NYC Mayor Bloomberg: Move Immigrants to Detroit

**p1acebo** · May-01-11, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Bishop

Not so sure what you mean by your response. This sounds like a good area to focus amongst others to re-populate this city. Detroit has to aggressively target Midtown and Corktown as those are the growing areas.

Take this idea along with having a "tax free" zone in certain parts of the city. Start out with Midtown and possibly Corktown with no income tax rate and no propety taxes for minimum of 10 years on residents only. However, you have to get city clownsil on board but I think Gary Brown has been talking about this too.

What I mean by it is you can't simply throw whatever immigrants come to America in Detroit and think it will just fix itself. Sure, I am all for immigrants coming to the city, I love the diversity... however, they need to be coming with a purpose and proper work either. If you propose no income tax and no property tax where does that get us if they can't even find any jobs around here? Simply more bodies, more people not doing work, we need the RIGHT type of immigrants coming here... not any. I was calling him a jack ass for over simplifying a huge problem we have here... that's all.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-01-11, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by p1acebo

What I mean by it is you can't simply throw whatever immigrants come to America in Detroit and think it will just fix itself. Sure, I am all for immigrants coming to the city, I love the diversity... however, they need to be coming with a purpose and proper work either. If you propose no income tax and no property tax where does that get us if they can't even find any jobs around here? Simply more bodies, more people not doing work, we need the RIGHT type of immigrants coming here... not any. I was calling him a jack ass for over simplifying a huge problem we have here... that's all.

My grandparents had to have $30 [[$663 in 2011 dollars) in their pockets and an address of a sponsor. Sounds like a fine plan for Detroit today. They made their own jobs, thank you. Detroit USA, land of opportunity 2011. DetroitYes.

**iheartthed** · May-01-11, 12:59 PM

He's right. Large scale foreign immigration is what has stabilized the populations in other former industrial cities. If Detroit had attracted foreign immigrants at the rate that Chicago or NYC did then it wouldn't be nearly in the situation its in now. But the question is why doesn't Detroit, as large as it is, attract immigrants at the rates that they go to New York, Boston, Philly, Chicago?

**Fnemecek** · May-01-11, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

He's right. Large scale foreign immigration is what has stabilized the populations in other former industrial cities. If Detroit had attracted foreign immigrants at the rate that Chicago or NYC did then it wouldn't be nearly in the situation its in now. But the question is why doesn't Detroit, as large as it is, attract immigrants at the rates that they go to New York, Boston, Philly, Chicago?

Could it possibly be that immigrants don't like high taxes and almost non-existent services anymore than most Americans do?

I know it's a radical concept. I'm just throwing it out there for discussion.

**michigansheik** · May-01-11, 02:00 PM

what non-existent services are people always complaining about? police/ems?
my trash gets picked up every week. bulk pickup happens on the date its supposed to. the last couple winters the effort to get rid of the snow was ok...in fact better than canton or farmington hills on some days. most streets are in decent shape and drivable. bus stops are well marked with route signage for once. water is supplied whenever i turn on the faucet. i have electricity 100% of the time short of a mother nature issue. true the police are slow to respond but that seems to be improving slowly albeit...are the ems crews well managed not yet but thats fixable with good mgt/leadership...
who knows maybe some of the immigrant's home countries may not even offer these services to the regular folk at all...detroit might be an improvement.

edit: i live in lafayette park

**Bishop** · May-01-11, 02:39 PM

what non-existent services are people always complaining about? police/ems?

Let me help you:

-what about residential streets that are in horrible shape
-poor lighting on residential streets - takes months to to replace a burned out lamp
-barely passable thoroughfares in the winter months
-unkept grass along the Lodge Fwy
-slow response by police dept.

edit: I did see a police officer on a horse about two weeks ago going through the neighborhood - but haven't seen one since

**Zacha341** · May-01-11, 04:54 PM

Let me add to that darling list:

- Broken water mains that leak for months
- Slow EMS service
- Under staffed fire department
- Slow bulk pick up of trash
- Horrendous wait and useless bureaucracy for any thing related to city hall - permits et al.

I'll stop now....

Originally Posted by Bishop

what non-existent services are people always complaining about? police/ems?

Let me help you:

-what about residential streets that are in horrible shape
-poor lighting on residential streets - takes months to to replace a burned out lamp
-barely passable thoroughfares in the winter months
-unkept grass along the Lodge Fwy
-slow response by police dept.

edit: I did see a police officer on a horse about two weeks ago going through the neighborhood - but haven't seen one since

**Zacha341** · May-01-11, 05:01 PM

Yes, certain areas fair better than others but tucked away off of Linwood and Taylor or Dickerson and Mack or Puritan and Hamilton Rd.: a totally different scene...and lifestyle.

Originally Posted by michigansheik

what non-existent services are people always complaining about? police/ems?
my trash gets picked up every week. bulk pickup happens on the date its supposed to. the last couple winters the effort to get rid of the snow was ok...in fact better than canton or farmington hills on some days. most streets are in decent shape and drivable. bus stops are well marked with route signage for once. water is supplied whenever i turn on the faucet. i have electricity 100% of the time short of a mother nature issue. true the police are slow to respond but that seems to be improving slowly albeit...are the ems crews well managed not yet but thats fixable with good mgt/leadership...
who knows maybe some of the immigrant's home countries may not even offer these services to the regular folk at all...detroit might be an improvement.

edit: i live in lafayette park

**HistoryNotHisStory** · May-01-11, 05:17 PM

Mayor Bloomberg has a wonderful idea!

