Since Detroit, Hamtramck and HP are [[or soon will be) all under financial management.

**Hypestyles** · June-19-12, 01:58 PM

when Detroit's district based systems get up and going, we'll see how it might potentially handle a highland park district or Hamtramck District in terms of services and local representation..

**hamtown mike** · June-19-12, 02:06 PM

No way this can, or better stated, should happen. Detroit has been beating around the idea of "closing" sections of the city for a while now. There's no way in H E double hockey sticks the residents of Hamtramck would stand for Detroit's cherry picking of the Southeast Michigan area.

Why would Detroit want to take on more? Oh, I see, because as the most densely populated city in the state Hamtramck has money or at least the potential for having money. Sorry Detroit. Go clean up your own kitchen and stay out of ours.

**Detroitnerd** · June-19-12, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by 1953

What if Highland Park started contracting out their services, one by one, to Hamtramck. Highland Park would get better service, Hamtramck would get revenue, and eventually the two could merge to create a city with a bigger tax base; I think both city's tax bases are too small to make for much economic stability.

The Hamtramck Fire Department is already on the job in Highland Park. But, IIRC, the Hamtramck PD chief said no way. It's just too politically charged to have a majority-white police force patrolling HP. You need residents to buy in, and that's what makes HPD's job so easy. If the residents see you as occupiers and others, it won't work.

**iheartthed** · June-19-12, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Friends, these aging city's have problems beyond which their impoverished citizens' tax base base can handle. They are strapped with legacy pension obligations, generously doled out when they had large populations and thriving middle classes that have long since departed, yet eat up what little revenue they can generate. In Highland Park that was one third of the budget and not one single retiree lived in the city. $3 million straight out the door.

100% spot on.

**rb336** · June-19-12, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

The Hamtramck Fire Department is already on the job in Highland Park. But, IIRC, the Hamtramck PD chief said no way. It's just too politically charged to have a majority-white police force patrolling HP. You need residents to buy in, and that's what makes HPD's job so easy. If the residents see you as occupiers and others, it won't work.

Hamtramck also handles HP's tax collection

**Crumbled_pavement** · June-19-12, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by hamtown mike

No way this can, or better stated, should happen. Detroit has been beating around the idea of "closing" sections of the city for a while now. There's no way in H E double hockey sticks the residents of Hamtramck would stand for Detroit's cherry picking of the Southeast Michigan area.

Why would Detroit want to take on more? Oh, I see, because as the most densely populated city in the state Hamtramck has money or at least the potential for having money. Sorry Detroit. Go clean up your own kitchen and stay out of ours.

Perfect example right here. No one in power in Detroit has even suggested such a thing and this guy is already fired up angry. Now 313WX, try getting someone with power to propose this and see what happens. Want to see the entire metro on fire, try to convince the suburbs there's a serious proposal to merge them with the city. Not going to happen in our lifetimes....

**poobert** · June-19-12, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Crumbled_pavement

Perfect example right here. No one in power in Detroit has even suggested such a thing and this guy is already fired up angry. Now 313WX, try getting someone with power to propose this and see what happens. Want to see the entire metro on fire, try to convince the suburbs there's a serious proposal to merge them with the city. Not going to happen in our lifetimes....

I don't think Hamtramck is a fair example. Hamtramck is the anomaly. It is supremely urban, unlike every single suburb, and surrounded by the worst areas of Detroit and HP [[again, unlike every single suburb) and despite a rough budget and increased blight, has fared unbelievably well considering the circumstances. Easily most of this can be attributed to immigrants, but also there is something to be said for not being deluded into the vast, mindless Detroit bureaucracy. In Hamtramck, city government is accessible and responsive. In Detroit, government works in a peculiar way. If you are a simple citizen [[which I have been) and you need something, you are simply bothering someone's auntie and will get nothing but wrath. However if you know somebody [[which I do, after all these years) things magically get done. That isn't something worth preserving and spreading, however much the Maliks and JoAnns and other nefarious characters scream and shout and threaten to burn things.

GUSHI · June-19-12, 08:19 PM

Merge everything north of six mile with the next suburban community north of 8 mile, expand Oakland and macomb county, north of 6 east of dequirnder, to grosebeck part of Warren, was of grosbeck, make it part of east Detroit / eastpointe, make n of 6 from dequnider to whatever part of hazel tucky and so on, Detroit becomes smaller and easier to manage, leave ham town alone, make Mexican town area in to south Detroit let them police them selves,