Nine official candidates and one write-in candidate are vying to succeed Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running for governor.
The top two vote-getters in the Aug. 5 primary will advance to to the Nov. 4 general election.
On June 29, the Detroit Free Press revealed its endorsement in Detroit’s mayoral race. We believe City Council President Mary Sheffield is best suited for the job.
We hope you’ll read our full endorsement, but with the Aug. 5 primary fast approaching ― you can request an absentee ballot from Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey’s office, or vote in person starting July 26 ― here’s the short version.
Sheffield balances business and community
One the most common frustrations Detroiters express is continued investment in downtown and other central areas, while neighborhoods across the city struggle.
Sheffield says she has the combination of street credibility and C-suite savvy Detroit needs, and she’s demonstrated that with the level of support she’s gathered in both realms.
She prides herself on meeting her constituents where they are, identifying the places people naturally gather and getting out to those places to boost awareness on programs and resources.
And she’s well-positioned to call on corporate leaders to do more for Detroit and to convince them that doing so is best for business.
Clear, precise and realistic plans
The next mayor will face a completely different financial situation than the post-bankruptcy financial honeymoon Duggan enjoyed, and she will need to be prepared.
Sheffield has goals that align with the reality of the funds she will have access to. She plans to focus on successful, existing programs and helping residents access them instead of pursuing major new projects that would cost the city money it will not have.
Staying the course on preventative policing
Sheffield knows what she wants for the police department, and says she would keep Police Chief Todd Bettison in place, with an eye toward focusing on community input and preventative policing.
She supports boosting technological support for police, but is appropriately averse to facial recognition technology in particular, because of its history of misidentification.
Supporting Community Violence Intervention groups
Sheffield is eager to maintain funding support for Community Violence Intervention groups, known for working with vulnerable youth to address the root causes of violence, offering resources like temporary housing, transportation, training, mental health care and other forms of life-altering, face-to-face intervention.
It’s the ultimate form of community-based, preventative public safety work.
Sheffield knows that, and is all in on keeping them funded.
Exactly what Detroit public schools need
Sheffield’s plans to help Detroit schools is most in line with what Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says students needs from the city: Improving the public bus system, and bolstering afterschool programming support ― without undue interference in district leadership.
… and one more thing
Sheffield is not without vulnerabilities. Support from secretive political action committees has raised eyebrows, as has her use of council dollars to mail greeting cards bearing her image to likely voters.
But having spent the last decade representing Detroiters as a council member, building expertise on municipal policy, key economic drivers and the most pressing needs of residents, Sheffield is most prepared to transition into the mayor’s office and keep the city on a trajectory of growth and a path toward equitable opportunity.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 5 reasons we endorsed Mary Sheffield for Detroit mayor | Endorsement
Reporting by Free Press Editorial Board / Detroit Free Press
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