more afraid of Detroit and its well-earned reputation as a dangerous place than they are interested in visiting the DIA like your good self.

[maclock]

Originally Posted by maclock

... the CSO ....

Errr, that should be DSO. I was typing quickly and simply repeated jonnynonos' list. Apologies all around.