Detroit City Councilman Fred Durhal III has officially announced that he is running to be the city’s next mayor.
Durhal is currently in his first term serving Detroit’s 7th District on the city’s west side. The former state lawmaker made the announcement in front of his family, friends and constituents at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan Lloyd H. Diehl Club.
“We would all agree that the city of Detroit has come a very long way,” Durhal told the crowd of his supporters Wednesday night. “But many of us know as we live here, that this city has a very long way to go.”
As mayor, Durhal would like to further much of the development the city has seen under current Mayor Mike Duggan. During his remarks, he told the crowd that he is “unapologetic about development.”
“We need to continue to build the development that helps us build the jobs and build our tax base here so we can put that money back into our neighborhoods,” Durhal said. “Put that money back into our communities from our residents so they can go back to their communities and pay their rent and pay their mortgages.”
Durhal serves as the chair of the council’s budget committee and has been an advocate of using taxpayer subsidies to incentivize development. Last week at the Detroit Policy Conference, Durhal said he believes investing in businesses big and small is the best approach for Detroit’s future.
“The biggest issue that we’re facing is investment in our residents, our businesses and our city,” Durhal said towards the end of the conference. “When you talk to small business owners they ask where are the support services to ensure my business stays open. Those are things that connect our neighborhoods.”
Durhal has also been an advocate for residents who live with disabilities. He secured boosted funding for the Office of Disability Affairs, wheelchair accessibility upgrades at bus stops and ambassadors to help disabled residents navigate events. Durhal has also been working on reforms to animal control ordinances to protect residents from dangerous dogs.
Durhal now joins a field of candidates that includes his fellow City Councilmember Mary Sheffield, former City Councilmember Saunteel Jenkins, businessman Joel Haashiim, and attorney Todd Perkins.
Despite joining a crowded field in the race for mayor, Durhal spoke about and championed regionalism as a path forward in a way his opponents haven’t yet. He said working with leaders in Oakland and Macomb County, along with Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, could help bring regional mass transit.
“That’s why we’re losing our young people to other cities with real reliable transit systems…that’s what it’s gonna take to build the city of tomorrow,” he said. “For us to be a world class city, we need a world class transportation system.”
Durhal also made sure to speak about securing funds to continue crime prevention programs in the city, developing strong business corridors in each section of the city, and continuing to invest in affordable housing.