The Spark

the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist

“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx

Gilbert Gets the Green

Aug 1, 2022

Not once, not twice, but three times, the Detroit City Council had postponed its decision, allegedly to determine whether Gilbert’s downtown development project met the criteria for tax relief. But the fourth time was the charm for Gilbert: On July 26, the Detroit City Council voted 5 to 4 to approve a 60-million-dollar tax break, because, apparently, the city council members who voted “for” were satisfied with Gilbert’s promise of a “community benefits package.”

This decision comes as no surprise to many Detroit residents, who, time and time again, have seen billionaire businessmen come to the city coffers for money. In 2017, the site on which the skyscraper and a luxury hotel are being built was deeded to Gilbert for ONE DOLLAR by the Downtown Development Authority. And Gilbert’s Bedrock Detroit already received 618 million dollars in brownfield tax credits for this and three other projects.

The 23rd richest man in the world, whose net worth, according to Forbes, is 50 billion dollars, says he can’t cover the inflationary costs of an extra 400 million and so he needs a 60 million dollar tax break from the city?!

Give US a break!