Shrink What?  Mayor Dave Bing likes to say that we have no
choice but to shrink the city. He constantly points out that
Detroit was once a city of 2 million people. Now, with half that
number, we cannot provide services as if we were that big. This
sounds like a reasonable, almost inevitable conclusion.  But it
creates a distorted image. The phrase subtly conveys the idea
that somehow or other only the population has gone down but
everything else is up and running as it always did.  This is not
true. Detroit has not only lost population since 1950. We have
lost services and infrastructure. Basic services have been cut
back, again and again, for years. Trash collection has been
restricted. Bulk pick up, once routine, is now reduced to four
times a year. Police precincts have been cut nearly in half.
Police ranks vastly reduced. Fire stations have closed.
Neighborhood City Halls boarded up and police mini stations
abandoned. City departments have been decimated. Half our public
schools have closed. Rolling blac