Bing drags feet on fixing Detroit

[Hypestyles]

I think CY did what he could to help keep the city afloat, but there are are some who look at his efforts as "messianic" after a fashion, especially in retrospect.. and anyone who does not have his brusque, populist-polarizing tone is an accommodationist above all else.. and some who think that state legislator CY Jr. is the "natural" successor, but I'm not convinced..

[Fnemecek]

The City has first crack at any properties that go up for auction. The city can also foreclose on any property that owes back taxes, right now, it takes 3 consecutive years of non-payment. The city could speed that process up. Start the tax foreclosures shortly after the taxes go unpaid. Speculators won't pay because right now most of them don't and wouldn't because they can't actually afford the true cost of the property they own. The city should also step up code enforcement on all commercial properties. I say call the program, "Fix it or Forfeit." If you don't fix your property within 90 days of being cited, you forfeit it back to the city. Enforcement of taxes and code ordinances that have been on the books for years is totally fair. Property owners have been on notice of them for years, even if they've been skating by since the city hasn't always enforced them vigorously.

First, the City only has the first option on tax foreclosures. For mortgage foreclosures, which is where speculators get the bulk of their properties, the City would have to bid on the property just like anyone else.

Second, everything else in your post is about what the City could do or should do. We could write several books about those two subjects, on top of the umpteen others that have already been written. Unfortunately, Mayor Bing doesn't seem interested in doing any of those things either.

[firstandten]

The article is the reason why Bing should be a one term mayor.

http://detnews.com/article/20110602/...-personalities

While Bing does have a really strong personal work ethic, he is too personality driven in his management style. He ran his companies in the same way, however the auto companies mentored him to such a degree that they made sure he wouldn't go off the rails. He has no safety net in this situation.

As a one term mayor [[which is how he campaigned) I thought he could make some changes that doesn't require rocket science but political will. But once it became known that he was backing off the one term pledge, I saw this problem coming. I cannot see him pulling off downsizing the city. Something like that requires a visionary personality in which our present mayor is not.

[kraig]

The article is the reason why Bing should be a one term mayor.

http://detnews.com/article/20110602/...-personalities

While Bing does have a really strong personal work ethic, he is too personality driven in his management style. He ran his companies in the same way, however the auto companies mentored him to such a degree that they made sure he wouldn't go off the rails. He has no safety net in this situation.

As a one term mayor [[which is how he campaigned) I thought he could make some changes that doesn't require rocket science but political will. But once it became known that he was backing off the one term pledge, I saw this problem coming. I cannot see him pulling off downsizing the city. Something like that requires a visionary personality in which our present mayor is not.

Post that 50 more times. He has done next to nothing while in office.

[sirrealone]

Considering that everything that got done under Kwame was a result of someone getting paid off, maybe Bing is unable to do get things done because he refuses to take part in the corruption that has been the de facto standard for who knows how long. And if some of the people he's dismissing have alluded to that method of city government operation, then I could see why Bing throws them out.

Maybe Bing shut down the carousel that was fueled by corruption, but hasn't been able to find a good way to re-start it again.

I'm not defending him and I am very disappointed in how little seems to have gotten accomplished, but maybe getting out from the decades of corruption that have run rampant is more overwhelming a task than he [[or any of us) had envisioned.

Thoughts?

[firstandten]

Considering that everything that got done under Kwame was a result of someone getting paid off, maybe Bing is unable to do get things done because he refuses to take part in the corruption that has been the de facto standard for who knows how long. And if some of the people he's dismissing have alluded to that method of city government operation, then I could see why Bing throws them out.

Maybe Bing shut down the carousel that was fueled by corruption, but hasn't been able to find a good way to re-start it again.

I'm not defending him and I am very disappointed in how little seems to have gotten accomplished, but maybe getting out from the decades of corruption that have run rampant is more overwhelming a task than he [[or any of us) had envisioned.

Thoughts?

This has less to do with contracts, and more with management style, Many of these people are those that Bing has bought in. We are talking about his inner circle which is always changing. Granted I think Bing for the most part has rooted out the culture of corruption, but moving forward I think he lacks the operational expertise to bring about the vision of a downsized Detroit because he won't let his appointees do there jobs, basically because of his crappy management style.

[Fnemecek]

Considering that everything that got done under Kwame was a result of someone getting paid off, maybe Bing is unable to do get things done because he refuses to take part in the corruption that has been the de facto standard for who knows how long.

I wouldn't say that nothing got done during the Kilpatrick Administration without someone getting paid off.

The police showed up when they were needed. They took way too long and didn't always have the resources that they needed, but they at least showed up.

Fire and EMS also showed up when needed.

Streetlights worked more frequently then they do now.

In those regards, Mayor Bing is actually worse than Kwame Kilpatrick.

And if some of the people he's dismissing have alluded to that method of city government operation, then I could see why Bing throws them out.

Corruption isn't why the bulk of people leaving are leaving. Who stays and who goes is guided first and foremost by Karen Dumas, which in turn is determined by who is able to feed the appropriate egos within the upper floors of CAYMC.

Whether or not one is honest and competent is secondary, at best.

I'm not defending him and I am very disappointed in how little seems to have gotten accomplished, but maybe getting out from the decades of corruption that have run rampant is more overwhelming a task than he [[or any of us) had envisioned.

The can either get out of the decades of corruption or he can feed his own ego. He cannot do both simultaneously.

[Hypestyles]

so.. who "is" the person that can be "visionary" enough to make all the "right" choices? anyone?

