Now this is a Republican maneuver that would have made Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital gang proud. First, Michigan’s hard ass right-wing governor, Rick Snyder, dissolved Detroit’s elected city government and appointed his personal satrap, Kevin Orr, to dismantle the city, selling it for parts. This is not new, several other Michigan towns have received the same entrepreneurial treatment from the job creators. No doubt they have great plans for them too, and now there are no pesky elected officials to stop them.
First, all the GOPs contractor pals get to hit up the Michigan taxpayer for millions for a new stadium. Thanks for turning me on to this, TB. See his post below, “Bankruptcy, Unclear on the Concept”
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/despite-bankruptcy-detroit-subsidizing-new-red-wings-stadium/
Meanwhile, there may soon be a yard sale of the art treasures at the Detroit Institute, a chance for every rich drone in the state to pick up a few cut-rate masterpieces for his salon and portfolio. (All originally purchased at public expense, no doubt). Man, I haven’t heard of such an obvious looting since Florida’s Rick Scott tried to sell the State’s toll roads to a French company for pennies on the dollar.
This is how the GOP is going to solve our budget problems folks: sell public assets cheap to their rich corporate pals, and use the proceeds to give themselves a tax cut.
Detroit city services are already stretched extremely thin. On average, police take about an hour to respond to calls for help, and 40% of street lights are shut off to save money.
“If you want people to live in the city, and not just visit to go to games, you have to invest in schools, in having the police to respond to calls,” said Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic leader in the state senate. “There are so many investments that should trump a sports stadium.”
Additionally, Orr wants to make deep cuts to both the pensions and health care coverage promised to city employees and retirees.
The state legislature approved the taxpayer funding for the arena in December.