Dissolve Highland Park?

**1953** · May-29-15, 09:22 AM

The Detroit News is reporting that one option on the table for resolving regional water issues involves dissolving Highland Park. I've thought this a reasonable thing to do for some time, water worries or not. I should point out that yesterday the Highland Park School District announced it is closing its only high school. What do others think? Pros and cons of dissolution?

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/05/28/highland-park-debt-stalls-regional-water-deal/28131909/

1953

**dtowncitylover** · May-29-15, 09:34 AM

2016- Highland Park School District completely dissolves.

2018-Highland Park residents voters approve merge with Detroit. M-1 Rail makes extension towards 8 Mile.

2020-Highland Park name ordered to be stricken from Wikipedia, our minds, any official documents, titles, etc. Detroit re-brands the once former grand, industrious city as "Uptown".

**Shai_Hulud** · May-29-15, 09:56 AM

Sounds good to me. Highland Park is broke and does not have the resources to hire expensive bankruptcy lawyers like Detroit did. I don't see how the city is going to recover and support itself in our lifetime.

However, someone here said that it would require an amendment to the Michigan constitution for Detroit to absorb Highland Park. Not sure if this is different.

As far as the water debt, DWSD customers have been footing the bill for the delinquent customers for decades. Highly doubt the state is going to pony up funds so more than likely, Patterson and Hackel are posturing and DWSD customers will wind up covering a sizeable portion of the debt.

**Hermod** · May-29-15, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Shai_Hulud

Sounds good to me. Highland Park is broke and does not have the resources to hire expensive bankruptcy lawyers like Detroit did. I don't see how the city is going to recover and support itself in our lifetime.

However, someone here said that it would require an amendment to the Michigan constitution for Detroit to absorb Highland Park. Not sure if this is different.

As far as the water debt, DWSD customers have been footing the bill for the delinquent customers for decades. Highly doubt the state is going to pony up funds so more than likely, Patterson and Hackel are posturing and DWSD customers will wind up covering a sizeable portion of the debt.

1. I believe that Michigan cities can merge if a majority of the voters in each city vote yes on the proposal.

2. US govt could object if any disadvantaged racial group has their voting strength diluted by the merger, but that would not be the case here.

3. Would Detroit "want" Highland Park? HP doesn't bring anything to the table except a fork.

**Hypestyles** · May-29-15, 10:47 AM

How is Highland Park going to address its various blight issues? If it is 'dissolved' and merged with Detroit proper, what does this mean for city council representation?

**Hermod** · May-29-15, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

How is Highland Park going to address its various blight issues? If it is 'dissolved' and merged with Detroit proper, what does this mean for city council representation?

Maybe an interim councilman till the next election after a redstricting which takes into account the HP population. HP wouldn't necessarily get its own district.

**gumby** · May-29-15, 11:35 AM

Why would Detroit want to take on Highland Park? I am sorry but it brings nothing of value to an already struggling city.

**1953** · May-29-15, 12:45 PM

It could bring the long sought headline: "Detroit gains population for first time in six decades."

**Shai_Hulud** · May-29-15, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

3. Would Detroit "want" Highland Park? HP doesn't bring anything to the table except a fork.

Probably not. It would depend on if an arrangement could be made to shed some of the debt.

But a prolonged HP bankruptcy means a big donut hole of misery in the middle of Woodward as the city starts to recover along that route.

**dtowncitylover** · May-29-15, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by gumby

Why would Detroit want to take on Highland Park? I am sorry but it brings nothing of value to an already struggling city.

All that industry along Oakland Ave might be beneficial or Model T Plaza. Added sources of tax revenue. It also might help geographically considering some of the city lines run straight through streets. Also it might be nice to have continuity along Woodward, just to make things nice. Along with a insignificant bump in population. Highland Park's blight is no different than Detroit's blight and frankly if you're from town of town and riding along Woodward you may not notice you ever left Detroit.

**Lowell** · May-29-15, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by gumby

Why would Detroit want to take on Highland Park? I am sorry but it brings nothing of value to an already struggling city.

And why would Highland Park want to be a part of Detroit. Why not Northville or Grosse Pointe Shores?

IMO the state should be left holding the bag. Its pro sprawl policies along with the Feds led to the draining of Highland Park's population and tax-generating ability.

The dwindling few who stuck it out are strapped with impossible legacy debts not only with water [which is just sewage I believe as HP has its own water system] not to mention pensions doled out generously by and to people who left long ago. They should be rewarded, not punished.

**EastsideAl** · May-29-15, 01:03 PM

Like many here, I have to ask, why would Detroit take on Highland Park with all of its problems? Goodness knows Detroit has enough things on its own plate that are not being properly addressed. Other than resolving the water issue, there is absolutely nothing to be gained here. The whole thing reeks of the state and suburbs trying to "dump" HP, and their debts, on Detroit in order to resolve their own issues.

