Hendrix, Denise Illitch and Joe Walsh to head Crisis Team

[digitalvision]

Both Freman Hendrix and Denise Ilitch are going to head up the 31-member crisis team [[included Joe Walsh, who admittedly I don't know much on).

No surprises there for me - and I'm going to bet Freman has a permanent role on the Bing team. Of course, those who don't like the Ilitches probably won't like one so close in government, but with the election of someone like Bing, little else should be expected [[for better or worse).

http://freep.com/article/20090506/NE...ing+transition

[chico]

Joe Walsh?? Life's been good to him so far...

[stinkbug]

So it begins.
I wonder why old Freeforall endorsed the Globetrotter and Bingo wouldn't disclose that magical list of his.
And Denise Illitch is a resident of Bingham Farms. Obviously has a deep understanding of the problems Detroiters face.

So what neighborhood is going to be leveled for the new stadium? We already know where the new bridge is going to be.

Yeah, so above politics as usual. That lasted less than a fucking day. His old ass should look for a retirement home back in Franklin in November.

[Gistok]

From the appearance of things Mike Ilitch runs the sports teams, Marion Ilitch runs the casino, and son Chris Ilitch runs the Pizza business.

Denise and Chris were the heir's apparent for the family business, but there was a sibling feud... and mom [[the real boss) sided with Chris, so Denise quit the family business.

So now Denise is on Bing's transition team...

... and Stinkbug... perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the states Eminent Domain laws... no more stadia or arenas wherever the politicians or businessmen decide. That policy was overturned by the State Supreme Court. However bridge building is still considered a public interest and covered under Eminent Domain laws.

And rather than complaining about where people live, maybe you ought to wait and see what happens before whining about who got picked for what... just look at all the "city resident" loonies in City Council....

[exdetroiter]

I don't understand where all the negativity is coming from. The idea of having a team in place and specifically working on bring the city out of financial ruin sounds like positive much need change for the city. The people heading up that team are financially established so I would not imagine them pulling a Kilpatrick on the city [[kickbacks, bribes, pay to play, etc. etc) With regard to the Illitch member being involved rather they live here or not, they own major business here, so the success of the city effects the success of their business. I understand Bing not laying his plan flat out on the table prior to taking office, because comments such as the ones on this blog would have dominated his campaign deflecting attention away from his plan for the city and focusing on every single member of his team. Sit back and let those with experience handling business and money show everyone how it is DONE!

[stinkbug]

From the appearance of things Mike Ilitch runs the sports teams, Marion Ilitch runs the casino, and son Chris Ilitch runs the Pizza business.

Denise and Chris were the heir's apparent for the family business, but there was a sibling feud... and mom [[the real boss) sided with Chris, so Denise quit the family business.

So now Denise is on Bing's transition team...

... and Stinkbug... perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the states Eminent Domain laws... no more stadia or arenas wherever the politicians or businessmen decide. That policy was overturned by the State Supreme Court. However bridge building is still considered a public interest and covered under Eminent Domain laws.

And rather than complaining about where people live, maybe you ought to wait and see what happens before whining about who got picked for what... just look at all the "city resident" loonies in City Council....

There will of course be no seizure of property outright, but there are plenty other of ways to go about that, especially when your opponents are a bunch of poor residents.

And I don't give a shit where the pizza princess lives, but I am absolutely certain no one can understand the monumental challenges and obstacles Detroiters and their neigborhoods face without living here. I would bet the pizza princess has never not had the cops come when she calls, or have her kid mugged at the bus stop, or waited for a bus that never came, and agonized on where to send her kid to school.
Just a little concerned over what reality these people are coming from.

[stinkbug]

\ Sit back and let those with experience handling business and money show everyone how it is DONE!

Let's have Rick Wagoner onboard while we're at it. Too bad Ken Lay died. The guy who ran AIG is probably looking for work these days, isn't he? These magical business gurus are just what we need.

Papa Illitch is a great example of business leaders in charge of urban planning.
Destroy, destroy, destroy.

We had this mayor a while back who was great with the business community...Kwame Kilpatrick was his name I believe. What a guy.

Some of us have to live with the consequences of this twisted experiment so its a little unnerving.

[lilpup]

There will of course be no seizure of property outright, but there are plenty other of ways to go about that, especially when your opponents are a bunch of poor residents.

And I don't give a shit where the pizza princess lives, but I am absolutely certain no one can understand the monumental challenges and obstacles Detroiters and their neigborhoods face without living here. I would bet the pizza princess has never not had the cops come when she calls, or have her kid mugged at the bus stop, or waited for a bus that never came, and agonized on where to send her kid to school.
Just a little concerned over what reality these people are coming from.

It might just be the same reality that put Obama into the Presidency - the same one that had Penske send people to wash the city streets - the same one that allowed people to come together for the success of major events and might now be encouraged to do the same on a daily basis to work for the success of the city.

