I agree completely that there are structural and economic issues that are exacerbating Detroit's budgetary problems. But I think it's as obvious as the nose on your face that even if those other problems were magically suddenly fixed, we still need a team in place to put everything back together. While a team needs good players, it needs a coaching staff to make a cohesive unit ready, willing, and able to play to win. Detroit has no coaching staff to speak of [[this post is not a dig at the Tigers!). Also, the mismanagement of the past caused the structural problems, and at least substantially contributed to the economic problems in the city. An EFM can help put sound management practices into place, with modern accounting and business practices, etc. We should remember, though, that an EFM is not designed to fix the city's problems, merely to put it on a sound financial footing. How we get get economic growth, better schools choices, safer neighborhoods, streets in good repair, etc, are not the EFM's job. They're ours.