http://www.freep.com/article/2011110...text|FRONTPAGE
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In this economy every dollar counts and Bing is a former businessman.
Will all the Bing cheerleaders please stand up? He's your guy. Tell us again why you voted for him?
So Mayor Bing takes a salary? As it looks now, let alone the $1.00 salary he has done - he earns $100, 000 dollars less than everybody around him in Wayne Co. Let's pick up the pieces of the the easy jobs first. Before we scream at the man.
Won't live at the Manoogian - Kaput the first month after the regular election.
Won't seek reelection - Already said he will
Will not take a salary - Has been doing so since the middle of the summer and chose to bury the story in the afternoon on a Friday. I guess that's what Emery King was brought in for.
"Right" sizing the city - Bullshit that was doomed to rightful failure. But still no movement.
He's LIED about every Goddamn thing he ran on.
So help me he is making me miss Kwame Kilpatrick.
I've been hearing it for months but I'm finally starting to believe it, this city...hell this country is heading for something angry, ugly and violent.
You "miss" Kwame ? Well good luck in your civics class.Quote:
Will not take a salary - Has been doing so since the middle of the summer and chose to bury the story in the afternoon on a Friday. I guess that's what Emery King was brought in for.
"Right" sizing the city - Bullshit that was doomed to rightful failure. But still no movement.
He's LIED about every Goddamn thing he ran on.
So help me he is making me miss Kwame Kilpatrick.
In the two and a half years Bing has been in power has he done a good job?Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigb23
Decent job?
Substandard job?
No he has been piss fucking poor.
Christ Brizee. has Bing done that bad of a job with the city? I mean in 2.5 years what do you expect? Especially with the inefficiency of having a mayor and then a city council who haven't gotten along in years. It's like the perpetual republican senate and democratic president or vice versa. A lot of push back it seems for what should and needs to be done in the city.
You can put lipstick on a pig and it will still smell like shit. This is going to take sometime, with I am sure, multiple leaders passing things along to slowly get accomplished. But hey if you want the cruption ring that was Killpatricks magnificent run vote 'im back in!
I have to say I was in favor of Bing but he's been a pretty good size let down as far as leadership goes.
I guess it just shows that a buck doesn't buy what it used to - integrity.
I wonder if he could make more as EFM?
I'm not a supporter of the mayor, but I see no issue with him taking a salary and moving into the mansion.
If it was me, I wouldn't be so fast to move also.
As far as Salary, times must be tough and I don't think his companies are doing so good.
I'll just leave this here...
http://www.bingformayor.com/vision.aspQuote:
And we must root out waste, and only spend on those things that will grow a job, protect our people – like public safety and health care, or invest in the future – like education. I will do my part to save citizens’ money by not taking any salary. And to use those monies to hire additional police. And I will not live at the Manoogian Mansion. Instead, I will return it to the people for functions and parties, where it can become a revenue generator. I will change the structure by consolidating the positions of Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff.
I don't have a problem with Bing taking a salary or living in the mansion, but please don't pull a bait and switch on the city of Detroit voters. Be upfront and stop trying to act like you're not a politican when in reality you are every bit the politican you say you aren't.
sehender1 has a tough love message for Dave Bing. http://www.freep.com/article/20111105/COL33/111050330/Stephen-Henderson-Mayor-Bing-needs-say-what-he-means-then-deliver?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE The question is it too little, too late? Is this all that Mayor Bing can muster? After all, he is not a young man that can rebound.
Listen, people are allowed to change their mind. Perhaps if he gave a little more detail and stated his reasoning people wouldn't take offense. If his financial situation changed and he needs the salary, that is completely understandable. He should have announced that he was going to take the salary before he did, rather then 4 months after. It's almost like he was afraid of this getting exposed so he decied to come clean. Why wait 4 months to tell everyone?
Most people need an income in exchange for giving the majority of their time up. This is why people work and I see nothing wrong with him taking a salary. Just the way he went about it was a little iffy.
