The city 's wealthier white population has declined by 1.4 million since the 1950s , leaving behind an almost entirely African-American and much poorer population . Ross ##er : Stripping Detroit 's workers of their modest ##y will kill middle class . Eisenbrey : Most pensions are $ a year ; $ 30,000 a year for police and firefighters . He says culprits are sky - high financial pressures , corporate subsidies , tax incentives . He says Detroit bankruptcy caused by same dynamics of inequality in the nation .
Ross ##er : Stripping Detroit 's workers of their modest ##y will kill middle class . Eisenbrey : Most pensions are $ a year ; $ 30,000 a year for police and firefighters . He says culprits are sky - high financial pressures , corporate subsidies , tax incentives . He says Detroit bankruptcy caused by same dynamics of inequality in the nation .