BIZARRE: Birmingham developer offers plan to buy Belle Isle for $1 billion, secede from Michigan

[LuckyTheDog]

Prominent Republicans in Michigan will gather soon to hear a plan for investors to buy Belle Isle from the city of Detroit for $1 billion and turn the island park into a semi-independent city-state of 35,000 people with its own laws, government and currency.

Never mind that the proposed libertarian experiment, supported by prominent free-enterprise supporters like the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, retired Chrysler President Al Sperlich and Clark Durant, co-founder of Detroit’s Cornerstone Schools, likely will go nowhere.

The sale of Belle Isle requires the approval of Mayor Dave Bing and Detroit City Council and neither would give the proposal a serious look. It’s also very unlikely the island could secede from Michigan.

In fact, the plan smacks of antagonism and divisiveness at a time when the city is shedding vital services to avoid bankruptcy.

More here: http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2013/01/13/birmingham-developer-offers-plan-to-buy-belle-isle-for-1-billion-secede-from-michigan/

[WhoIsNumberNone]

1. Another tax haven for billionaires?

Probably.

[LuckyTheDog]

2. Yep (nt)

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Nope

US citizens owe US taxes no matter where they live

[WhoIsNumberNone]

13. And yet some of them manage to avoid paying them

by stashing their money in tax havens like the Cayman Islands. I would expect any Libertarian Utopia to be just that sort of place.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

16. Depends if it is evasion (illegal) or avoidance (legal)

Last edited Mon Jan 14, 2013, 09:47 PM - Edit history (1)

[Archaic]

3. No problem.

No access to the United States Power Grid. They can build their own power plant, lines, and maintain them. And if they pollute down stream, there will be serious consequences.

Water quality will be closely monitored. If they don't process their wastewater, international incident.

No airspace rights over the USA. They want to get there, they land in our airports, go through our customs, and deal with the TSA.

Special taxation on rental cars, and for using foreign plates from their little island when their limo picks them up at the public airports.

Geoblocking of their island from all of the US cellular carriers since they're using USA's radio bands. SIGNIFICANT international criminal laws if they put up their own cellular service that interferes with the USA carrier service.

No US cable/DSL/fiber into that haven. They want internet, they can pay to launch their own satellite.

As a foreign entity, their banking transactions will not be subject to our oversight or control. So they don't get to make electronic transactions into our markets, or banking system. They want to make their money on Wall Street, have at it. We're charging you international rates to make sure you're not laundering money or acting as a foreign agent to manipulate our markets.

Not sure how you're going to fuel your cars, since we're not running a pipeline there. And we can control the import/export of fuels. You want tanker trucks bringing your Bentley a little gasoline, pay.

And there's no way in hell we're going to allow a foreign army to pass into our country on the way to the island. Start recruiting your own, buy your own munitions, and don't take it personally when we put up towers to make sure nothing comes across the bridge that is a threat.

So I say, other than the fact they're screwing the locals by taking their public space, I'm for it.

[Stringfellow Hawke]

8. +1

[OneGrassRoot]

10. Excellent. Thank you. n/t

[backwoodsbob]

12. why do that?

Detroit needs money so provide them services like water/sewage,cable,electricity...at a 40% premium over regular rates

They love libertarian values so much..let them literally put their money where their mouth is

[FarCenter]

15. If not, they could get these services from Canada.

[drm604]

4. I doubt that this is even legally possible.

Just because a piece of land is privately owned, that doesn't mean that it can legally secede from the state or the union. It'd still be part of Michigan and have to abide by Michigan and federal laws.

[HiPointDem]

5. am i wrong in assuming that clark durant is some kind of relation to william c durant, founder of

GM (whose father was william clark durant)?

[nyquil_man]

6. Haven't we humored these hoarders long enough? nt

[WinkyDink]

9. Let them go. Then refuse to allow them to "import" food/drink, medicines, fire protection (they'll

have their own security, I'm sure), hospitals/doctors, FEMA help, re-entry without passports (conversely, no visitors without passports), bridge/road repairs, refuse their "currency"......y'all get the picture.

IOW: Treat Belle Isle like Cuba.

[Starry Messenger]

11. It's all fun and games until everyone gets cholera.

Then they'll be whining to be let back and cost taxpayers a mint to help them.

[tosh]

14. LOL! Go for it!