Dave Bing is 43K signatures away from getting the boot.

**brizee** · December-04-12, 02:36 PM

I'm not in favor.

As much as he needs to be flushed, just let political nature run it's course. He'll be gone in a year.

On the other hand, it would be nice to give him an early retirement from the second hardest job in the country.

**dmike76** · December-04-12, 02:38 PM

It's unbelievable that he could get recalled and Kwame could do no wrong until the Feds stepped in. Bing has been ineffective but this is unnecessary IMO.

**Honky Tonk** · December-04-12, 03:47 PM

"The election would cost Detroit between $500,000 and $900,000."

Seriously, we really don't have anything better to do?

**jt1** · December-04-12, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by dmike76

It's unbelievable that he could get recalled and Kwame could do no wrong until the Feds stepped in. Bing has been ineffective but this is unnecessary IMO.

Kwame won re-election with about 51% of the vote. The myth that all Detroiters loved him is just complete bullshit.

**noggin** · December-04-12, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by dmike76

It's unbelievable that he could get recalled and Kwame could do no wrong until the Feds stepped in. Bing has been ineffective but this is unnecessary IMO.

Kwame would still be re-elected in a second if he was on the ballot. Convicted felons are more preferred among the electorate.

**coracle** · December-04-12, 05:02 PM

I like Mayor Bing. He's obviously not in the job to enrich himself like some of his predecessors and he's at odds with the City Council which must put him on the right side of doing good for Detroit. He doesn't seem to be favoring the Wheeler Dealers in the City with lucrative contracts and he's not prostrating himself to the entitled. He's trying to do level headed job to benefit the whole of Detroiters in the long haul. When you're trying to do the [[boring) right things you always draw a lot of criticism from special interests.

**rb336** · December-04-12, 05:28 PM

cripes, can't ya just wait till November?

His ideas aren't necessarily wrong, he is just a complete incompetent when it comes to working with the council, who are, mostly, complete incompetents.

**stasu1213** · December-04-12, 06:36 PM

Bing had flown out to San Francisco this past weekend to honor a bet that he had lost. Is he using tax payers money to fly out there to honor this bet?

**DetroitPlanner** · December-04-12, 06:41 PM

Just because you get it on the ballot does not mean it will pass. Two independant actions. We are probably better off not holding an election. Quite frankly, any mayor with as many issues as he has with council will be ineffective. I don't blame Bling, its more the circumstances.

**poobert** · December-04-12, 07:43 PM

Normally I'd say, "what a fucking waste of time and money" but this time I'm all in.

Why? Bing isn't just "ineffectual." He hasn't accomplished anything. It also isn't just council's fault - thought they are, indeed, mentally deficient - he has had a revolving door of managers, advisers, and department heads. It is emphatically not a sign of leadership when your own chiefs desert you - continually. Although some were former Kwame people he kept around [[Human Services Department head) and allowed corruption to continue unabated under his administration until a third party moved in and exposed them. It isn't just city folk, either. He's proved duplicitous with the state, too.

Then the business of personal integrity. I don't think he's corrupt, per say, but of the few coherent promises he made were to: not take a salary, not live in the Manoogian, and tear down 10,000 structures. He took the salary and the mansion and isn't even to the halfway mark [[as if demolition in itself meant progress).

I also have firsthand knowledge here. Being as vague as possible, a group I sit on the board with was quite excited about a highly-publicized initiative he created to stabilize the city. We found out from his inner circle that it was just a PR stunt. It was made up, a lie, a sham. There was no plan. Nothing was getting done, so they created an entire project for the cameras, and had no intention of following through with it. That is the story of his entire administration. We now ignore him. He isn't really in charge, anyway. No one is.

There is the cost aspect of the recall but I've learned in life there is one thing you can't ever get back or buy: time. Detroit is dying. Every day matters. Every day that Bing does nothing - travels to SF, slams his employees on national news - Detroit is sinking further into oblivion. By God, two months less of him could allow someone to grab the wheel and right this ship. It's a total Hail Mary, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Bing will just glower upon us as we continue our path to hell, the longer we keep him around.

Recalled? We lost golden opportunity to save this city. In the Kwame aftermath, the right man or woman could have come in and cleaned house. He claimed, unconvincingly, to be that person, and came in and wasted 4 years. Now we're broke and lost how many tax-paying citizens in that time? I think he should be drawn, quartered, and hung at Five Points, Kelly, Alter, and West Warren. However I will settle for recalled.

