I'm guessing here, but something tells me the intensity of the resistance Bing was getting at the community feedback meetings was in direct correlation the amount of ignorance people had about the city's financial situation.
http://www.freep.com/article/20111204/BUSINESS06/112040483/Bing-reboots-Detroit-Works
John Mogk, a longtime law professor at Wayne State University specializing in government and urban development issues, said he foresees four major obstacles that continue to hinder Detroit Works. Those include political resistance among residents of distressed neighborhoods who don't like the idea of being downsized; the fiscal challenge of paying to implement any plan; the city's diminished administrative capacity to handle complex details of any major plan, and legal challenges that may be filed against whatever plan emerges next year.
Under the threat of bankruptcy/insolvency, something tells me that the political resistance will be given a whole lot less consideration. Both in government and also from the citizenry.
Costs to implement are an issue, however, I think if the city can propose a plan avoiding an EM/EFM that citizens can agree to, the state would be willing to invest money to do it...especially if the investment is less than the financial cost of dealing with an insolvent Detroit and if the plan is fiscally sound enough to merit a capital infusion.
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