Detroit budget proposal would cut $52 million from police, fire

[Detroitnerd]

At least half of them, yes. Unicameral legislatures are just as efficient. Add part-time legislature to the mix, then you may be on to something.

So then when business interests draw up the legislation they want, the people who decide don't have staffs to examine the legislation and see if it's in the public interest? They don't have staff to research and examine matters minutely so the lawmakers vote knowledgeably? No thanks, townonenorth. I'd rather give legislators and councilmembers budgets and staffs. I should imagine that legislators who make good calls thanks to competent staffs and adequate budgets produce a government that is more "efficient" in the long run.

[townonenorth]

So then when business interests draw up the legislation they want, the people who decide don't have staffs to examine the legislation and see if it's in the public interest? They don't have staff to research and examine matters minutely so the lawmakers vote knowledgeably? No thanks, townonenorth. I'd rather give legislators and councilmembers budgets and staffs. I should imagine that legislators who make good calls thanks to competent staffs and adequate budgets produce a government that is more "efficient" in the long run.

Actually, staff that are picked by elected councilpeople and mayors are notorious in their inefficiency. The trend seems to be to hire 'friends and family", and to keep the staus quo, no matter how bad their performance is. I think that a city manager form of government is more efficient, letting him or her pick the staff would be a far better call.

The legislature we have now is just a rubber stamp for Calley anyway. Why bother with research when you can just do as you are told and vote the party line? Think of what will happen when the vote out the personal property tax. That's the end of cities and the state as we know it.

You always could incorporate, that may save you some cash.

[Scottathew]

I think that a city manager form of government is more efficient, letting him or her pick the staff would be a far better call.

100% agreement.

Here in Warren Mayor James Fouts immediately lined city hall with his campaign staff and supporters. Fouts' neighbor made all his campaign signs for free, and in exchange for it he now runs a city department and has a city car. That's just one of MANY examples.

City Manager form of government cuts out a lot of the BS politics and provides stability for city workers, so their department heads aren't changing every four years.

[Wesley Mouch]

So then when business interests draw up the legislation they want, the people who decide don't have staffs to examine the legislation and see if it's in the public interest? They don't have staff to research and examine matters minutely so the lawmakers vote knowledgeably? No thanks, townonenorth. I'd rather give legislators and councilmembers budgets and staffs. I should imagine that legislators who make good calls thanks to competent staffs and adequate budgets produce a government that is more "efficient" in the long run.

In the case of Detroit, now is not the time for the City Council to be settling matters of industrial policy, as you rightly suggest requires some support.

They should be [[and should have been) sticking to the task of running the mechanics of a city.

We all likely agree that they don't to have more than most other American cities right now.