**downtownguy** · December-04-12, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

I like Mayor Bing. He's obviously not in the job to enrich himself like some of his predecessors and he's at odds with the City Council which must put him on the right side of doing good for Detroit. He doesn't seem to be favoring the Wheeler Dealers in the City with lucrative contracts and he's not prostrating himself to the entitled. He's trying to do level headed job to benefit the whole of Detroiters in the long haul. When you're trying to do the [[boring) right things you always draw a lot of criticism from special interests.

Where have you been? Read poobert's post above. That's reality.

**iheartthed** · December-04-12, 08:57 PM

Doesn't Detroit try to recall every mayor?

I doubt this goes anywhere even though he's been a huge disappointment.

serpico · December-04-12, 09:20 PM

at least it gives The Reverand David Murray [[currently on the school board) an option of running for mayor if Bing is recalled....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcjl5cHneyw

**gnome** · December-04-12, 09:23 PM

More worthless symbolism. The primary election is in August. 9 months forom now the voters of Detroit will go to the polls in the regularly scheduled election; to shoehorn three additional elections [[ 1. For the recall, 2. Mayoral primary, 3. Mayoral General) between the end of January and August is pure asshattery.

worthless symbol ism that will not improve anything, besides to further communicate that the people of Detroit don't know how to get out of their own way.

Shollin · December-04-12, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Doesn't Detroit try to recall every mayor?

I doubt this goes anywhere even though he's been a huge disappointment.

I gave up on the citizenry when they tried to recall Archer. Coleman Young and Kwame Kilpatrick don't get recalled, but efforts arise to recall Archer and Bing. Go figure. Now I just await for poobert to come and yell at me for being a racist.

**313WX** · December-04-12, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Normally I'd say, "what a fucking waste of time and money" but this time I'm all in.

Why? Bing isn't just "ineffectual." He hasn't accomplished anything. It also isn't just council's fault - thought they are, indeed, mentally deficient - he has had a revolving door of managers, advisers, and department heads. It is emphatically not a sign of leadership when your own chiefs desert you - continually. Although some were former Kwame people he kept around [[Human Services Department head) and allowed corruption to continue unabated under his administration until a third party moved in and exposed them. It isn't just city folk, either. He's proved duplicitous with the state, too.

Then the business of personal integrity. I don't think he's corrupt, per say, but of the few coherent promises he made were to: not take a salary, not live in the Manoogian, and tear down 10,000 structures. He took the salary and the mansion and isn't even to the halfway mark [[as if demolition in itself meant progress).

I also have firsthand knowledge here. Being as vague as possible, a group I sit on the board with was quite excited about a highly-publicized initiative he created to stabilize the city. We found out from his inner circle that it was just a PR stunt. It was made up, a lie, a sham. There was no plan. Nothing was getting done, so they created an entire project for the cameras, and had no intention of following through with it. That is the story of his entire administration. We now ignore him. He isn't really in charge, anyway. No one is.

There is the cost aspect of the recall but I've learned in life there is one thing you can't ever get back or buy: time. Detroit is dying. Every day matters. Every day that Bing does nothing - travels to SF, slams his employees on national news - Detroit is sinking further into oblivion. By God, two months less of him could allow someone to grab the wheel and right this ship. It's a total Hail Mary, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Bing will just glower upon us as we continue our path to hell, the longer we keep him around.

Recalled? We lost golden opportunity to save this city. In the Kwame aftermath, the right man or woman could have come in and cleaned house. He claimed, unconvincingly, to be that person, and came in and wasted 4 years. Now we're broke and lost how many tax-paying citizens in that time? I think he should be drawn, quartered, and hung at Five Points, Kelly, Alter, and West Warren. However I will settle for recalled.

What Poobert said.

**DetBill** · December-04-12, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

I gave up on the citizenry when they tried to recall Archer. Coleman Young and Kwame Kilpatrick don't get recalled, but efforts arise to recall Archer and Bing. Go figure. Now I just await for poobert to come and yell at me for being a racist.