The reason why this is a story is that Dave Bing, former basketball star and former businessman sold Detroiters with a character that didn't need a salary because he was a successful businessman that made lots of money and that he was going to make tough choices for Detroit. Bing is human in the end. He needs a paycheck to pay the bills.Quote:
Originally Posted by cmubryan
He didn't just change his mind. He reversed every single element of his campaign platform. 100% bait-and-switch.Quote:
Originally Posted by cmubryan
Would not run for reelection [[reversed course right after election)
Would not live in Manoogian Mansion [[only one other U.S. Mayor lives in taxpayer provided accomodations)
Would not take a salary [[quietly began accepting, and tried to bury story on slowest news day of the week)
Would downsize the city [[not a thing has been announced despite massive funding from Kresge Foundation, and most of the original consultants have been let go)
Would take a businessman's approach and make the tough choices [[in fact, the city is closer than ever to bankruptcy and the City Council has actually taken the lead in cost-cutting).
Is the city better off under Bing than Kilpatrick? Highly debatable. Crime is up, population is down, corruption remains, city budget is catastrophic.
Downtown and Midtown show some measured growth, just like under Kilpatrick. Rest of the city rots, just like under Kilpatrick.
While the story mentions that Bing took a ten percent pay cut, the author forgets to point out that every other city worker has taken an even larger pay cut.
Bing is crying about needing emergency financial powers, yet he was the one claiming the city council's proposed cuts in spending were too much.
What I REALLY want to know is what's coming next.
He's been quietly collecting since July, and he just put this out, on a Friday, at the end of the day.
He's trying to get out ahead of something.
Bing Steel went out of business, right? I fully expected him to take the check, eventually, seeing as how poorly his businesses turned out.
Nobody faults the man for taking a paycheck. He will be faulted [[and very fairly) for announcing months after the fact that he's been taking it [[sounds ot me like someone was going to come out with info). He's misrepresented himself. He wasn't ever among the most competent businessmen in this city, and it's now been shown that part of that is that he has less than stellar [[to be very kind) leadership skills.
Would Barrow have been a better mayor? Hell no. Would Cockrel? Maybe, maybe not, probably a wash. At the end of the day that's beside the point. The point is that this man has turned out to be a mayor that leaves much to be desired, and that he's screaming about an EFM is rich, and says a lot more about his own talents, or lack there of, than the actual finances of the city, quite frankly.
If Satan had come to Detroit to run for mayor, he would have gotten the job. Cockrel wasn't mayor material. The Shrek thing would always haunt him and the City Council under his presidency was a zoo. As for Barrow, he would always be considered a "jobber."Quote:
Originally Posted by Dexlin
Bing is the emperor who clothes have been ripped off. He used his past reputation as a basketball star and businessman to get the job and now he has been exposed for being a old man with no ideas.
I think Cockrel would have made a much better mayor. You cannot blame him for the council he endured as its president. He did not elect that crew.
One of Bing's biggest failings hasn't been with council - it's been his stunning inability to select and maintain top level staff. This is something over which he had complete control. I think Cockrel would have done much better in this regard.
In addition, Bing has no real connection to Detroit. The story that he still lives in Franklin is starting to be believable [[note: I did not say it was true). Cockrel's connections to the city are real. Finally, Bing seems old and very tired as if he's being dragged around by events rather than shaping them.
He's simply not up to this job.
I would be the first to admit there were no perfect choices for mayor after Kwame was deposed, but of the people who offered themselves for that position Cockrel was the best of the lot.
And it really doesn't matter that Bing may run for re-election. He will not win.
My advice is NOT to vote for Charles Pugh who WILL attempt a run at Mayor, in the next election. This guy is like a diva who cannot get along with anyone and wants the spotlight at all times.
I think it's time for new blood? Maybe Hansen Clark should try again? I liked Dennis Archer but he was smart to get out at the right time.
Looks like reallity might be finally settling in, in Detroit...