Rodney Lockwood, Board Chairman of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, argues that high-tax cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are facing structural decline due to excessive taxation and socialist policies.

He proposes transforming Detroit's Belle Isle into a self-governing 'Freedom City' with a tax-friendly framework to attract private investment and revitalize the region.

The 982-acre island, currently a state park, could become a special economic zone with 50,000 residents and $50 billion in private capital, aiming to restore Detroit's status as a world-class city.

Lockwood highlights the failure of conventional municipal governance and emphasizes the need for light-touch regulation and growth-oriented tax policies.

A 2026 study by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation confirms taxpayer migration to lower-tax states, with Texas surpassing Florida as the top destination.

The proposal seeks to create jobs and economic activity while avoiding reliance on public funds, positioning Detroit as a model for urban revival through private-sector-driven solutions.