Let There Be Light In Detroit: Fixing A Broken System

'We're Getting Out Of The Lighting Business'

By Kirk Cheyfitz and Bill Mitchell

Mayor Dave Bing and Gov. Rick Snyder have joined forces on a complex plan to overhaul Detroit's broken street lighting by taking on debt, collecting more Detroit income taxes and shutting down the city's antiquated electricity system so all power is provided by DTE Energy over the utility's transmission lines.

The plan's most controversial provision involves diverting tax money now reserved exclusively for paying Detroit police officers to a streetlight fund, a step backers hope can be made politically acceptable by paying for cops in other ways.

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