What?!?

Considering the lumps automakers have taken in recent months, Detroit losing the North American International Auto Show would do nothing but further hinder the domestic car companies. Every sector of government, local, state, and federal, should be doing all they can to help the American auto industry be competitive. Yesterday, the City Council of Detroit failed that mission. 

In order to keep the auto show, Cobo Center must be expanded and upgraded. This makes the City Council's decision to reject the recent agreement to upgrade the facility and work on a regional level absurd. The time has come for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties to work with the city of Detroit. It strikes me as unreasonable to take the money of the suburbs, but refuse to allow them any say in how Cobo is run. The deal was a good one for Detroiters, Cobo receives improvements and the City Council would have veto power over the Regional Authority that would have power to make decisions. 

Using federal stimulus money will require regional cooperation, the very same that the Detroit City Council adamantly opposed for "their Cobo." 

Detroit's City Council made a vote against citizens, regional cooperation, and the domestic auto industry yesterday, widening an already large gap between Detroit and the suburbs.