A quick perspective on the mood and outcomes from this year's Mackinac Policy Conference:
 
The Good:

- Mayor Dave Bing's decorum, class and integrity was in full view
- Mayor Bing and County Executive Ficano's fast, bold and collaborative approach to keeping GM in downtown Detroit
- Speaker Andy Dillon's support for bold tax reform and recognition that getting rid of the MBT surcharge alone won't make Michigan competitive
 
The Bad:

- Regional in-fighting over Cobo Hall, GM's headquarters and the aerotropolis
 
The Ugly:

- The continued lack of political leadership, collaboration and sense of urgency to resolve the state's budget deficit

Over the past two weeks, bills have been introduced to redirect Cobo funding to move the Auto Show to Novi, an effort has been launched to relocate GM's headquarters to Warren and a new economic alliance has been formed north of 8 Mile Road.  Coincindental timing?  Maybe, maybe not.
 
But here's the problem with all of it.  Dave Bing just got elected as Detroit's new Mayor which gives us a chance to put the City and several regional initiatives back on track.  Can't we give the new Mayor a few weeks breathing space?

Dave Bing's election as Mayor of Detroit gives our city and region a chance to "re-boot" on a number of fronts.  He brings star-power earned through hard work and performance that has a chance to restore Detroit's national image.  He brings the business sense of an entrepreneur who can tackle Detroit's serious financial challenges.  And he brings relationships that cut across boundaries which allow him to achieve regional solutions.
 
Ken Cockrel was a solid Interim Mayor that helped stabilize shattered nerves.  He will be welcomed back as Council President.  But having Bing in the Mayor's seat and Cockrel in the Council President's chair gives Detroit a chance to get back the momenum it had during the pre-scandal Kilpatrick years.

The Final Four is one for the history books. It’s too bad Michigan State didn’t bring the championship title home but they captured much attention and the team had a lot to be proud of. So did the City of Detroit and the Detroit region. The Spartans, the city and the region embraced the moment and were thankful to have the unique experience of being both a player and host of a Final Four championship. When the game was over, MSU players and Coach Tom Izzo talked about the thrill of being part of this. “Programs are bigger than teams and we'll bounce back," Izzo told reporters.

The same is true for the City of Detroit and the Detroit region. The economy is challenging, the auto industry is undergoing a massive transformation, new work is hard to find and foreclosures are abundant.  Detroit faces serious challenges but, like the Spartans, it is tough, resilient and will bounce back as it continues to reinvent itself for the 21st century.

Like all big cities, Detroit has been facing serious challenges and is at the tipping point of being able to benefit from its stress. The region knows how to make and move things and is harnessing its diverse talents, opportunities and natural resources to recreate its future.

Even in challenging times, the region is the economic powerhouse for the state of Michigan (MI) and the nation, ranking 7th in total number of business establishments nationally. Detroit is the strongest link in the longest common border in the world, between the U.S. and Canada, and trade between Ontario and MI is more than $100 billion annually.

The Detroit region has the elements to become a world-class aerotropolis—two major airport facilities, over 25,000 acres of developable land, supportive community leadership and the intellectual capital of three research universities. The University Research Corridor (URC) leverages the intellectual capital of these universities and generated $13.3 billion in new earnings and 69,285 jobs in 2007. Additionally, emerging sectors have brought in over $1 billion in new investment in Oakland County.

The Detroit Regional News Hub, as the central communications clearing house for information on Detroit, gets reporters the information they need to cover their stories. It connects reporters to experts on issues from the region’s growth to the quality of life and education. While it is not the spokespeople for Detroit or the region – they've got connections!