[Danny]

Mayor KING BING! is just like Dennis Archer. He's trying to lure up and coming businesses to Downtown Detroit before to can move on to the ghettohoods. It's not going to take 2, 3 or even 20 years. Rebuilding Detroit is slow and difficult process. If the people could take away all the historical negativeness and think only postive views on Detroit's image. Then development will speed up. Mike Iltich, Peter Karmanos and even Gilbert for Quicken Loans think only positive future of Detroit's rennaisance. They will be on KING BING'S side even when Detroit will go into recievership. When Rome wasn't built in a day and so will be Detroit. All of you will have to patient, wait and see what future businesses, entertainment revenues and housing blossoms. You all see what struggles these leaders and community developers did over Detroit's dark ages to create a better area for all people.

If Detroit survives to the 22nd Century, the population would be over 2 million, it's ghettohoods are NO MORE! its people ethnically diverse, No people shall eat welfare cheese ever again.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Watch your leaders! As your leaders watch you.

Neda, I miss you so.

[stromberg2]

I think Karen Dumas is one of the main problems here.

Stromberg2

[Hypestyles]

I think Karen Dumas is one of the main problems here.

Stromberg2

reasons why? just curious..

[SWMAP]

Nolan Finley today [[he speaks of an anonymous letter, but the letterwriter wasn't anonymous to the Mayor. The writer referenced himself/herself several times.)
"

A number of observers are convinced there's a poison running through the mayor's office, and contend Bing has too many "yes men" who isolate him from frank advice.
That talk was fueled by an anonymous letter that singles out the mayor's communications director, Karen Dumas. It accuses her of sabotaging staffers she sees as rivals. Dumas was also mentioned by several business leaders as being a distraction.
Dumas blames sour grapes for the criticism, saying that as the mayor's trust in her has grown, she's taken on responsibilities beyond her official role.
"That makes some people nervous and, quite frankly, jealous," she says. "They want to know why I'm in a meeting, or why I'm speaking out. But I've never done anything to disrespect or harm anyone."


From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110602/...#ixzz1O9OQrYwL

[Fnemecek]

so.. who "is" the person that can be "visionary" enough to make all the "right" choices? anyone?

It's really not about being visionary. It's about being competent. Detroit needs a mayor who is willing to hold himself and other under him responsible for doing their jobs.

For example, the Detroit Police Department has one of the largest budgets in the country. Even after the cuts that the City Council has proposed, DPD will have a budget that is 61% above average on a per resident basis. However, if one talks to the DPD brass about police response times and case closure rates, the persistent response is that they don't have the resources needed to do their jobs.

http://warrendale.blogspot.com/2011/...y-without.html

Multiply that out for pretty much every department within the City of Detroit and you have our state of affairs. We roughly double the national average in taxes, yet can't get the most basic of services delivered on a consistent basis.

We don't need "vision." We need competency.

[Fnemecek]

BTW - is this now infamous anonymous letter available on-line anywhere?

Or is there an electronic copy of it somewhere so I can stick it on-line?

[kraig]

Considering that everything that got done under Kwame was a result of someone getting paid off, maybe Bing is unable to do get things done because he refuses to take part in the corruption that has been the de facto standard for who knows how long. And if some of the people he's dismissing have alluded to that method of city government operation, then I could see why Bing throws them out.

Maybe Bing shut down the carousel that was fueled by corruption, but hasn't been able to find a good way to re-start it again.

I'm not defending him and I am very disappointed in how little seems to have gotten accomplished, but maybe getting out from the decades of corruption that have run rampant is more overwhelming a task than he [[or any of us) had envisioned.

Thoughts?

Uuuuhhhh, you do realize that Bing was a part of the friends and family plan, don't you? He's still benefitting from some of the deals Kwame put together for him. And has even taken things a step further by getting the DEGC to suspend his requirement that the loan for his Waterfront Project, which is going nowhere by the way, be paid back. And of course, to make it appear as though this was a standard deal by the DEGC, the same deal was given to Frank Turner for all of his restaurants. And we know how that worked out.

Also, Bing was the one that pushed Bobb into hiring Derrick Coleman, Mr. piss on a restaurant wall himself, as a high ranking exec in DPS [[Gee, that Bing and Bobb are certainly stand-up fellows not given to the same business as usual ways that have haunted Detroit for decades, huh?). Which are both Kwame type moves.

If anyone notices, what Bing is doing is bringing in people to help advance deals that they have a vested interest in and then leave once that deal is reached. Ala Bob Buckner coming from DTE as COO for less than two months, but was enough time to secure a 150 million dollar deal for DTE.

The same crap is going on under Bing that went on under Kwame, Bing just has a litlle more class and sophistication about himself. However, for most people, it matters little that the person that just robbed you used the money to by Champagne instead of a 40 ounce.

[Hypestyles]

...where to find someone "competent"?

[kraig]

BTW - is this now infamous anonymous letter available on-line anywhere?

Or is there an electronic copy of it somewhere so I can stick it on-line?

Check www.detroituncovered.com . There has also been mention of two more letters that have names with them. While the letters aren't published, one of the names were. It's in today's paper.

[Fnemecek]

Found it. Thanks.

[Richard]

I takes a team to run a city,like there is no I in team.

Looks at this point the best thing that could happen is change the new city charter to a emergency city charter otherwise it will be business as usual until november.iMHO

[stromberg2]

Hypestyles, What SWMAP said. She seems to be the power behind the man.

Stromberg2

[firstandten]

We don't need "vision." We need competency.

HA ! I guess at this point and with this city competency is the best we should hope for, visionary would be icing on the cake that we can't afford to bake.

[Hypestyles]

Hypestyles, What SWMAP said. She seems to be the power behind the man.

Stromberg2

On Spotlight on Detroit- Chuck Stokes mentioned that "someone who wanted to remain anonymous" made claims of a 'high-heel mafia' in city hall & various departments, re: the shenetta coleman/yvonne anthony scandals.. so is that what this is about?