Even with all of the bright spots in Detroit—all the redevelopment projects, all the stories of new businesses and residents relocating back downtown—there’s a one large, continually growing cloud hanging over the city.

Detroit is almost out money.

And the man I thought would be able to get the city through this mess, along with a newly elected City Council I had so much faith in, seem to be letting me down—letting this city down.

At its core, the mayor’s emergency restructuring plan aims to cut spending $102 million over the next six months and avert a cash-flow crisis. To get there, Bing says, he would lay off 1,000 city employees and the unions would need to agree — by as early as next week — to reopen contracts and accede to 10-percent cuts in pay, a 30 percent employee share on health care premiums, pension restructuring, work rule changes and reduced overtime.

Today’s Detroit News reporting that now Bing has said he’s “ready to go to war” with City Council in order to implement his sweeping cuts and layoffs. Is this the kind of rhetoric though that’s really going to get things done? Has it really come to this?

How can the Mayor and the City Council be so desperately unwilling to work together?

“There’s a big difference intellectually between my staff and them; there’s a big difference operationally between my staff and them,” he continued. “They haven’t run anything. I am open and willing to work with them, but I am not taking direction from them. We’ve got to get away from politics.”

Read the full story here.

Photo by John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

I’m shocked I haven’t heard more about this yet.

This past Sunday, Freep columnist Ron Dzwonkowski shed some light on an intriguingly different alternative to the much talked about M1 Woodward light rail system. 

The gist: Move over light-rail, there might just be a better option.

 For the greater part of the past year (if not longer), many Detroiters—including myself right here on this blog—have been giddy about this new Woodward light-rail system proposal and it’s potential to bring in new businesses and people to the city.

As of now, the project still doesn’t seem to be going anywhere fast and ground on Woodward to start building the new rail system has yet to be broken.  Yes, it seemed like a great idea when first proposed. I mean, who could argue with plans to bring new developments and a mass-transit system to a city so desperately in need of it.

But here’s the thing, what if there was a better idea?

Turns out there might just be one.

Meet Sanders. Jerry Sanders to be exact, the chairman and CEO of a little company called SkyTran. Sanders is chomping at the bit to come to Detroit to turn the city into the first site of the company’s new large-scale, overhead mass-transit system that even NASA says will “revolutionize public transportation.”

Did you here me? NASA!!

Before the city starts tearing up streets for the $520-million light-rail line up Woodward, which will inevitably cost more and be used less than projected, maybe someone should get back in touch with Sanders and at least invite him to make a presentation. Especially considering that he doesn’t want any taxpayer money to build his new system, just rights-of-way, and would consider manufacturing its components here for export to other cities that SkyTran is sure will want what they see working cheaply and cleanly in Detroit.  

This system would be the first of it’s kind and SkyTran wants to make history in Detroit. So at this point you must be thinking that city leaders are scrambling to get this guy on the next flight out to the D, am I right?

WRONG!

Oh, and did I mention that the SkyTran says each car in the system will zip its way through the gritty city while using only as much power as needed to run two blow-dryers?

So what gives?

Sanders said he made some initial contacts with Detroit officials after learning about the city’s light-rail plans — which have been in the works for so long that some people around here would surely have a hard time giving them up, even for a better idea.

…

Sanders said he had some contact with City Council staff members late last year, who referred him to city transportation officials. But basically, he’s heard nothing back.

Where are the leaders in Detroit and why aren’t they taking advantage of an opportunity knocking at (or rather attempting to knock down) their front door?

Yes, light-rail on Woodward sounded like a great idea at the start, but it doesn’t mean it is the best idea. 

Read the full column here and comment below.

Image courtesy of SkyTran