ISSUES

Public Safety Police

Prior to November 2015, we had double digit unsolved homicides in Inkster.  Fast forward three years later to 2018, and we were highlighted on WDIV Channel 4 news for having a 24% decrease in violent crime. During my tenure we created five new positions in the police department: community relations officer, evidence technician, an additional detective position, an animal control officer, 4 police service aides, and an additional ordinance officer.  

The police community relations unit brought the citizens and our police department together like never before with events like “National Night Out”, “Movie Night” at the Police Department on Friday evenings throughout the summer, “Coffee with a Cop”, bringing citizens and police officers together at local restaurants to address citizen concerns, and “Shop with a Cop”, where Inkster police officers adopted a family from the community for Christmas. All of these programs were implemented during my tenure as mayor. 

Marijuana Businesses in Inkster

Medical and Adult Use Marijuana facilities are a new industry in the state of Michigan.  During my tenure as Mayor we approved ONLY three medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in the city.  Our city’s ordinance capped the number of marijuana dispensaries at three.  In 2020, the current administration and city council changed the ordinance to allow unlimited Adult Use Marijuana Dispensaries.  Since then, 11 more marijuana dispensaries have been approved to operate in our small city.  Given the size of our city, I believe we need to reduce the number of marijuana retail facilities back to three.

The City Government's Financial Stability

When I was elected in November of 2015, the city was in a consent agreement with the state of Michigan under the state's emergency manager law.  In just seven months, I was able to negotiate the release of our city from the consent agreement.  Under my watch, the city grew financially.  We added city services and new employees, while implementing safeguards in order to remain fiscally responsible.  When I left office in November of 2019, the city had a $2 million dollar surplus in its general fund. 

 As of May 2023, the poor management of funds with the current administration has led to a city general fund deficit of over $3 million dollars. If this indiscriminate spending continues, our city will be taken over by the state and have an emergency manager again.  We cannot let this happen.    

Neighborhood Stabilization Program

In order to fight blight in our community, I created the Inkster Neighborhood Stabilization Program in 2017.  This program allows the city to reclaim foreclosed homes from Wayne County and partner with vendors to renovate them, and sell to homeowners.  In the first three years of the program we renovated over 300 homes in the city of Inkster.  

Economic Development

The city of Inkster is in a prime location. Just west of Detroit, northeast of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and on one of the busiest thoroughfares in Southeast Michigan - Michigan Avenue. Although Inkster has these assets, we are economically underdeveloped. My vision is to develop the land by adding sustainable businesses that bolster our community.  

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