As a Detroiter with deep roots in the community, and more than two decades in public service, I have been working recently to develop a document that may be used as a roadmap for our city's future. It is intended to outline some achievable goals for our many pressing issues - schools, transportation, economic development, city services and more - as well as a workable plan for how we get there from here.

I am making available to you the following chapter on "Restarting the Economic Engine," which will form a section of the larger roadmap document which will be available for review later this year. This chapter examines how public-private partnerships can benefit the city, and how to facilitate the kind of economic development environment that will foster such partnerships. I would very much appreciate hearing your thoughts on it.

I selected this chapter for input because the economic development environment is the one issue on which the city's leadership-- business, labor and government -- can have the most immediate impact. It is also the one issue that enjoys a veritable chorus of agreement about what can and should be done. Finally, my recent experience in the private sector also has helped to drive home for me the important role that the city itself must play in promoting business growth in Detroit.

Simply put, if we want prosperity, jobs and all the hallmarks of a thriving economy, city government needs to work with the business community to forge the kind of deep and lasting partnerships that will foster long-term, committed investment. In order to have that, the city must first make it easier for businesses to start up and stay in business here in Detroit. With all of our power to make a difference, and all the consensus on what must be done, we must now find the collective will to do things differently, and turn Detroit into the open, business-friendly city that I believe it can be.

This change must happen now. After more than 30 years, during which we've seen some laudable progress and all too many false starts, Detroit is at a critical juncture. Young, creative, educated people of all backgrounds (the human capital for a healthy, thriving city) need to see things moving toward a brighter future. If Detroit's leaders keep raising hopes with grand announcements, little planning and no capacity for follow through, the expectation of failure will become entrenched, fostering more cynicism and finally leading to a credibility gap too wide to overcome.

The result will be that the best and most talented won't even consider Detroit as a place to live. Even worst, those residents who currently call Detroit home will continue to leave. According to the most recent census estimates, since the last 10-year count, we've lost another 44,000 residents, bringing the city's population to a low of 907,122. We cannot afford to lose any more.

To appreciate some of the long-standing obstacles that have hindered our progress as a city, the following "Restarting the Economic Engine" chapter offers a short historical perspective on the city of Detroit's relationship corporations and businesses. It also reviews some of the gains made during the last decade that give us reason for optimism. However, at the heart of the document is the very real need for change. Any significant improvement in the economic development climate in the city will be predicated on serious revisions of the city's tax policy, business regulations, land assembly process, access to capital, insurance red-lining, and even the downtown parking policy, just to name a few.

It all boils down to one overarching truth: We cannot afford to discourage those who want to create businesses and jobs in Detroit. We should be making it as easy as possible. That will involve streamlining processes while making them more open and transparent to the people who have a stake in them. As I consider my future, I look forward to offering a voice to this most important issue. from city, state, and of course, our business leadership.

As the attached chapter, as well as the rest of the document, is a "work in progress." I ask that you review it as an opportunity to offer suggestions as I further refine my final draft for distribution to a much larger audience. I welcome and look forward to your input. Click here to share your comments with me.

Thanks again for your time and consideration, and I hope to hear from you.

Freman Hendrix

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