Detroit at top of economic agony list

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Detroit is un-fixable. Just let it die already.

Detroit can definately be saved. What they need to is focus on crime and Education. Those two things contribute to the continuing exodus of the middle class white and black. I generally like what Fezzy and Snowyguy have said.

There Education system is a complete joke and all attempts to reform it have been blocked by the school board and the city council. A year or two ago, I recall that a rich businessman offered to spend I think $20 million of his own money and open up charter schools. He was rejected on the grounds that it would undermine the public school system, and they were afraid of what this evil rich white Republican businessman would teach these innocent African Americans(Maybe he would teach them to think for themselves and not be pawns to the big city political machines). What public school system is there to undermine? Charter schools worked in New Orleans and it would force the regular school system to reform. 

In terms of crime they need to take a look at what NYC did in the early 90's. They shuld not copy it 100% b/c Detroit isn't NYC but it needs to be looked at cause there situations are similar.

Thirdly Detroit needs to make the city more favorable to small Business.   I heard a few years back a proposal where the federal Gov't could create a special classification for certain cites are that really in trouble like Detroit. Where in return for reforms to education and crime fighting the Fed Gov't would lift or lower certain taxes just for those cities to encourage Business and development in those areas. I don't know it it would work but it is definatly something to consider.

I do agree it can't be done all at once and it has to start at the cities center and work outward.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

again

LOL

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The police force is very important to a vibrant city.  I know that sounds like an oxymoron... but I'm not talking about a military style police force armed with machine guns ready to mow down anyone who dares cross their path...

I believe in having strong police presence in combination with neighborhood councils would improve Detroit greatly. 

Detroit needs to try and attract a more diverse array of business.  Reducing crime and improving the schools will be the beginning of that process.

When the milling industry collapsed in Minneapolis beginning in the '20s, the city diversified.  Since, it has kept a diverse array of manufacturing, banking, retail, and high tech computer and medical fields that have helped the region weather many economic downturns.

Only by spreading out over all industries with a concentration in innovation will major cities in the U.S. keep growing.

I know what you are talking about. Where I lived in PA the only jobs were across the state line around Binghamton, NY. I even lived there for about a year. Its a very rough community. The Economic base was the military-Industrial complex and Comunications like IBM and SMC. Binghamton whethered many a recession throughout the Cold war due to the constant demand for military equiptment. When the Cold war ended the city went into decline. Many of the industries relocated to the South and West or Overseas. When the War on Terror started we hoped it would lead to a recovery but since many of the Industries had already left the opposite happened as the economy sunk into the recession of 2001-2002.  IBM closed most of there plant down and the defense industries were only a shell of had once been. My dad had worked for a company called Systems Manufacturing Corporation(SMC). In 2000 he was working 48 hours a week. In 2001 they ended overtime, and later they cut back to 32 hrs. When rumors began to spread of a cut to 28 hrs in early 2002 my dad had enough and he moved us to NC. Binghamton has still failed to diversify significantly and thus they continue to struggle.