""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. "
Unfortunately, it's been too late in the process to have any impact. Fairness dictated giving Bing a year to get a handle on City government and to allow his people to assess how bad the problems were and then start making changes. But it was clear after the first year that Bing and Co. wasn't making progress and he wasn't addressing the financial problems that are going to take down the city. That's when the institutions and power brokers in this town should have turned up the heat and started making noise about making things happen. It's like everyone knew the guy wasn't cut out for the job but no one wanted to say so.
It's clear at this point that Bing simply doesn't have what it takes to save the city. Bankruptcy or an EFM is all but assured of happening at this point. Maybe no one could have saved the city but with Bing in charge, the city doesn't even have a fighting chance. It's too bad that you and the Freep bought into the delusion that Bing the Businessman would save the city. Would Ken Cockrel Jr. been a better choice? Who can say. But at least he wouldn't have had the gloss of the businessman savior attached to him. I doubt the powers-that-be would have given him the kind of pass that they gave and give Bing. He likely would have been forced to step up sooner instead of dithering away 2+ years as Bing has done. It won't matter soon. Detroit's future isn't going to be decided by Dave Bing or the Detroit Free Press. It will be coldly dissected by an EFM or Bankruptcy Judge who may "solve" the city's fiscal problems but will leave a hollow shell of a government with no future worth considering.
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