But, like someone said above, HP doesn't have anything like the size or the resources to crawl out of this on their own. I haven't been a big fan of several of Lansing's actions, but this really is an instance where a municipality badly needs the state to step in and take full control of the situation with an eye towards creating a stable resolution of both local and regional problems.

Oh, and LBP needs to finally go away, or croak, or something...

**Wheels** · May-29-15, 03:05 PM

Henry is rolling over in his grave!

**animatedmartian** · May-29-15, 05:28 PM

I think HP would actually benefit pretty well by dissolving into Detroit. Despite Detroit being a struggling city, it still has significantly more resources that are able to be focused on areas as small as HP.

HP could still right its problems if it wasn't dissolved, but it would take a lot longer or require some huge outside investment on the scale of what Downtown Detroit is seeing right now, imo.

**iheartthed** · May-29-15, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

And why would Highland Park want to be a part of Detroit. Why not Northville or Grosse Pointe Shores?

IMO the state should be left holding the bag. Its pro sprawl policies along with the Feds led to the draining of Highland Park's population and tax-generating ability.

The dwindling few who stuck it out are strapped with impossible legacy debts not only with water [which is just sewage I believe as HP has its own water system] not to mention pensions doled out generously by and to people who left long ago. They should be rewarded, not punished.

Well... Those policies are the only reason Highland Park exists as an autonomous city now. Detroit should agree to absorb Highland Park only as part of a change in how cities in Michigan are allowed to incorporate and when they are forced to merge.

**ABetterDetroit** · May-29-15, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Like many here, I have to ask, why would Detroit take on Highland Park with all of its problems? Goodness knows Detroit has enough things on its own plate that are not being properly addressed. Other than resolving the water issue, there is absolutely nothing to be gained here. The whole thing reeks of the state and suburbs trying to "dump" HP, and their debts, on Detroit in order to resolve their own issues.

But, like someone said above, HP doesn't have anything like the size or the resources to crawl out of this on their own. I haven't been a big fan of several of Lansing's actions, but this really is an instance where a municipality badly needs the state to step in and take full control of the situation with an eye towards creating a stable resolution of both local and regional problems.

Oh, and LBP needs to finally go away, or croak, or something...

A honest and truthful post.

**Cliffy** · May-30-15, 04:37 PM

HP is pretty much dead. The crack epidemic killed the city. Not sure why Detroit would want HP. Its like you taking a burned out house.

**Jason** · May-30-15, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Well... Those policies are the only reason Highland Park exists as an autonomous city now. Detroit should agree to absorb Highland Park only as part of a change in how cities in Michigan are allowed to incorporate and when they are forced to merge.

This is a really really good idea. The deal has benefits for everyone, it should be sellable to both political parties, changes might need to be made in order to have Detroit take Highland Park in the first place, and it's probably the only time there'd be a chance to do it.

**313WX** · May-30-15, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Cliffy

HP is pretty much dead. The crack epidemic killed the city.

It was Chrysler leaving the city that put the final nail in the coffin, IMO...

**G-DDT** · May-30-15, 08:27 PM

I like diversity, and I like the preservation of any identity [[just call me a die-hard nostalgic). Yet, this issue has me split. I was never a big fan of Highland Park. I have only bad memories [[including being shot at there back in '98) of the place. So.....difficult for me to defend.

**Honky Tonk** · May-31-15, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Jason

This is a really really good idea. The deal has benefits for everyone, it should be sellable to both political parties, changes might need to be made in order to have Detroit take Highland Park in the first place, and it's probably the only time there'd be a chance to do it.

Agreed. Then raise everyone's taxes in Detroit even further. [[well, just those of us that pay) With this new influx of tax base in Midtown, it should be a breeze to bail out Highland Park.

**Meddle** · May-31-15, 10:35 AM

Y'all are making it sound like a different place. It's no more or less blighted than the surrounding city. This would be nothing more than erasing a few lines on a map which should have been done decades ago. Same with Hamtramack.

**Zacha341** · May-31-15, 10:57 AM

I hear increasing crime is part of why Chrysler's business offices left first.......

Originally Posted by 313WX

It was Chrysler leaving the city that put the final nail in the coffin, IMO...

**Honky Tonk** · May-31-15, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Y'all are making it sound like a different place. It's no more or less blighted than the surrounding city. This would be nothing more than erasing a few lines on a map which should have been done decades ago. Same with Hamtramack.

Again, after "erasing these few lines", how do you plan on dealing with this new accumulation of debt? If anything let's annex GPW, @ least we'd be gaining a source of revenue.

**animatedmartian** · May-31-15, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Y'all are making it sound like a different place. It's no more or less blighted than the surrounding city. This would be nothing more than erasing a few lines on a map which should have been done decades ago. Same with Hamtramack.

The difference with Hamtramck is that it's actually a stable and growing community. Dissolving it into Detroit would be a detriment to Hamtramck.