RIGHT MIND-SET: Emergency manager Kevyn Orr, far right, and Mayor Dave Bing flank Gov. Rick Snyder at a press conference to discuss the city’s financial straits. (courtesy photo/city of Detroit) Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr came in with an impressive resume and a seemingly razor-sharp focus and determination to right the city’s finances. He is […]
Kevyn Orr
Posted inPhil's Column
Detroit will not prosper without reversing population drain
Phil Power is founder and chairman of the Center for Michigan. Well, well. Kevyn Orr is now firmly in the saddle as Detroit’s emergency manager. Mike Duggan’s campaign for mayor has evaporated, leaving Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon in the driver’s seat. And Bob Ficano, the current Wayne County executive, is teetering on the brink […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Detroit’s art treasures represent legacy we must protect
By Maud Lyon/CultureSource NOT FOR SALE: Detroit’s artistic legacy was a gift and remains a public trust. It cannot be sold off like a company’s office equipment, argues Maud Lyon. (Bridge archive photo) For 128 years, men and women have given works of art to the Detroit Institute of Arts. Why would people give the […]
Posted inBrunch with Bridge
Orr, what? Detroit EM’s first days show more loyalty to state than city
THIS IS NEWS? Detroiters are well-aware of their city’s problems. If they have to accept an emergency manager, he should work for the city, not the state, writes Karen Dumas. (Courtesy photo/used under a Creative Commons license) Detroit’s Emergency Manager, Kevyn Orr, started his job with mixed reviews. Some thought he was a necessary evil […]
Posted inMichigan Government
New rankings find fiscal troubles for city halls across Michigan
TROUBLE AHEAD: An analysis by Munetrix found that dozens of Michigan communities were in troubling financial shape in 2011, with 2012 data still to be filed. (courtesy photo/used under Creative Commons license) While the financial problems of Detroit have captured the headlines this spring, a new analysis released today on government finance finds that […]
Posted inPhil's Column
Philanthropic groups step up to lead Michigan’s urban revival
Phil Power is founder and chairman of the Center for Michigan. There’s no doubt that one of Michigan’s biggest stories this year is Gov. Rick Snyder’s decision to put Detroit under an emergency manager, and put attorney Keyvn Orr in that post. But Detroit is far from the first or only city in the state […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
*With the appointment of Kevyn Orr, Detroit, Pontiac and Flint all are under state emergency managers. Something else the three cities share: They have the three lowest rates of average household incomes among Michigan cities with at least 50,000 residents. Flint’s at the bottom at $24,779; Detroit is next at $26,253; and Pontiac is at […]