I personally havent minded Bing at all, He has not accomplished much, but then again , who could have with city council and the people on it.. He has had some good ideas,, but has a habit of announcing what he is going to accomplish[[ eg, Belle Isle, right sizing neighborhoods, staff department restructuring etc. ) and doesnt have a hope of doing anything as city council will defeat it. I sometimes think he does this to try to get public support which will translate into city council support,, but thats way too rational of a thought process to apply to Detroit council . I do respect that the guy, does not appear to be involved in illegal activities , like most of his predecessors and I think he really wants to turn the city around, but,, good luck. I havent a clue what the answer to any of this mess is short of bankruptcy, which I am in favor of big time,, as its time to clean house , period. All of this talk of Duggan being mayor I find very hard to believe for some obvious reasons,, and even if he did, he is going to be smothered by the same powers Bing is up against. I am just very greatful that there are individuals who are investing big time in the city like Gilbert and Illitch and some others which to me is amazing . I love this city but after all this time of living here and experiencing what many other cities run like,, the elements here are truly unique as well as unbelievably inadequate , and we need to purge them.. There is so much dysfunction in powerful areas any new boss doesnt have a chance..I never, never thought Id say this but I do like Snyder..Im hoping soon he starts to really flex some muscle against all of these clowns. They just dont get it.

**poobert** · December-04-12, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

I gave up on the citizenry when they tried to recall Archer. Coleman Young and Kwame Kilpatrick don't get recalled, but efforts arise to recall Archer and Bing. Go figure. Now I just await for poobert to come and yell at me for being a racist.

Racist you may be [[your words, not mine) but I wouldn't level that against you in this situation. Rather I'd just say you're just ignorant about Detroit, for better or for worse. So sorry you've given up on us, it really did mean so much to us all, and I say that as a Caucasian.

**corktownyuppie** · December-04-12, 10:36 PM

The problem isn't the Mayor. It isn't even the City Council. Or the Chief of Police. Or the 284 unions and union bosses. It's not the schools. It's not subprime loans. It's not drug dealers or burnt out lights or arsonists.

The problem is that our governmental system of checks and balances...separation of government...you could even say "democracy in this form" is not a system that is equipped to handle the multi-faceted, complex, and worsening challenges the city faces.

I think I have some good ideas about how to fix the city. But they involve making other people mad. And if I'm those other people, will I fight them tooth and nail [[a la Matty Moroun) using every single obstruction tactic and due process rule in the book? Of course I would. And if I was elected to a union head position, to whom is my loyalty? The city? My employees? Of course I'm going to fight for my employees. If I'm the only house left on a city block and the city is wasting thousands of dollars per year just to service my house, will I get up and move voluntarily? Of course not.

When a plane crashes, and there's nothing but chaos, do we insist on Roberts' Rules of Order and parliamentary rule in order to designate chief? And then do we vote 5 people onto a council whose majority vote can veto a chief's decisions? Then do we set up groups of 3 into a judge and jury system who can hear our complaints when we feel that they are breaking the rules? And what about an appellate judiciary who can double check what the first judge is doing?

Yes Bing has been ineffectual.

But before we get too excited about anyone else, I think it's worth looking at our existing system and seeing if it's bound to fail us.

I purport that we need to move to some kind of unilateral control system. It can a mayor with emergency powers. It can be a council with emergency powers. We can elect the council, the council can elect the Mayor with emergency powers. It can be a bankruptcy judge who can "cram down" contracts. It could be the state with an emergency manager.

It doesn't matter. But my faith that the existing system will work is minimal.

**Dexlin** · December-04-12, 11:02 PM

What a stupid title. There is nothing that shows he'd be recalled if even they were able to get enough votes to recall him. Recalls aren't easy.

**Zacha341** · December-05-12, 07:27 AM

Bing has short-comings. No doubt. But we simply cannot afford another election now.

**iheartthed** · December-05-12, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Shollin

I gave up on the citizenry when they tried to recall Archer. Coleman Young and Kwame Kilpatrick don't get recalled, but efforts arise to recall Archer and Bing. Go figure. Now I just await for poobert to come and yell at me for being a racist.

There were attempts to recall Kilpatrick. I'm sure there were attempts to recall CAY too.

**WWJNewsradio950** · December-05-12, 07:57 AM

We asked his office that exact question Sunday. We were told that Mayor Bing was paying for the trip out of his own pocket.

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Bing had flown out to San Francisco this past weekend to honor a bet that he had lost. Is he using tax payers money to fly out there to honor this bet?