How do you rebuild Detroit?
Here's the issue(s) with Detroit in a series of short soundbites.
It's been in decline for decades. Domestic auto share was nearly 100% in the 1950s, and now it's half that. White flight meant that a lot of city residents moved north of 8 mile, taking their money with them. The city ended up with increasing vacant lots, and lost the tax revenue. 1.85 million in the 50s is now under 700k.
Detroit hasn't had a white Mayor since 1973. The population is 85% black, and voting for a black mayor after decades of race relations issues came naturally to a lot of black people. After Coleman Young left office he was followed by a smart, honest and intelligent Mayor, Dennis Archer. Archer was happy to make deals based on business sense, not race. The activists whipped up a frenzy of 'Uncle Tom' syndrome, and he jumped before he was pushed.
Then Kwame took his chance. Kwame is a smart and charismatic man. Unfortunately he's also a crook and a thug and has ended up where he belongs. Another busted role model for the black community, another disappointment.
Mayor Bing has actually been a good Mayor is you consider what he has tried to do. Unfortunately he's been a lousy Mayor in terms of being able to play the political game. He has never been able secure the support of city council. City council have, for years now, been a dysfunctional bunch. A few relatively smart and honest people battling with the crazies. That will change in November, when the council is elected to wards rather than 100% 'at large'. Most of the loons have already decided not to run. That said, they will have no real authority while Kevyn Orr is here (another 14 months or so).
The people of Detroit have crumbling schools, crumbling infrastructure, not many street lights, too few cops, too much crime. There are jobs available, but so many lack the soft skills that employers look for, and a recent survey found that 47% were functionally illiterate. Michigan unemployment is about 7.5%. Detroit's official figure is double that. Detroit's REAL figure is double the double. People spent 40 years thinking they could come out of high school without graduating and walk straight into a line job for life at one of the autos.
Now those laid off have very little prospect of finding something new because they never figured they'd have to look for work again so never took the time to learn skills that would make themselves marketable if the worst happened, and youth aren't hired because the schools are crap and they can't manage 8th grade math or literacy. Many youths have nobody to teach them how to improve because they have never known anyone who had a job (seriously - we're talking 3rd generation unemployed). Some get off their butts and try to change their futures, but it takes strength of character, and for a lot of people that is the first thing to go when everything you try fails and everything you know tells you not to bother trying.
The city of Detroit is reawakening though. The bankruptcy will mean the city has a foundation to move forward. In the meantime, many creditors and pensioners will carry the can for stupid decisions by automakers, greed by unions, criminal behavior and criminally stupid policymaking by politicians and ridiculously self-serving decisions by the voters. That's the downside. The upside is that there are businesses moving into the city. The middle class is moving back into the city (both black and white). Companies that were in the suburbs are moving back into the city. New infrastructure projects are bringing money and jobs into the city. What is not yet certain is that Detroiters will benefit from them.
Detroit is on a knife edge, and not just in terms of bankruptcy. There is a genuine sense that the corner has been reached and that the ship may have started to turn. If the city falls off the beam now it will never have this opportunity again.
The current race for Mayor shows Detroit's issues in microcosm. You've got Mike Duggan being kicked off the ballot due to registration semantics by those who are only interested in continuing to play the political game. Now he's trying to get back on the ballot as a write-in. The business community is coming out heavily in favor of him. Seriously, if a white man gets on the ballot as a write in, that really does adds substance to the impression that Detroiters have had enough. That tends to be the position with bankruptcy. Most Detroiters are figuring this is gonna hurt, but they've just got to suck it up.
That's the real truth about Detroit.
Do you agree?
