Posted on 04/12/2005 11:21:02 AM PDT by wmichgrad
DETROIT (AP) — Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on Tuesday presented a draft budget that includes 754 additional layoffs, including some in the police and fire departments.
Detroit has been struggling with a deficit of more than $300 million, and some have predicted the city could end up in receivership.
The 754 layoffs are in addition to more than 900 job cuts that Kilpatrick announced in January. At that time, he said he had no plans to touch police officers.
In his address to City Council on Tuesday, Kilpatrick proposed reducing the number of commanders and inspectors in the department. In addition, existing classes at the police academy would be suspended, he said.
"Not one police officer who is out there patrolling the streets today will be laid off," Kilpatrick said.
However, he said that promise could be kept only if the officers' union agrees to renegotiate benefits.
In addition, Kilpatrick is proposing 61 layoffs in the fire department and 47 in EMS.
Massachusetts went there, tried that 20 years ago, cleaned up our act, and now our taxes are relatively low. We can't compete with Alabama or Tennessee for having the lowest taxes, but we do better than most of the northern states and some of the southern ones (NC, GA).
Our crisis is housing costs, not a slowing economy. There is a whole generation raised on "Cheers" that wants to live here.
No post about Detroit is complete without a link to The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit.
http://detroityes.com/
Well there they go again. Where have I heard that before?? Hmm?
Let me just say one more thing, those who leave can't resist the "well things used to be great where we come from" in other words, come to Florida and change everything. Sounds like I'm a little bitter? Well yeah! It's late and thank you all. Good night.
Thats good to hear.. I also know massachusetts has gone into biotech very strongly. Including public-private funded research projects.
You better hope Detroit doesn't win. Don't think Detroit would survive the riot.
"New Fallujah, Michigan."
"Please!!! We already have enough traffic in Dearborn."
Be prepared, I think SB week will cause a hugh and series traffic problem all over......If someone rents my house tho', it will balance out because I'll be getting out of dodge.
"If the Packers are in, consider me a customer. How much ammo do I need to carry?"
What no confidence in Brett? If you were a real fan you would sign up now....
No need to bring a lot of ammo, Dearborn is safe and the Detroit area around Ford field is pretty nice too.
"Aren't the Chador and Koran set largely in East Dearborn?"
Yeah, East Dearborn is very ME, but remember it is also very seperate from West Dearborn. It's like two different cities.
I hope that my post didn't come across as a dig on your part of town. I am always just amazed at how different your area is compared to my neighborhood.
RENEGOTIATE DOESN'T = "ELIMINATE".
This area is now 75% Arabic, of many sects. It is extremely family oriented (just like when I grew up) and just about a zero crime area. So, my "couple months" somehow extended to well over three years. Because of my daily walks, I probably know most of the merchants and restaurants within five square miles. I know that I'll be moving at some point, just have no reason to hurry. It's interesting here and the local restaurants feed me better and healthier food at much less cost than I could ever prepare for myself.
So, would it be "nicer" for me to move west where the streets are wider and (some of) the homes larger? Yes, it would have been when I was a little younger and didn't mind maintaining such a home. But, there are no interesting places to walk over there, little neighborhood shopping, etc., etc. More grass, to be sure, but I have all of that I want at my morning walk over at the Henry Ford Estate and then more at Ford park as I do a mile on the track in the evenings as part of my walk that takes a wide circle around this area. And . . . I don't have to care for any of those lawns. ;-)
Dearborn is a very unique place for many reasons. There are actually five rather distinct areas here -- six if you count the Ford plant, which is a city unto itself. People who live here do not realize that. I had to "come back" after many decades to appreciate it. At some point, I guess I'll have to leave again. But, at the moment, there is no hurry.
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