 
Jerome81
Member
Username: Jerome81
Post Number: 946
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 64.142.86.133
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 4:29 am: |    |
I got to thinking about the similarities between the CofD and GM and Ford. Lately we keep hearing nothing about cuts, cuts, cuts. As if cutting enough will somehow stop the problems and everything will balance out. The problem is that you can address the cost side, and continue to ignore the revenue side. Bascially ending in that you can't cut your way to profitability/solvency.
While cuts are necessary and painful, I also feel as though we hear so little about the effort that goes into fixing the "revenue" side. While there is the urgent push to consolidate the police, cut union contracts, close cultural institutions, I hear so little about a push to draw in new businesses and residents to the city.
It is my opinion that the leaders in Detroit should continue their obsession with cost cutting, but at the same time put equal effort into growing their revenues. And I just don't see that happening. Detroit should be vigorously promoting itself, with a dedicated staff out all over the country and world working night and day to bring new business to the city. This in turn should help bring in residents, which brings in business, etc. If we could get to the point where we could have a decent tourism industry, this would be beneficial as well. While it won't be Chicago/NYC/Cleveland, most people probably never think of vacationing in Detroit, probably not even the residents. Get people to come to the region and spend some money, even if they already live here! I hear so little promoting Detroit. Its history, its arts, the auto industry. Get some of that going.
I feel frustration with the focus only on decreasing the costs. If you don't stop the bleeding, you can keep cutting until there's nothing left. It gets you nowhere.
Besides things like Quicken/Compuware and others, I just don't see a constant, noticable influx of revenues. Is there such an organization whose only job is to maximize revenues? If not, there should be.
We need a business person leading the city. Run it like a business. That's the only way to save it.
(Message edited by Jerome81 on March 24, 2006) |