The shrinking of Detroit

Facing a $360 million smaller budget, a dwindling tax basis, and a substantially weakened ability to provide services, Detroit appears to have begun the process of downsizing.  From the Detroit News:  “… Mary Bing said Wednesday he “absolutely” intends to relocate residents from desolate neighborhoods and is bracing for inevitable legal challenges when he unveils his downsizing plan.  In his strongest statements about shrinking the city since taking office, Bing told WJR-760 AM the city is using internal and external data to decide ‘winners and losers.’  The city plans to save some neighborhoods and encourage residents to move from others, he said.  ‘If we don’t do it, you know this whole city is going to go down. I’m hopeful people will understand that,’ Bing said.”  The reactions are predictable.  One less ring in the city’s nested concentric circles?