Federal government should take charge in redeveloping cities, Freep says

The Freep says that cities, such as Detroit, need more than just private development help, they need federal programs and policies that lubricate and drive urban growth.

Excerpt:

Urban economic growth cannot occur in silos. Public safety, good schools, adequate mass transit and land-use policies that discourage sprawl all help attract investment and residents with disposal income. Ultimately, a city's economic development will depend largely on its ability to attract and retain middle-class and affluent residents. A city without a middle-class tax base cannot attract the private investment that puts people to work. Nor can it support anti-poverty programs, good public schools, adequate mass transit and other municipal services that benefit everyone.

The federal government should consider bold approaches, including exempting those living in distressed urban areas from paying federal personal income taxes, as proposed by Wayne State law professor and urban expert John Mogk.

"Resident income is the prime determinant of a city's economic health," he said. "As income declines, cities, or sections of them, begin to decline and, in time, collapse."

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