For the past several years, the city of Detroit has provided just over $7 million of the zoo’s $22 million operating budget, Warden said. Ticket sales contribute another $7 million annually.
Through its fundraising and annual membership revenue, the society has been contributing about $2 million a year to operations and $3 million to $4 million for things such as marketing and advertising, Warden said.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=8088
I'm not sure if I'm supposed to respond to that, since we seem to be in agreement : )
The City gave around $7 million per year to run the Zoo. The State kicked in another $2 million. The rest of the money was raised by ticket sales and fundraising.
MAYBE the Society can raise the extra $9 million per year to keep the Zoo as is. But don't forget capital improvements. On top of the operating budget, the City funded exhibit and infrastructure upgrades. That adds another several million every couple of years.
Brooks said today that he has no interest in a regional tax to operate the Zoo, but hopes that Huron Clinton Metroparks can step in. Let's hope he's right.
Oh, re: Darta. The unions fought Darta. John Engler killed it.