November 30, 2015
There are a handful of things we in Michigan are proud of and value about ourselves and our state. We work hard. We make things. We love our Great Lakes and outdoors. We are proud of our education institutions and what they represent.
We want to be proud again of our Michigan communities as great places to live, work and raise a family. In order to get there, however, we have a big problem that must first be fixed. Many of our communities, particularly our older core cities and suburbs, are literally falling apart, with no way to pay for their rebuilding.
Detroit Future City’s final “Ideas for Innovation” community conversation focused on regional approaches to moving Detroit and Southeast Michigan forward. Besides complex racial dynamics, one of the major barriers to much-needed regional cooperation — not just in the Detroit area, but all across our state — is the way our cities and towns are funded.
Layers of government inhibit the regional cooperation we need
John Austin. November 25, 2015. Michigan Radio