Mayor Dave Bing?

[Glenn]

Dave Bing: I may run for mayor of Detroit
Scandal drags city down, says businessman

BY ROCHELLE RILEY • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • July 11, 2008

Detroit businessman and former NBA star Dave Bing is considering a run for the Detroit mayor's office because the city needs to "regain credibility" after the scandals that have infected all levels of government, and before the city loses the middle- and working-class population so necessary for its renaissance.

"I don't think most of us that live in Detroit or call Detroit home feel real good about it right now and that's so unfortunate because there are so many good things happening right now," said Bing, the 64-year-old founder and president of the Bing Group, an automotive supply company and a real estate developer whose latest project is a condo development on the city's waterfront. "All of this overshadows that. We've got to get back on track to turn this ship around, and I think it will be with new leadership."

If Bing decides to run, he will face several opponents who have circled the bloody water created by the mayoral scandal. And whoever the new mayor is would face myriad problems, including lost trust in the business community, lost tax revenue as the city's residents who can afford to move are moving, the failing schools and investigations into every main body of government -- the mayor's office, the council and the school district.

It is not a job for the faint of heart. Bing is far from that. Angered by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's persistence in staying in office while fighting perjury charges, Bing said the mayor is splitting the city between the haves and the have-nots.

"The unfortunate thing for those of us who are strong supporters of the city is that it becomes more and more difficult to circle the wagons and be protective," he said. "It's just a matter of time for those people, regardless of how much they love the city, to find options to move, and we could see an outpouring of whatever middle class we still have here, and that's a death knell because we've lost so much of our middle class. You can't just have all poor people and think the city's going to do well. And that's what happening right now. We've got to change that."

The mayor's office declined to comment.

From 1990 to 2000, the city saw a drop in the percentage of the population below the poverty level -- to 26.1% from 32.4%. But by 2006, the percentage of Detroit's population below the poverty level was back up to 32.5%, and as residents who can afford it relocate out of town, they are taking their tax dollars and Detroit's future with them. Soon, the city will not be able to survive on the tax revenue that is left.

Bing said that, if he runs, it would be for a single term because the next mayor needs to be a short-termer who can make unpopular choices, get the city back on track and then leave it to other Detroiters to continue.

"Do we have capable people in the city who can change things? I think so. But what we don't need to happen is to split the community more than it is split right now. It's not about black and white. It's not necessarily about city and suburb. It's about credible leaders right now and unfortunately, we've got a problem there."

And Bing places the blame for that squarely on the shoulders of Kilpatrick, who he said is literally trading the city's future for his own.

"I don't think we can prejudge the legality of what the mayor is going through," Bing said. "But whether he's guilty or innocent is not the issue to me right now. It's the harm that's being placed upon the citizens. And I don't think anybody can deflect that. I just think some kind of way, the political leadership, the business leadership, the educational leadership have all got to sit down at the table and figure out a model that works for everybody, and tough decisions have got to be made. We are not going to be the city that we were 10, 20 years ago."

Bing said that if the mayor's case goes to trial, regardless of the outcome, "another year of this, I don't think we can recover from it."

Even if the mayor wins his case, "the city will have suffered so much that I'm not sure we could recover. And that's a major concern of mine and others. It's just so unfortunate that a person so talented has gotten himself into this situation and doesn't know how to get out of it. I understand self-preservation.

"I don't think anybody necessarily wants to see him go to jail. But if you keep digging a hole, it keeps getting deeper and deeper. Whether the things that are coming out are true or not, whether it's perception or reality, at some point, perception becomes reality. There are just so many good people who are getting caught up in this; you don't know what to believe. But it is a very difficult situation. And it has to stop. And the sooner the better."

The possibility of Bing running was received positively by business and community leaders.

"Wow! I think it's exciting," said the Rev. Edgar L. Vann, pastor of Second Ebenezer Church and a fellow home developer, with Bing, in the North End. "I think where we are as a city and as a region right now, to have someone of his caliber to consider it is a great, good thing.

"I think that there's plenty of great leadership around so I'm sure we're going to be hearing some names," he said. "But certainly, Dave is someone who's well-respected throughout the community as a businessman, as a person who cares about this city."

Roger Penske said he had not talked to Bing about his future, but called him a first-class individual.

"I only have the greatest respect for Dave Bing and what he's done for the community and as a businessman."

And John Rakolta Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of the Walbridge Aldinger general contracting firm, said, "Dave Bing is a superb human being, an excellent businessman and community leader. I would think that is a favorable development."

But Rakolta also said that he believes the mayor will run again.

"I believe the mayor is innocent until proven guilty, and I think he'll run also."

Bing said he has spoken about his considerations to his longtime friend, Freman Hendrix, who is expected to run, and to the Rev. Nicholas Hood III, pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ, who may be considering a run. But he said his decision to run won't be based on who else enters the race.

"If I make my decision to do it, then I've made my decision."

He said his next steps are to determine whether he can ensure stability at his company for his 600 employees, to make sure that the investors in his waterfront development are financially safe and to move to the city he has worked in every day for 28 years. He said he plans to live in the Watermark, the condo development he is building along the river on East Jefferson.

But he will have to live somewhere else until those condos are completed in 2010.

"We have some capable people in Detroit, but we have to start standing up because if we don't, those good people are going to be run over and we're not going to get another chance. This is it as far as I'm concerned."

[Big Swami]

I've done some work for the Bing Group in the past. Dave Bing is a very good businessman, very smart and very tough. He's also very conservative and very stodgy, and he might be too old for the job.

[Uncle Mxy]

Some people have Dennis Archer as a candidate for governor in 2010, and he'ls a bit older than Bing.

[MoTown]

I've done some work for the Bing Group in the past. Dave Bing is a very good businessman, very smart and very tough. He's also very conservative and very stodgy, and he might be too old for the job.

Detroit's White Knight?

I believe in Dave Bing.

[Black Dynamite]

great just burn half of dave bing's face off now and give him a two headed coin.

Looking at the options Dave Bing is my choice by default. I literally hate everybody else.

Hendrix is a phony who keeps getting his son off the hook no consequences whhen he fucks up.

Cockrell is a dickface.

Napoleon is a bigger gangster than Kilpatrick, crooked cop, and his pull worries me that he'll get elected.

Charles Pugh? WTF

Nicholas Hood dont count

Bella marshall unkown

And Kwame is a mess.

[Black Dynamite]

I have to admit that Bing is probably the best "face" since archer. Meaning that he has business ties and could bring some better ideas. As much as i'd lean towards liberal in US government. Conservative/Liberal matters less to me in city government. Though I'd prefer someone with liberal and conservative pull.

With all that said I would need to know where he stands on alot of issues before i knew i was gonna vote for bing.