Search:

Agreed, mostly..
Couple things..
1) If the decision about EM vs. no-EM is preordained, it was made so by the city and its leadership, not the guv, who's essentially playing defense here for the...

Novine: Appreciate the shout out.. It is not fun writing this way about people we support... and believe me, I've taken to heart a lot of your criticisms about how long we stuck with the mayor....

I've actually been toying with some analysis of Detroit's debt and legacy burdens..
IT's not pretty.
By the most conservative estimates, the city is obligated to spend about 42 cents of every...

Based on what the investors themselves say.
Climate has been much better, more organized, etc. Kilpatrick was no slouch when it came to private investment, but it has really caught fire with Bing.....

For starters, much of what we anticipated Bing would do has happened. PRivate investment has taken off in the city's core; far more than when Kilpatrick was here..
But your disdain for Bing was...

here: http://www.freep.com/article/20110102/COL33/101020437/Detroit-must-jettison-its-losing-tax-scheme

Monday morning quarterbacking. Sorry, but that's what you're indulging.

No one knew the size or scope of the problems two years ago; and early on, Bing made some important moves to deal with some...

Appreciate your comments.
I don't often run into people who see me as "pussy-footing" around - in fact, quite the contrary. But I understand where you're coming from.
I'll say this: I'm as frank...

Good grief. I've written no fewer than a dozen columns this year calling out the mayor for his shortcomings. Not least of which was a very big take out on failings in the police department.
I have...

I think we would agree that if all other things were equal [[Detroit was a typical big city with the amenities people expect, etc.) the city's tax rate would not be an issue.

But precisely because...

Lots to deal with here. I'll try to be brief.
1)The half-a percent drop in the late 1990s was insignificant; Detroit still boasts the highest rate in the state.
2) The question is not how Detroit...

Daft: The charts come from McKinsey, which is an extremely reputable consultant.
In addition, the chart showing property value declines was prepared by Citizens Research Council, another very solid...

Novine: Your point only resonates if you believe that the income tax has actually made the city's revenue problems better.
I'd argue there's very strong evidence to the contrary.

Even as the...

Thought people in this forum would be interested in this. These charts come from the McKinsey report. they show how deeply revenue has plummeted, over several years..
For me, this is one of the...

Antero and I worked together at the Baltimore Sun.
Glad you liked his book, which is fabulous... And you're right, it hits on themes that Baltimore and Detroit have in common.
Of course, now that...

Freep edit board's thoughts about the charter revision...
...

The city gives the Zoo about $750,000 each year.. not a ton...

Whoa.. overreact much?
1) I posted in here days ago about how I totally take the point that the "female" descriptor invited sexist connotations I never intended.
2) never, ever asserted that...

Hey Novine: Point taken.
You know, I completely didn't think about that as I was writing.. literally got caught up in marking the similarities between this situation and Kilpatrick's, and didn't...

Now I'm intellectually dishonest?
I've outlined, both in the column and in this thread, over and over again the kinds of opportunity for efficiencies that exist. I've been specific. I've been...

Sigh.. Reading comprehension, folks.. Seriously...

The income tax is just one of the many taxes levied on Detroiters. It equates to around 24 mills. The other 75 mills [[yes, we pay around 99...

Ghetto:

aargh.. frustrating that people are not reading.
I've been over this before, but the mayor himself says he has identified $85 million in efficiencies that can be achieved in city...

Property tax is much, much trickier to deal with, and less flexible for the city itself to manipulate.
As I pointed out in the column, city government isn't the only entity that has the ability to...

For starters, i have never proposed just ditching the income tax in a single act.
What I suggested was a sunsetting of the tax... If you decreased it a half percent per year over five years, you'd...

I'm with fnemecek here..
It's crazy to suggest Detroit doesn't collect enough money to provide services.
It collects plenty per resident, but has to spread those resources across an inordinate...