Emergency Financial review

The following letter appeared in the Detroit News, December 21, 2011

DECEMBER 21, 2011 AT 1:00 AM

Letters: Detroit should accept help

Intervention is welcome

Rather than welcome the governor initiating a financial review of Detroit's finances, Mayor Bing, with the City Council standing behind him, called a news conference to exclaim that "Detroit needs to be run by Detroiters" (Dec. 2). Well, Mayor Bing, I am a Detroiter. I pay income taxes, utility taxes, and property taxes, and what do I receive in return? Street lights that don't work, buses that frequently don't run on schedule. In fact, I can't think of a single city agency or department, including the police, that provides even adequate services. Most importantly, Detroit needs to be run for Detroiters. I welcome the governor's intervention in this financial crisis.

Thomas E. Page, Detroit

Letter on privatizing Detroit services
Published, November 30, 2011
Detroit News

Detroit News

Privatize services

I applaud Mayor Bing's move to privatize the lighting department and to choose a private management company to run the Department of Transportation's bus system ("Bing likely to seek outsourcing of lighting, busing at financial crisis talk," Nov. 17). These are long-overdue, necessary steps to make Detroit an efficiently run city.

Thomas E. Page, Detroit

Letter regarding Detroit Emergency Financial Manager
Detroit Free Press, December 4, 2011

Rather than welcome the governor initiating a financial review of Detroit's finances, Mayor Dave Bing, with the City Council standing behind him, called a press conference to exclaim, "We are opposed to the governor starting this process. ... Detroit needs to be run by Detroiters."

Well, Mayor Bing, I am a Detroiter. I pay income taxes, utility taxes and property taxes. And what do I receive in return? Street lights that don't work and buses that frequently don't run on schedule. In fact, I can't think of a single city agency or department, including the police, that provides even adequate services.

Most important, Detroit needs to be run for Detroiters.

I welcome the governor's intervention in this financial crisis. The city is broke. A thorough financial review by the governor's staff is an important step in making Detroit a city that works.

Thomas E. Page

Detroit

Alec Baldwin receives "Hell is other people" designation.

This "Hell is Other People" designation goes to actor Alec Baldwin. Mr. Baldwin was ordered off an American Airlines flight that was still at the gate after he refused to turn off his tablet computer. According to reports, Baldwin took his computer into the restroom and slammed the door. This alerted the Captain to the trouble.  Mr. Baldwin blamed the incident on a flight attendant whom he said was acting like a 1950's gym teacher.

I am a frequent flyer. Probably half the time I fly,  I have to speak up and remind other passengers to turn off their phones, computers, tablets, and MP 3 players after the flight attendant announces that "The doors to the aircraft are now closed. All electronic devices with an on-off switch must now be turned off." It never ceases to amaze and disturb me that so many people believe that their "right" to play a game on their computer supersedes my right to a safe flight.  I wish the flight attendants and captains would be more aggressive in enforcing this rule. I laud American Airlines for having Mr. Baldwin removed from the flight.