These people are willing to invest time and money for the city's well-being. If more city residents also actively work for the greater good [[as many already do) things can change quickly.

[gnome]

Skinky- what a sour screed. Reading your posts are like taking a digital barbituate.

---
Since only a few of the Bing transition tream has been announced, it seems a little too early to comment one way or the other; but on the plus side ... they all are donating their time. It's been a long time in coming where civic leaders actually donate time and effort for the goodness of the City.

Congrats to the new Mayor.

[rjlj]

Maybe some people need to learn how to read. Products of DPS perhaps?

"The turnaround team will focus on five subjects: finances and the budget, labor law, contracting, federal stimulus money and human resources."

Not to mention, the city of Detroit gets excellent talent and they are working for FREE. Why would anyone be opposed to that?

This is not about fixing neighborhoods, it is about making core fixes at the top and getting the house in order. Nothing gets done with a disorganized, corrupt house, as we have all seen.

[Bearinabox]

I don't understand where all the negativity is coming from. The idea of having a team in place and specifically working on bring the city out of financial ruin sounds like positive much need change for the city. The people heading up that team are financially established so I would not imagine them pulling a Kilpatrick on the city [[kickbacks, bribes, pay to play, etc. etc) With regard to the Illitch member being involved rather they live here or not, they own major business here, so the success of the city effects the success of their business. I understand Bing not laying his plan flat out on the table prior to taking office, because comments such as the ones on this blog would have dominated his campaign deflecting attention away from his plan for the city and focusing on every single member of his team. Sit back and let those with experience handling business and money show everyone how it is DONE!

In a way it does, but that doesn't mean that everything that's good for the city is good for their business and vice versa. If they can make their business more successful at the expense of the city, they will.

[Gistok]

Some of us have to live with the consequences of this twisted experiment so its a little unnerving.

You want to know what is unnerving.... being content with things the way they are and have been for the last decade and more....

Yes it is scary.... Oh my God!!.... Detroit could end up like Oakland County!!

[lilpup]

Yes it is scary.... Oh my God!!.... Detroit could end up like Oakland County!!

egads! I hope not! At least not the regions of Oakland County less than 60 years old!

[stinkbug]

You want to know what is unnerving.... being content with things the way they are and have been for the last decade and more....

Yes it is scary.... Oh my God!!.... Detroit could end up like Oakland County!!

Herein lies another problem. You are being facetious, but Detroit should not and will not ever be like Oakland County, but chances are that is the direction these people would like to take it in. So at best I am expecting some cookie-cutter developments that will probably turn out like the ones in Highland Park as a part of their urban-planning. There are no signs that these people will be friendly to whatever urban integrity remains in Detroit and that Detroit posseses as an asset over its suburbs.

Positives: They will likely/hopefully be more adept at handling the budget, if nothing else. So ideally the Oakland County Super Friends can fix the budget and then get voted out in November.

[Gistok]

There are no signs that these people will be friendly to whatever urban integrity remains in Detroit and that Detroit posseses as an asset over its suburbs.

Urban integrity that remains in Detroit?? Sorry, but that train left the station 20 years ago... along with at least 1/3 million people, 40,000 housing units and 3,000 police officers...

[Bearinabox]

Urban integrity that remains in Detroit?? Sorry, but that train left the station 20 years ago... along with at least 1/3 million people, 40,000 housing units and 3,000 police officers...

...and you.

See, here's the thing: Some people like living in cities, other people don't. You clearly don't, which is fine. But Detroit is never going to appeal to people who don't like cities, and Bing is an idiot to think that it will. The suburbs have every advantage over Detroit for people who don't like cities.

For people who do like cities, the built environment of Detroit is not the problem. The problem is all that other stuff that everyone always harps on--crime, schools, city services provided relative to taxes paid, incompetent leadership, etc. Wasting city money to subsidize crappy suburban-style developments that nobody wants to live in [[because people who are willing to live in crappy suburban-style developments live in the suburbs already) is the height of idiocy. That remark by Bing that he wants to invest in that sort of development, more than anything else, is what has me doubting that he has any clue whatsoever what he's doing. I hope I'm wrong.

[heedus]

I know that Bing has invested a great deal of money in this campaign but do you think there's any chance that he made a deal with Hendrix that if he supported him in this special election, he'd step aside and support Hendrix in the regular election? Perhaps in Bing's mind, he only needs six months or so to right the ship and then see to it that Hendrix weathers the rest of the storm.

Note: I don't think this theory holds any water, but I thought it'd be something fun to add to the discussion.

[Gistok]

...and you.

See, here's the thing: Some people like living in cities, other people don't. You clearly don't, which is fine. But Detroit is never going to appeal to people who don't like cities, and Bing is an idiot to think that it will. The suburbs have every advantage over Detroit for people who don't like cities.

