Mayor Kilpatrick Says $300M Will Bring New Crime Lab for Detroit Police Dept.

Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick while standing in the hallway of the Detroit Police Department's Crime Lab, the former Stephen Foster Elementary School, announced his $300 million Neighborhood Opportunity Fund would allow for the city to invest $17.5 million in a new crime lab and another $40 million for other department facilities.

"The men and woman of the Detroit Police Department deserve modern facilities," said Mayor Kilpatrick. "The economic stimulus package will provide the funding needed to make the necessary upgrades. I'm hopeful City Council will make their decision about this plan based on the needs of our city departments and citizens instead of politics."
In addition to the new crime lab the economic stimulus package to upgrade and renovate districts, expand the Northeastern District, expand the Western District, and acquire land to build a new Eastern District.

The Kilpatrick Administration last Wednesday hand-delivered to City Council nine very large packets of information detailing the much anticipated $300 million Neighborhood Opportunity Fund.

Mayor Kilpatrick and top administration officials began working on the Neighborhood Opportunity fund more than 18 months ago. They worked with the nationally-respected financial consulting firms JP Morgan Chase out of New York and Loop Capital out of Chicago to develop the $300 million bond initiative.

The package calls for the use of 15 percent of casino wagering taxes, which amounts to about $29 million a year, to pay off the bonds over a 30 year period.
The $300 million stimulus package will also fund:

• Build two new fire stations, one of each on the east side and one of each on the west side;
• Install electrical generators at all fire stations;
• Remodel two neighborhood health centers to provide better pre-natal care and better care for infants and children;
• Demolish 50 vacant commercial and apartment structures around the city;
• Establish a $15 million entrepreneurship loan fund that will be administered by the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation that would create jobs for Detroiters;
• Partner with foundations and banks to establish and grow a $10 million neighborhood preservation fund to address foreclosures, weatherization issues and other structural problems;
• Establish a budget stabilization fund of at least $75 million;
• Make major improvements to the Public Lighting Department;
• Make major improvements to aging Department of Public Works facilities; and
• Provide seed funding for the 10 year initiative to eliminate homelessness and provide housing for the homeless who need it.