I love it!

Let's put a replica of Lady Liberty at Belle Isle.

**iheartthed** · May-01-11, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

Could it possibly be that immigrants don't like high taxes and almost non-existent services anymore than most Americans do?

I know it's a radical concept. I'm just throwing it out there for discussion.

I doubt the tax burden in most of those cities is much different than Detroit's. But a far smaller percentage of residents in those cities pay property taxes than in Detroit [[since Detroit has a much higher homeownership rate).

**Fnemecek** · May-01-11, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I doubt the tax burden in most of those cities is much different than Detroit's. But a far smaller percentage of residents in those cities pay property taxes than in Detroit [[since Detroit has a much higher homeownership rate).

I could ask you to put some money on that assumption of yours. I have credit cards, student loans, and a mortgage to pay. However, I'll refrain this time.

According to a survey by Forbes, the average American pays $1,180 in property taxes. This includes city, county, and schools. Most Detroiters are paying somewhere around $2,000 in property taxes.

Detroiters are, therefore, paying almost double the national average for taxes and getting a level of service that can, at best, be described as minimal.

There are, of course, cities that have a tax burden far greater than Detroit's. NYC and Boston immediately come to mind. However, those cities have a level of services that are well above national averages.

**iheartthed** · May-01-11, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

I could ask you to put some money on that assumption of yours. I have credit cards, student loans, and a mortgage to pay. However, I'll refrain this time.

According to a survey by Forbes, the average American pays $1,180 in property taxes. This includes city, county, and schools. Most Detroiters are paying somewhere around $2,000 in property taxes.

Detroiters are, therefore, paying almost double the national average for taxes and getting a level of service that can, at best, be described as minimal.

There are, of course, cities that have a tax burden far greater than Detroit's. NYC and Boston immediately come to mind. However, those cities have a level of services that are well above national averages.

Well, the cities that I cited were NYC, Boston, Chicago and Philly. So I think we're talking about the same thing.

ETA: My point is that I personally doubt it's the tax rate alone that makes Detroit undesirable. It's the tax rate, the level of services, and probably even the high ownership rate factors into it too [[high home ownership rates are correlated with large population declines in industrial cities).

ETA 2: Detroit will never be able to level out its tax rate to balance the surrounding burbs. But Detroit's trump card is in the services it ideally should be able to provide due to being a large population center.

**michigansheik** · May-01-11, 01:02 PM

i woke up too early today and saw mayor bloomberg make that comment...it makes a lot of sense to me and isn't as out there as it first seemed. he also gave praise to mayor bing. i'm no expert on our immigration policy but in recent times we seem to be having a hard time deciding on our future policy...
i'm 1st generation so i'm a bit biased but detroit could be the new ellis island if you will....we have low cost housing and lots of space. sure the immigrants will have to meet some minimums but what a great way to get a hundred thousand people living in the limits quickly. think about it...vacant homes will be rented or sold to the new immigrants, they will patronize businesses and hopefully open their own.

**Bishop** · May-01-11, 01:29 PM

"you can't simply throw whatever immigrants come to America in Detroit and think it will just fix itself".

Bloomberg wasn't talking about just allowing anyone in to set up shop. He specifically, suggested it would need to be under certain parameters, i.e. those that want to start their own business etc. Immigrants coming to Americi is certainly nothing new, but in Detroit it could be real catalyst with
a directed effort.

**davewindsor** · May-01-11, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Bishop

"you can't simply throw whatever immigrants come to America in Detroit and think it will just fix itself".

Bloomberg wasn't talking about just allowing anyone in to set up shop. He specifically, suggested it would need to be under certain parameters, i.e. those that want to start their own business etc. Immigrants coming to Americi is certainly nothing new, but in Detroit it could be real catalyst with
a directed effort.

Really, because the above article quoted him saying, "you pass a law letting immigrants come in as long as they agree to go to Detroit and live there for five to 10 years, start businesses, take jobs or whatever,"

Wanting to start their own businesses and having the money to do it are two different things and he did say "take jobs". Where are they gonna get the money to start their own businesses? And, where are those jobs? I like the last part "or whatever". Great, so when they don't find those jobs, they're going to turn to crime and start their own underworld businesses stripping copper, trafficking drugs, prostitution, redistributing wealth to pawn shops, etc.. Why not increase Detroit's crime problem instead of New York's, right?

**JohnnyFreddy** · May-04-11, 04:27 AM

Originally Posted by Bishop

"you can't simply throw whatever immigrants come to America in Detroit and think it will just fix itself".

Bloomberg wasn't talking about just allowing anyone in to set up shop. He specifically, suggested it would need to be under certain parameters, i.e. those that want to start their own business etc. Immigrants coming to Americi is certainly nothing new, but in Detroit it could be real catalyst with
a directed effort.

I totally agree with the larger portion of these posts. This is actually a GREAT idea!!
Never even crossed my mind. I've always appreciated Mayor Bloomberg, and the way he handles problems. Very cool, calm, and collected. Not all Church/Preacher like....preying on people's emotions, rather than seeking simple logic, and solution. Although Mr. Bloomberg may not have
created the idea, I'm glad he deemed it important enough to address, as he obviously cares about
this subject. YES, bring those immigrants...don't give them the town....but incentives to come, and
don't forget to spread a little of those incentive breaks to existing residents. A little loyalty to those
that stuck by this city during/through hard times, would be a helluva nice gesture as well.
Bring back the City of Detroit!!!! I vote YES YES YES on immigrants.