I think it's a mistake to treat every government service and public institution like a business. They're not.

The question is whether voters want to tax themselves because they believe the zoo...whether they attend or not .... is worth it. Surely thriving cultural institutions contribute to strong property values and an intangible sense of community that makes it a desirable place to live.

There's an argument to be made for the "worth" of the zoo as a cultural resource -- and an educational venue for generations of SE Michigan schoolkids -- that goes beyond a balance sheet.

Even if I don't go, I might vote to tax myself for it because I recognize its value.

That's easier to argue when you're employed, as I am, and not one of my many neighbors and friends who are not.......

But I don't believe it's fair to argue the zoo is a "failing" institution because it can't be supported solely through user fees. Our road system isn't failing (well, OK, I HAVE seen the potholes) simply because user fees don't support them; our public colleges aren't necessarily failing because they aren't purely tuition-supported and our public libraries aren't failures because taxpayers choose to support them.

As an aside, the privately funded Zoo Society funds a tremendous amount of the zoo's capital costs.....so combined with the entrance fees there is substantial private donor and user investment in the Detroit Zoo already......investment that's necessary if we want a zoo that's better than the privately funded ones like the one in the U.P. (can't think of it's name). I mean, hey, that's fun, but not exactly a world-class institution.