Duggan spawnwed out of the McNamera Machine with the likes of Kwame, Granholm, Mike Cox, Bernard Kilpatrick and others.

He is not the answer. He is part of the problem. No thanks!

John,

I totally agree with you about the EM. But I am fairly confident Benny Napoleon would be much worse than Duggan. I also think Duggan’s practical business experience is valuable. Really, I wish Archer would come back.

I can't disagree with you about the previous affiliation. I plead ignorance of youth, as I didn't really live through anybody before Archer.

Who do you think would be a better option? I am open to suggestions.

Duggan may just pull it off as the great white hope. Unfortunately the D is desperate and considering the options he at least has a track record at a successful DMC. My only problem is that he may come off just as arrogant as Bing. I wanted to talk to him at the DMC Children's hospital clinic to be constructed in RO but did not have a chance as he quickly fled after his little speech. Pontiac under an efm just did the same thing in electing an attorney who had been long active over a former mayor.

Or cutting Abandoned Neighborhood ribbons.

One point to note is that whoever wins will be there during and after the EM. That being said, we should want somebody in that position who will effectively work with the EM, and maintain any achievement enacted by the EM. Otherwise it will almost immediately be washed away, and Detroit, like too many times, will drop down to the lowest common denominator in City Council.

While the Mayor under an EM will no doubt be a ceremonial figure, he will not be for too long. It will be important for this figure head to turn into a good leader at that point. In that regard, I think it is critical to have an accomplished leader in Detroit again.

Tim, Mark, what would you think about having a study to see if Royal Oak could use a tune up by an emergency financial manager? Something is wrong when millions are being taken home in wheelbarrows by our bars. How do I know this? Why are so many bars opening here then? Look at our parking revenue. Insane profits from the Dream Cruise, St. Pats, AB&E, not to mention an average warm weather weekend.
So far we have have had no oversight by any outside organization other than a worthless legal ethics opinion that ended without any sound, or fury, just deafening silence. Would anyone on our present or last commissions like to comment? It seems obvious a temperary efm could make some cogent suggestions to a city that appears to be chasing its tail instead of progressing as it should considering the recent explosion in new bars and new "big foot" homes sprouting like mushrooms after a rain. Please Bil, its not just the pensions. Every Michigan City has that problem. Ditto with Headlee and Prop A. Yet they have beautiful parks, bicycle paths, tennis courts, swimming pools, modern school buildings and libraries.
Someone is going home having a good laugh.

"Something is wrong when millions are being taken home in wheelbarrows by our bars." No, it means they are successful. Cash profit does not end up in city coffers.

"a worthless legal ethics opinion that ended without any sound, or fury, just deafening silence." Totally agree.

Once again, you really, seriously need to inform yourself on how the Headlee Amendment and Prop A work together limiting revenue increases from new construction and value increases. Especially after a huge drop in valuation.

"Yet they have beautiful parks, bicycle paths, tennis courts, swimming pools...." is simply untrue as a generalization. BTW RO's neighborhood park pattern is considered a model for other communities, as opposed to a single massive park.

EFM? Absolutely not. Better advice? Absolutely.

Royal Oak is hardly anything close to Detroit. You can see the financial info on the RO city website. It is a dashboard instituted by the current governor.

http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/portal/departments/finance/performance-dashboard

The fact that people are investing in Royal Oak, whether it be home improvements, new builds, or new businesses is never a bad thing. What we should however be cognizant of, is how our city is growing, and what we are doing to make sure its growth is sustainable. Presumably, the "bar / restaurant" to "white collar" business ratio is not ideal. Also, since we are such a local destination we should think about new ways to make sure everybody has a safe and happy experience in our beautiful city - residents and visitors alike.

I am extremely confident we achieve this with our current government structure. We just need to anticipate change and be in control it, and not react to it. Those are my two cents anyway..

Detroit on the other hand needs a revival, resuscitation, a complete overhaul, and new leadership on the order of benevolent despotism, in order for it to really change for the better. An EM, a new mayor, and a dismantling of the current culture of city council are in order.

Tim, I am an x-Detroiter. I spent the first third of my life in Detroit. My parents worked at 2 of Detroit's newspapers (there was 3 at that time). I grew up in my grandmother's house on the east side.
I have read and watched all there is about what has happened in the city. And sadly do not see solutions unless the current leaders(?) get their act together and admit that the Detroit of 50 years ago is no longer. Detroit no longer is one of the 5 largest cities by population. Detroit is no longer a large manufacturing city. And many of the middle-class residents had to move on for a variety of reasons. Detroit does need a complete culture change. I still don't get the whole Belle Isle debacle.
And I was always proud of my family name. Kilpatrick (no relation).

I apologize for the above typos, my editing for space is my pathetic excuse, I wish the Patch would allow for a final edit after submission.
Now my conclusion is: (pay attention class), Detroit is like a bucket of crabs where the strongest and most agressive crabs climb on top of each other to get out of the pail. Roya Oak on the otherhand is flush however there is a sinkhole under our city hall where all the money goes never to be seen again. It can also be compared to an underground railroad that carries the cash out of the city.
The reason they give for the tragedy of the Titanic is not so much the iceberg, or poor engineering but the problem of the quality of the iron plates, and the rivets. Like those raised rusty cast iron tree collars in the park, and so many of our sidewalks both the trees and RO's population has outgrown the infrastructure that was once sufficient for a much a smaller city. Ditto for our present commissioner/ manager/ mayoral system.

"Much smaller city"? Back to the books Ron, RO has 20,000 less residents than at its peak. 20,000. The CC/Mayor/CM system itself does not need alteration. The results are always a product of the players, not the system itself being defective. If you don't like what happens, change the players.

BTW, get a copy of the budget and flyspeck it end to end. Send up a productive, and legal, critique. More productive than complaining about that which you do not actually know. You might hit a financial home run. Even good singles are needed.