Zoo Rant
Now I know most of the people who have "friended" me aren't Detroit natives, but some of you are, and even if you aren't, I'd say there's a good chance you have been to the Detroit Zoo.
Earlier this week, Detroit City Council voted against the mayor's proposal for funding the zoo. This vote was supposed to happen months ago, but was delayed til now, which, in effect, made it an emergency situation. Years ago (I don't know how many) most of the funding for the zoo was transfered from the city to the Detroit Zoological Society, which, in effect, made it the non-Detroit zoo (since it is located in Royal Oak, which is a decent distance from the city). Mayor Kilpatrick, in an effort to save money from the most cash-strapped city in the most cash-strapped state in the cash strapped-country, created a proposal that would bring an additional 4 milliion from the state budget (which was extremely generous of our cash-strapped state) in to fund the zoo. This would elliviate the city of the payment.
The city council said no. Why? Basically, they wanted the zoo to stay in city hands. That sounds good, in theory. But by saying no, they disapproved the Society's right to get funding, and said no funding would come from Detroit. Without the council's approval of this plan (or another one) the zoo will close very shortly. The coucil resorted to 4-year-old child tactics of "if we can't have it, no one can". They would rather have the zoo close than give up some ownership. This has happened before in Detroit histroy. Belle Isle has been allowed to fall into crap, when it could have been given to the Metro Parks organization, and actually had something DONE with it. Detroit has become so worried about having junk, that it'd rather go to shambles then give it up.
(For a SLIGHTLY less biased explanations, go here and here.)
Now, understandably, everyone is pissed. I don't know if there's a person in this area who HASN'T been to the zoo at least once in their life. We went every year when I was a kid. There is great public outcry. We just had this great experience with the Super Bowl, things actaully looked good for the city, and now this. So the city council is now working quickly to come up with a new plan.
So, in the midst of being total dooshbags for voting against the funding to begin with, they now get to look like heros for saving the zoo at the eleventh hour (which they had better...). So, they broke something, now they get to look like heros for fixing it. That almost makes me madder than the thought of the zoo closing to begin with (ALMOST).
What I wouldn't do for Detroit to be run by people with souls and common sense.....