Bing Came To Bring The Pain Har....

[DetroitDad]

Bing: All must share the pain
Detroit mayor discusses city pay cuts, his tenure

Excerpts:

"Everybody's going to have to participate in the pain," Bing said. "It's unfortunate where we are, but we're going to have to impose the contract, move on and participate in this pain together."

His tenure: Bing said his term has been challenging since he was elected in May 2009. But he pointed to progress on substantial issues, including trimming a $330 million deficit to about $85 million.

Bing said the city's financial crisis dominated his first eight months. If he didn't shore up finances, "we could have gone bankrupt or had payless paydays," Bing said.

"I happen to be in this position at one of the most important times in history of the city because of the changes that are necessary to bring us from where we are to where we need to be," Bing said.

Bing said he hasn't begun to think about re-election -- in 2013 -- or his legacy.

"I don't care about a legacy, quite frankly," Bing said. "[[People) may not like the decisions I have to make. They may not like what I say or the way I run the city. I didn't come into this office as a politician, [[and) I won't go out as a politician."

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100922/...#ixzz10IlmWoJK

DetroitDad; City job cuts and service cuts are also discussed. I am wondering why no one has attempted to negotiate for a clause that ties city workers and services directly to population and industry.

[Stosh]

Har? This isn't a joke, FYI.

And if the unions won't take a 10% cut now, what makes you think they will do as you propose?

[Fnemecek]

Two things come to mind as I read this.

First, every time Mayor Bing says, "We all need to share the pain", I want to punch something. Detroiters pay more than double the national average in property taxes, but we can't get the most basic of city services on a consistent basis.

We're already sharing the pain. We need someone who can cure the pain.

Second, I think it's interesting that every time we talk about the budget, the Bing Administration talks about how "bloated" our workforce is. However, when the conversation shifts to why a certain service isn't being delivered on a consistent basis, they claim that the City doesn't have the manpower to take care of it.

Am I the only one who sees a logical inconsistency between those two statements?

How can we simultaneously have too many employees and not enough?

[spiritofdetroit]

I think part of that is the archaic state of most city systems. Where a normal functioning city would take 3 employees to get a task done, in Detroit it takes 6, and not necessarily because the employees are any better or worse than any other city. The accounting system for one is from the 70's. Much of the police and fire computer systems are far outdated - and I am sure this permeates throughout every city department. Therefore, we have a bloated workforce compared to what we would need if we had proper infrastructure, but also need more employees based on what we've got.

[Hermod]

Two things come to mind as I read this.

First, every time Mayor Bing says, "We all need to share the pain", I want to punch something. Detroiters pay more than double the national average in property taxes, but we can't get the most basic of city services on a consistent basis.

We're already sharing the pain. We need someone who can cure the pain.

Second, I think it's interesting that every time we talk about the budget, the Bing Administration talks about how "bloated" our workforce is. However, when the conversation shifts to why a certain service isn't being delivered on a consistent basis, they claim that the City doesn't have the manpower to take care of it.

Am I the only one who sees a logical inconsistency between those two statements?

How can we simultaneously have too many employees and not enough?

Because there are too many managers and executives and not enough workers in the various city offices [[to include police and fire). Look at the council staffs. Are they half the size they were when the city was twice as big? Too many people who work for the city have sinecures rather than jobs.

[Zacha341]

The DPS teacher union [[AFLCIO) conceded to a big pay cut... Bing knows this... he's gonna demand it of ASFME and get it eventually.

Har? This isn't a joke, FYI.

And if the unions won't take a 10% cut now, what makes you think they will do as you propose?

[Fnemecek]

Because there are too many managers and executives and not enough workers in the various city offices [[to include police and fire). Look at the council staffs. Are they half the size they were when the city was twice as big? Too many people who work for the city have sinecures rather than jobs.

Excellent point! Unfortunately, Mayor Bing's "share the pain" mantra doesn't seem to apply to executive level staff.

[Danny]

Take KING BING'S CUT, save some city money and take part of saving your own ghettohoods. Its the best we can do to save Detroit from destruction.

[Motor City Sam]

Excellent point! Unfortunately, Mayor Bing's "share the pain" mantra doesn't seem to apply to executive level staff.

True. It also doesn't seem to apply to the City Council staffs, given their recent pay raises.

[Hypestyles]

all city workers earning $100,000+ salaries should take 15% pay cut... $75,000+ salaries should take 10% cut..