Sorry Bearinabox... but I do like cities... I lived over 20 years near Balduck Park in Detroit... now I live 4 miles up the road in SCS and still appreciate city living... not much difference in the urban fabric here... still high density housing with a grid plan neighborhood [[no cul-de-sacs), with retail on the major streets... no difference than 4 miles down the road.... except....

...I have an extra $3000 in my pocket every year [[no city taxes), and have 4 minute 911 response time.

Somehow there is a common misconception on this forum that folks who live in the inner ring suburbs are somehow deprived of city living... nothing can be further from the truth. We get the best of city living, plus a cheaper lifestyle [[lower taxes), and greater safety.

My drive to cultural and entertainment attractions in the city is 5 minutes longer than it was when I was living in Detroit. In fact there are areas of the far northwest side of Detroit that are as far away from downtown than I am. So it wouldn't make sense to say that they don't like living in cities any more than it make sense to say that I don't.

A political border does NOT determine city [[urban) living...

[Bearinabox]

Sorry Bearinabox... but I do like cities... I lived over 20 years near Balduck Park in Detroit... now I live 4 miles up the road in SCS and still appreciate city living... not much difference in the urban fabric here... still high density housing with a grid plan neighborhood [[no cul-de-sacs), with retail on the major streets... no difference than 4 miles down the road.... except....

...I have an extra $3000 in my pocket every year [[no city taxes), and have 4 minute 911 response time.

Somehow there is a common misconception on this forum that folks who live in the inner ring suburbs are somehow deprived of city living... nothing can be further from the truth. We get the best of city living, plus a cheaper lifestyle [[lower taxes), and greater safety.

My drive to cultural and entertainment attractions in the city is 5 minutes longer than it was when I was living in Detroit. In fact there are areas of the far northwest side of Detroit that are as far away from downtown than I am. So it wouldn't make sense to say that they don't like living in cities any more than it make sense to say that I don't.

A political border does NOT determine city [[urban) living...

Wait, didn't you just say that there was no urban fabric in Detroit? Which is it?

Also, you completely missed my main point, which had nothing to do with you or where you choose to live. I'm glad you love St. Clair Shores so much, though.

[Detroitej72]

I think this is a refreshing change, having business leaders in charge of Detroit. They can't do any worse than some of the idiots who've been in power the last few years.

I gotta give Denise Illitch credit for taking on a thankless job like this, without any pay. She is showing more commitment for the city than many of the fools who live there. Do you think Mr. Thug, err, Ferguson would have the balls to do something like that? Although I'm sure some on this board will only view her as a suburbanite who has no business messing around with "their city".

[Russix]

I think this is a refreshing change, having business leaders in charge of Detroit. They can't do any worse than some of the idiots who've been in power the last few years.

Yes its great, these same business leaders are still paying Kwame nicely to keep his mouth shut and now they have a new puppet celebrity, a former NBA Star. A powerful elite controls this city and will always look the other way as long as their needs come first. This refreshing change carries the same old stink. If your such a successful business person, what's the incentive for you to run for political office? Other than to manipulate public policy for your private agenda, I see no other reason to bother with it.

[Gistok]

Wait, didn't you just say that there was no urban fabric in Detroit? Which is it?

You're right I did imply that [[although it wasn't really what I had meant).

What I meant was that so much of the urban fabric has been decimated in so many of the neighborhoods nearer the city center. My mother still lives on the edge of the city [[where I grew up), and those areas are starting to get "frayed around the edges"... especially the business districts, but also the residential districts.

The city needs to go in a new direction... what has been tried for the last 20 or 30 years has not been working. I welcome Bing and his sense of change. Perhaps a business approach will help in many ways towards making the city a better place to live... at least he has a 6 month trial period [[which isn't much).

[Novine]

"Perhaps a business approach will help in many ways towards making the city a better place to live."

What exactly does this mean? A lot of people talk about running government like a business like that's some kind of magical answer to all the problems that plague Detroit city government. There's plenty of crappy businesses in the world so being run like a business doesn't tell us anything.

[Whaler]

Eye Yie Yie..Now is the time to move Forward...Glass Half Full

[Fnemecek]

So it begins.
I wonder why old Freeforall endorsed the Globetrotter and Bingo wouldn't disclose that magical list of his.
And Denise Illitch is a resident of Bingham Farms. Obviously has a deep understanding of the problems Detroiters face.

So what neighborhood is going to be leveled for the new stadium? We already know where the new bridge is going to be.

Yeah, so above politics as usual. That lasted less than a fucking day. His old ass should look for a retirement home back in Franklin in November.

Wow! And people criticized me for being too negative.

And I at least waited a couple of months before criticizing Ken Cockrel for not doing accomplishing meaningful as Mayor of Detroit.

Just wow!