Detroit People's Platform Candidate Nights

District 7 Candidate Night

West Side City Wide
Candidate Night

Candidate Questions 2021

Know the Candidates
Vote your Values

Find out where candidates stand on the issues and their history supporting Majority Black Detroit. These questions are designed to help you decide where the candidates stand on critical issues that affect the quality of life for the average Detroiter. They will help you determine how candidates will fight for you, your family and your neighborhood.

COVID Response & American Rescue Plan

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Detroit was identified as a hot spot. Majority Black Detroiters experienced covid death and illness in higher rates than many other communities.  Covid also impacted Detroiters because even before the pandemic we had existing public health crisis, poor medical care and conditions rooted in historical structural and systemic racism.

• How would you have responded differently to the COVID 19 pandemic than the elected officials who were in power at the time?
• Do you believe Detroiters received their fair share of COVID federal relief funding?
• What will you do to make sure that Detroiters needs are met when the next round of ARP funds are released in 2022?

Water Affordability

More than 20,000 people have had their water shut off each year since 2014. The United Nations (UN) has stated that Detroit’s water shutoffs are contrary to Human Rights. 

• Will you advocate to stop the water shutoffs? 
• If elected will you support a water affordability plan and what would that look like?

Transit

DDOT is the largest public transit system in the State with an average daily ridership of roughly 100,000 mostly of riders who depend on the bus as their primary means of transportation.  In a city that has valued private automobile ownership over reliable and quality bus services.

• What changes do you propose for DDOT and what is your priority issue for improving DDOT?
• Will you support the implementation of a Low-Income Fare pilot program?
• How do you plan to invest ARP and federal transit funding to repair and upgrade DDOT bus service?
• How will you increase essential bus rider input and influence in transit decisions and planning?
• Detroit will inherit the QLine and costs in 2027 – what is your position on this?  

Budget

The city’s budget determines how money is spent and what it is spent on. In recent years Detroit City Council has approved the administrations budget with minimal changes and without implementing many requests made by community.  

• How will you ensure that the budget represents the priorities of Detroiters?
• If elected, do you have a set of budget priorities you will fight for?

Affordable Housing

Thousands of Detroiters have been displaced from their homes and neighborhoods as a result of unjust tax foreclosures and evictions. At the same time the average Detroiter pays more than half their income in rent, among the highest in the nation.  When policy makers speak about affordable housing as a part of development, they typically are for households with higher incomes than the average Detroiter.

• Do you acknowledge there is a housing crisis in Detroit?
• What would a comprehensive housing plan look like to you if elected?
• Will you make a commitment to support an increased budget allocation for the Housing Trust Fund?
• Detroit lacks basic renter protections. Will you support an ordinance that gives Detroiters the Right to Legal Counsel when facing housing eviction and displacement?

Economic Justice & Community Benefits

The current Community Benefit Ordinance needs amendment. It does not include a legally binding agreement between community and developers for large scale development projects that include public investment. Politicians hold the power to appoint Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) members who speak with developers on behalf of community.  In many CBO development projects developers have failed to honor the recommendations presented by community representatives.

• What improvements would you advocate in the current CBA ordinance?
• How will you hold developers accountable when they don’t live up to their agreements? 
• What is the candidate’s strategy for monitoring developer’s performance on promises made?

Tax Capture & Neighborhood Improvement

The Detroit economic development strategy often allows developers to capture property taxes within a certain district that may be designated for schools or libraries.  These tax captures or TIFS as they are known, divert funds from the city budget and our neighborhoods suffer as a result.

• Do you support the use of tax captures and TIFs as an economic development strategy here in Detroit?
• What alternative strategies for economic development would you advocate for in place of these tax captures and TIF districts? 

After you vote, STAY ENGAGED!

• Demand accountability from your elected officials.
• Know which city council district you live in and who represents you on city council, including the at large council members.
• Know how to contact your council members and their chief of staff by phone or e-mail.
• Know which city council committee(s) your council member serves on.
• Organize and host meetings with your neighbors about issues that impact the quality of life in your neighborhood.
• Plan and meet with your elected officials throughout the year and let them know how what you think of their performance. 
• Document how your city council member is voting and representing your concerns in committee and when council meets as a whole.