Quote Originally Posted by MichMatters View Post
A point I forgot to make about corruption in the city is that it really found its home in city politics as a direct result of that shrinking pie I was talking about. When you know that your skills in your city's atrophied private sector won't produce as much for your career as a career in bilking the city -- the only real center of activity, power, and wealth left in your city -- it is not hard to see why there isn't much accountability and why it so often attracts the wrong type of people.
I still don't believe a poor city has to be a corrupt, poorly run nor even a dangerous city. And I hope that the new leadership, Bing, Bobbs, Evans, etc. agree with me. A city that provides reliable, though limited services, is much better off than a city that offers many services but has ingrain corruption or unaccountability. I think Detroit citizens have for too long NOT held their officials accountable but have allowed them to blame someone else for the troubles of the city. This has to be the focus of any true reform if the city is ever going to turn around it's fortunes.