  E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1526 Registered: 11-2004 |
Interesting story in today's Freep about the efforts behind Detroit's Marshall Plan. Notice how rapid transit is considered a key part of the plan. One leader sees a green future for Detroit BY STEPHEN HENDERSON • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • February 15, 2009 It seems easy to dismiss Detroit as a city bereft of real political leadership -- a place doomed because the folks in charge don't have a clue about how to manage, how to plan, how to execute. But it's not. And every once in a while comes a reminder that some city leaders are thinking hard about what Detroit could be 10, 20, 30 years from now. One such reminder arrived about a week ago in an excited phone call from City Council member JoAnn Watson. I don't agree with some of what Watson does or says. But she has always struck me as one of the council's thoughtful members, someone who does her homework, is interested in solutions, and really does have the city's best interests at heart. Watson called to tell me about the culmination of a year's work by a Michigan State University land policy professor, the council's planning commission, and its fiscal and research divisions. The group studied the city's assets, population, economy and land mass and came up with what's being called a Marshall Plan for Detroit. What wonderful, appropriate imagery that is, recognizing the need to utterly transform the city as America did Europe after World War II. The upshot? Detroit has got to re-educate and retrain its population to be more prepared for the service and think-oriented jobs that will be plentiful in the future. It has got to change its "gray" infrastructure -- big old buildings and factories -- to a "green" infrastructure, tools for the high-efficiency energy jobs of the future. It has got to reorganize neighborhoods and the school system to fit the current population and build a foundation for a growing population in the future. And Detroit has got to get on the move -- literally. A regional transit system has got to bring the area together, for both jobs and recreation. I know, this is just another report, one of probably hundreds generated over the years, and it could just as easily wind up on a shelf somewhere along with all the rest. But the timing of the Detroit Marshall Plan, and the easy fit between its prongs and several other state and federal initiatives, make it a smart idea for now. Gov. Jennifer Granholm is already talking about Michigan's "green" future, and preparing the state for an economy based on building capacity for renewable and other highly efficient energy sources. The Detroit Marshall Plan's focus on that economic shift could attract investments that might go elsewhere if not for its well-laid plans. Many of the spoils from President Barack Obama's stimulus plan will be captured by public officials at the local level who have their act together, and plans at the ready to spend the money effectively and wisely. The Detroit Marshall Plan is an important step in that direction, and because it has the support of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and other regional actors, it should have enhanced appeal for Washington's stimulus planners. And the Marshall Plan's focus on leveraging transit for the city's future comes just as private interests are to embark on the first serious rapid transit efforts in decades for the region. As the plan's authors outlined in a letter seeking support from the state's congressional delegation, this isn't about looking for a handout for the city. It's about convincing the entire region that investment in Detroit could pay big dividends for everyone. A thriving Detroit could once again be the primary cylinder driving Michigan's economic engine. It's a hopeful outlook with real nuts-and-bolts suggestions for action on a local, regional and state level. It's also proof that leadership isn't dead in Detroit, not yet. If we get this plan into the right hands, it could really turn into something. STEPHEN HENDERSON is editorial page editor of the Free Press. Contact him at 313-222-6659, or at shenderson600@freepress.com. http://www.freep.com/article/2 0090215/COL33/902150360 | ||
Cooper Member Username: Cooper Post Number: 52 Registered: 02-2008 |
Has the report been published yet? I looked pretty hard and couldn't find anything. | ||
Cooper Member Username: Cooper Post Number: 55 Registered: 02-2008 |
I still haven't found the report itself, but the Metro Times wrote about this a month ago: http://metrotimes.com/news/sto ry.asp?id=13607 | ||
Stosh Member Username: Stosh Post Number: 27 Registered: 01-2009 |
I didn't either, but I did find this: Council Member Watson's 11 POINT URBAN AGENDA ****************************** ****************************** ****************************** ********************* FULL EMPLOYMENT PLAN built on green jobs, small entrepreneur service-based sector, public investment to re-employ heads of households; tax credits for small business NATIONAL MORATORIUM ON FORECLOSURES for a 24-month period to allow families to re-tool their finances and creditworthiness; WITH HUD matching people in need to vacant HUD homes for $1 UNIVERSAL SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE MANDATORY EQUITABLE FINANCING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION & measures to eradicate disparity & disincentives TUITION-FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE policy for students in need ZERO- WASTE NATIONAL POLICIES, renew able energy &alternative energy national policies ESTABLISHMENT OF CABINET OFFICE to promote peace and a cabinet office to respect & honor all cultures, ethnicities, faiths, life choices, and non-biased immigration policies MEDIA INCUBATORS TO CREATE A NEW PARADIGM for electronic & print communication nationally, locally to remediate Kerner Commission findings PROMOTE COUNCILS OF ELDERS around the nation so that youth and their parents can be accessed to guidance, wisdom, in times of crisis rather than resorting to police and the court system FOOD STAMPS MADE AVAILABLE upon request to any American citizen without bureaucratic bottlenecks IMPLEMENTATION OF MASS TRANSIT NETWORK to connect citizens to jobs, recreation, cultural and tourism destination as is accessible in the nation’s largest cities. | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 1678 Registered: 12-2003 |
quote: How does creating more unemployment help? | ||
Sludgedaddy Member Username: Sludgedaddy Post Number: 285 Registered: 01-2008 |
When are they going to airlift bags of chips and orange pop to the neighborhoods? Hip-hop Para-drop. | ||
Brownfieldguy Member Username: Brownfieldguy Post Number: 29 Registered: 02-2009 |
Oh, and let me guess..... People like me who have always paid their taxes and bills, paid for their own education, served in the military, fought in a war, worked their tails off to live in one of those so called suburban "mansions," and contributed to their faith and charitable organizations get what? No! Don't tell me, I know!. NOTHING. I get nothing because I have demonstrated my ability to take care of myself. So what I, my wife and every other capable type out there gets is the bill. Any my kids? They get nothing too, because again, their mommy and daddy can pay for them. Watson's plan is a joke and a clear indication why she should not be on city council as she has no clue. | ||
Stosh Member Username: Stosh Post Number: 28 Registered: 01-2009 |
I really should have given a link to Watson's site. It wont take you to it unless you click on her picture, then the Urban Agenda link. http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/le gislative/ Remarkably, hers is the only one that has some sort of actual plan. The rest of them just have filler. | ||
Glowblue Member Username: Glowblue Post Number: 165 Registered: 09-2008 |
quote: How will increasing demand for health services lead to unemployment? | ||
Goose Member Username: Goose Post Number: 100 Registered: 02-2005 |
glowblue, the demand for health services already exists, the means to pay for it doesn't.... | ||
Glowblue Member Username: Glowblue Post Number: 166 Registered: 09-2008 |
quote: So if a means to pay for it (i.e. UHC) is provided, more health services activity will happen, and more people will be employed in the health services industry. So, UHC will in fact decrease unemployment, not increase like sj says. (Message edited by glowblue on February 15, 2009) | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 1679 Registered: 12-2003 |
More people? It is already one of the largest employers in the nation, if not the largest. Millions of people are employed based upon a set expense per person. If UHC cut that expense say 50% how do you expect to employ more people. | ||
Themax Member Username: Themax Post Number: 826 Registered: 09-2005 |
I understand the frustration of brownfieldguy who has done everything right. But what is the alternative? Ship the bums and druggies to Florida? Someone has to point young people in the right direction and give them a reason to hope. I wish the churches would do more to encourage academic excellence. Keith Butler has got his big spread out here in Southfield and the man doesn't even get evolution. | ||
Gralr Member Username: Gralr Post Number: 73 Registered: 12-2008 |
Well we have to have more "industries" So lets create a few, hum, let me think, more laws to make more criminals which will create more jobs, lawyers, courts, police, prisons. Then lets make more garbage food, fast food, processed food, then not teach the kids how to cook then they will be forced to eat out or buy deliciously prepared foods out of the freezer section. (oh I for got Detroit has no supermarets ?) . Give the sick drugs which create more problems that will need more drugs and treatment. Well there is two growth industries. God forbid we make anything, besides go try to make something and start a business, HA HA HA HA, Here comes the EPA, tax man, city governments, banks - utilities- and other business services with special rate, and helping hands, well the hands are out. Just look at the attitude washington had for the car companies, vs the laughable way they threw the money up in the air for the financial institutions ..HA HA HA HA HA. Then comes the Dog and Pony show, more bailouts and money in the air for the bailout addicted, tax revenue addicted cities and states. Reminds me of the movie Chicago, give then the old razzle dazzel . Wait to see how they treat the big three. | ||
Mccarus Member Username: Mccarus Post Number: 15 Registered: 10-2006 |
The report was by Dr. Soji Adelaja and his staff at the MSU land Policy Institute. 517-432-8800. Or landpolicy.msu.edu. Adelaja spoke with Kwame a couple times a year or two ago and he didn't really listen. Kwame has poor vision for fixing up cities. But my guess is other than Sharon, most of the other candidates do have some vision. Which one will have the guts to say, "let's welcome the white suburbanites back." Even if they or their parents were racists who sabotaged the city when they left. |
