Opinion

The sad story of Detroit: The writing’s on NYC’s wall

The Issue: The causes of Detroit’s bankruptcy and what it means for other cities like New York.

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Nicole Gelinas’ “A Warning to New York” (PostOpinion, July 23) overstates a thin case.

The financial situations of Detroit and New York City are simply not comparable. Detroit’s condition is the culmination of decades of demographic, economic and financial factors that differ starkly from those of New York City.

Our city has a diversified economic base, our population and economy are growing and for more than 30 years, we have started and ended each year with a balanced budget.

Our General Obligation bonds have been rated as “AA” by the three major rating agencies since they were upgraded in 2007, and this outlook has remained stable throughout subsequent economic cycles.

Like other cities and states, New York City faces the challenge of rising costs in many budget areas, but we have a track record of addressing those costs though our budgets and four-year financial plans. We understand and value the attention being paid to the city’s finances, but any parallel to Detroit is misplaced.

John C. Liu

NYC Comptroller

Manhattan

If the federal government uses taxpayer money to bail out Detroit, say goodbye to America as you know it.

Every state that has been destroyed by liberal tax-and-spend politics will line up for the dole. States that live by their means will be penalized. California, New York, Michigan and every other state run by corrupt pols will line up for the bailout, and the states that lived within their means will pay the price.

This is not what democracy is all about. It is what has destroyed every democracy since the fall of the Greeks and the Roman Empire.

Nero fiddled while Rome burned, and Washington is clueless while our country burns.

The last thing that a corrupt government does before it collapses is raid the treasury.

I may be wrong, but I highly doubt it. History always repeats itself for people who deny the truth.Patrick Phelan

Sebastian, Fla.

How can we not look at Detroit’s bankruptcy as anything other than a portent of things to come for the entire country?Richard Vaczy

Manhattan

The Detroit bankruptcy is the ultimate example of the parasite killing the host.

The unions tried to suck the taxpayers dry, so they all left. It should be a lesson to us all here in New York. Justin Short

Manhattan

Detroit is living proof, after 50 years of liberal Democratic leadership, that big government does not work.

The present administration is leading us down the same road. Is this the fate of America?

John van Acken

Bellerose

With Democrats like Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer back in the running for office in New York City, you can bet it’ll be the next Detroit. Dan Galvin

Port St. Lucie, Fla.

I love Detroit. To me and lots of others, it’s holy ground — so many great memories, such a majestic history. Detroit was nurturing and loving, and still has remnants of its glorious past. I cry when I see what’s happened.

But I don’t think that the recently declared bankruptcy is the end. The people here are bright and inventive. They have brains and muscle. Detroiters want to roll up their sleeves and rebuild it.

Hopefully, this setback will become an opportunity to reconstruct and remodel the Detroit of our dreams.

This is not the end. This will be a new beginning.Douglas Miller

Franklin, Mich.