What does it mean to run for Mayor, when you know your city will be in bankruptcy at the time you take office?
It wasn’t like we couldn’t see this coming. I lobbied the Snyder administration relentlessly against the appointment of an EM, as the recent e-mails showed. I really believed a strong Mayor leading Detroit’s turnaround without bankruptcy would have been far better than an EM using Chapter 9.
But right or wrong, Detroit is now in bankruptcy, a process that could take years. The next Mayor must work hard to encourage all parties involved to resolve their differences quickly.
The key to this is the court’s final adoption of the “Plan of Adjustment”. What happens to the Water Department? Do retirees lose their pensions? Will the DIA art be sold? What about the zoo? Belle Isle? Rec centers? Parks? All of these issues and many more will be determined by the plan. That adopted plan is likely to define Detroit for the next generation.
We need a Mayor who has the management and financial expertise to be deeply involved in the bankruptcy process, to advocate for the long-term interests of City residents. That Mayor needs to actively engage with the EM to push for a plan that protects Detroit’s assets, but also leaves us in a position to enhance police, fire, and other city services, that gets the streetlights on, and deals with the abandoned houses.
Other candidates for Mayor have recently criticized me, loudly declaring their intention not to engage with the EM or the Governor. I see that as a terrible mistake.
Over the next year or two, Detroit’s future is going to be written in the final Plan of Adjustment. I may not agree with the Governor or EM, but I will be a Mayor who will strongly engage with them to make sure that final plan protects our assets and lays the course to begin rebuilding Detroit into a growing and vibrant community.
At this point, the choice in this election couldn’t be more clear.