We are in the first day of the Dave Bing administration in Detroit. The former basketball player was installed as our 62nd mayor yesterday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon amid little fanfare. That, I think, is fitting and proper.
He certainly faces significant hurdles. General Motors hinted at then denied that it might be looking elsehwere for its world headquarters. Vast areas of the city, particularly in the blighted east side, are no more than vacant lots, which along with the long history of flight from the city and the current economic problems means that tax revenues are not likely to rise anytime soon.
The suburbs still don't trust Detroit, and not, quite frankly, without justification. When you have morons along the line of Monica Conyers running the Common Council and a town willing to not only elect but re-elect arrogant B-list politicians such as the disgraced Kwame Kilpatrick, can you honestly blame the rest of the metropolitan area for casting a wary eye towards Woodward and Jefferson?
Ironically, the best thing which may have happened along that line may just be Ken Cockrel's return to the Council. The City Charter is pretty clear that he will now return as Council President, sending Conyers back to plain old council member status. She's said she'll fight that, not surprisingly, but it looks like she can't win that battle.
I supported Cockrell for Mayor but I was more than happy last night to sign a petition to put him on the ballot for Council in the August primary. The petitioner told me that Cockrell will not run again for mayor this election cycle, and I have to wonder whether perhaps a Bing Mayorship and Cockrel Council Presidency may actually be our best bet for any kind of true renaissance to appear in Detroit.
So good luck Mr. Bing and Mr. Cockrell. I am afraid that you will need it; still, I have less trepidation about our city's future now than I had a few days back.
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