Belle Isle as a State Park? [UPDATE: Snyder Withdraws Offer]

[313WX]

I think the deterioration and closures on the island over the past decade prove that they could not. The state taking over the park is a win, win for everyone. Detroit gets a properly maintained park and Detroiter's get to share the financial burden of maintaining the park with the entire state.

The thing is revenue generated from park-use wasn't apart of the equation. If the city applied the same plan that the state is applying, we're essentially accomplishing the same thing while leaving the park in thr city's ownership.

[corktownyuppie]

The thing is revenue generated from park-use wasn't apart of the equation. If the city applied the same plan that the state is applying, we're essentially accomplishing the same thing while leaving the park in thr city's ownership.

That's the problem, though. Because Belle Isle isn't a separate entity from the City, any money that Belle Isle charged wouldn't stay in Belle Isle if it was run by the city. All that money goes right into the sinkhole of our budget deficits.

And this problem is all over the city. There are very reasonable economic solutions to some [[though not all) of our money problems. But the solutions come at a political cost. And so when we consolidate many of the 65 people who encompass the payroll department at DPD with other city payroll departments, many will have to lose jobs. Next thing you know, people are screaming about why some of that Belle Isle money can't be used to keep these people employed.

Of course, the real problem is that if a job only requires 10 people to do it, then hiring 30 people is just wasting money.

And no one has answered my question yet...if the park is nicer for everyone, Detroiters included, then does it really matter who runs it? Hell, I don't care if Brooks Patterson runs it.

A nicer Belle Isle makes Detroit a more attractive city. And God knows we have plenty of ugly to show as it is. Why not do something that will help change that?