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Showing posts from January, 2011
OPEN LETTER TO LOCAL AND STATE LEADERS Regarding the recent U.S. – China leadership summit in Washington, D.C., there are lessons that local leadership can learn from this concerning developing a redevelopment plan for the future. Michigan governor Rick Snyder’s recent comments about attracting immigrants with college degrees to Michigan can play a part in this as well. An initiative that needs to happen is to seek out and incentivize entrepreneurs and companies from global regions ( Africa, China, India, Middle East, South America ) to set up shop in Wayne County/Detroit, renovate abandoned buildings and hire locals to work at these new businesses. Our region should be taking the initiative to benefit from globalization and not be left behind by it. Next, when it comes to getting a rail system going here, Chinese consultation on this could prove invaluable since China already has a vast network of mass-transit trains. Building off that thread, when it comes to the proposed Detroit
STATE OF SNYDER Michigan governor Rick Snyder has just delivered his first 'State of the State' address, given at the state Capitol building in Lansing: A transcript of the speech follows- http://www.freep.com/article/20110120/NEWS15/110120009/1318/Transcript-State-of-the-State The speech mostly dealt in generalities, which surprised some political observers who felt that some specifics would be announced on how to handle the state's current $1.5 billion budget deficit. Some of the parts of the speech I found intriguing were: An office of urban affairs that will deal with the issues confronting several major urban centers in Michigan, including Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, and Saginaw. Openly supporting the Detroit Riverfront International Crossing , a project that would create a joint- U.S. and Canada-owned bridge going spanning from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario. Currently, a high volume of international trade between the U.S. and Canada goes through the Ambassador Bridge
ARIZONA TRAGEDY On January 8, 2011, Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D- 8th District) was one of nineteen victims of the shooting at a Safeway grocery store near Tucson, Arizona where she was meeting publicly with constituents . She was taken into emergency surgery, in critical condition from a gunshot wound to the head. At the time of this writing, after the surgery a physician treating the congresswoman said that he was optimistic about her chances for recovery. The gunman, a Jared Loughner, has been taken into custody. The nation should rightfully be mourning this tragic incident and be supportive of law-enforcement efforts to bring this investigation to closure. However, there are some issues that can be examined from a policy level that can hopefully curb outbursts of violence such as this. Mental Health - The 2010 Health Care Act must be defended against repeal efforts by those in opposition to it. In particular any statutes concerning mental health coverage sho
STATE OF DETROIT 2011, part 2: Hypestyle's Manifesto Local Detroit television station WXYZ TV-7 has an intriguing new initiative called 'Detroit 2020' ( www.detroit2020.com ) The station says that this will be an ongoing news saga to highlight the state of Detroit (and vicinity) for the next ten years. In particular the station wants to hear from the greater community about good things going on as well as the challenges that are still in place. This author has spoken on these individual issues to varying degrees (and I have written to any number of elected officials and media outlets), but based in part on the challenge issued, I have prefaced my statements with questions that have come up in various community meetings, such as those initiated by mayor Dave Bing's Detroit Works Project ( www.detroitworksproject.com ). What parts of your local economy are working or thriving? What businesses and sectors are expanding and hiring? Some of the moderate growth industrie
STATE OF DETROIT 2011, part 1: Coming of the Nerd If this author hasn't indicated so already, happy new year! Of course, despite the popular saying this time of year of "out with the old, in with the new", the City of Detroit and southeast Michigan are still facing plenty of old issues in the new year. A new governor is now in office in the person of Rick Snyder , the GOP candidate and self-described "tough nerd" who was a dark-horse candidate that surprised even those in his own party, capturing the governorship in a landslide victory over Democratic opponent Virg Bernero. Having had a wide advantage in voting polls vs. Bernero, Snyder opted to only have one official debate, and in comparison to Bernero, Snyder spent scant time campaigning in Detroit. Governor Snyder has promised to have a two-year budget prepared for vote in the Michigan state legislature by July of this year. Among his stated policy priorities are revising Michigan's tax structure,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! More to come....