Detroit Free Press Editorial Board
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In many respects, Detroit is a dramatically different city than the one convulsed by a state takeover just eight years ago. The city emerged from its historic municipal bankruptcy in 2014, having wiped out its overwhelming debt largely by slashing the pensions and health care of its retirees.( A balloon pension payment comes due in 2023, something city officials are quietly worried about).
Downtown has been transformed, thanks to investments by Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert and others. The city has maintained a balanced budget, enjoyed modest surpluses, and had been on a generally upward trajectory until COVID-19 posed a new threat to its financial stability.