10 Lansing candidates running for 2 at-large council seats. Here's where they stand on key issues

Yahoo

7 hours ago

This story has been updated to correct Councilman Jeremy Garza's Ward 2 representation.
LANSING — Many of the 10 candidates in a crowded race for two at-large seats on the City Council are skeptical of the city's years-long pursuit of large downtown apartment developments as an answer to the loss of thousands of state workers to work-from-home policies.
"I don't think this is a viable solution," said Nick Pigeon, a 30-year-old musician and former executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. He said the city should be more creative in zoning because tall buildings can become neglected with little the city can do to force changes.
It's a different tone from the present council that voted unanimously to accept $40 million from the state to help seed New Vision Lansing, a private, $315 million downtown housing development that will include the city's first skyscraper in a century. It aims to develop more than 560 apartment units across five buildings, mostly new construction, with commercial, office or retail space in each building.
Mayor Andy Schor supports state workers returning to their offices to help boost the city's downtown and its businesses, but has said, regardless of that, the addition of apartments downtown adds to the city's property tax and income tax revenues.
'My pitch from the beginning is this helps the city's bottom line, by new residents paying property and income taxes," said Schor, who is seeking a third term. "It helps the city with revenues."
About 600 new apartments have been built in and around downtown in the past several years, with another more than 800 planned.
The composition of the City Council will change in after November's general election, as at-large councilmembers Peter Spadafore and Jeffrey Brown are not running for reelection for their current seats. Spadafore is seeking a Fourth Ward seat, and Brown is challenging Schor in the mayor's race.
Lansing residents Miles Biel, Aurelius Christian, Gloria Denning, Jeremy Garza, Clara Martinez, Jonah Stone, Olivia Vaden, Julie Vandenboom, Tirstan Walters and Pigeon are running in the Aug. 5 Primary election. The top four vote getters advance to the November general election. Garza did not respond to requests for an interview and Christian could not be reached.
The terms are four years. Council members get a base salary of $28,146 with higher salaries, up to $30,730, for the president and vice president, according to Chris Swope, the city clerk.
Biel, Walters and Martinez were the strongest supporters of the new developments, with Walters saying it is the best way of boosting the city's density and tax base. Martinez likes the wide mix of developments and Biel said the downtown projects would work best if they draw people from neighboring communities into Lansing.
Denning and Stone have concerns about whether city residents will be able to afford rents at the planned developments.
Vaden and Vandenboom said they have struggled to support the projects but do want the plans to succeed as part of a larger city strategy of revitalization.
"Lansing is a company town, the state is our top employer but we are not, for a lack of a better word, being held hostage by the state's decision,' Vaden said. 'We can have a conversation with the state about what is being utilized downtown and what the state can let go of so we can start to get tax revenue from those spaces," Vaden said.
Should the city do more to get state workers back downtown?
Most of the candidates said they think forcing state workers to be downtown more often, or urging state government to push for more downtown work, isn't worth the effort.
Pigeon, Vaden, Walters, Vandenboom and Martinez said there are better ways to compensate for the loss of state workers, whether that's through better services, better parking or freeing up state property so the city can tax or develop it.
Stone and Biel, who have each been state workers, said they favored some form of hybrid work with many state workers in downtown at least part of the week.
Denning said state workers had to reinvent their jobs after the pandemic and one of the effects was that workers were no longer getting city parking deducted from checks, which could affect the city's revenue.
Lansing's static population
Pigeon said the city has few available places to live, in part due to a high number of red-tagged homes and expensive rents, and growing the city can be done with more investments from residents as well as better city services to attract more people.
Lansing has about 112,000 people, according to both the 2020 U.S. Census and a 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimate.
Vaden said there are options at the state level for changing city tax policies, to allow for a more progressive income tax, which could help to boost the city's services, which could grow the city's population.
Stone said Lansing's focus on manufacturing needs to be supplemented by tourists and their dollars to help diversify the city's economy, and Lansing should push the state to complete plans for a major downtown park, as well as more support for museums and other entertainment options.
Walters said Lansing is one of the most affordable places in Michigan and the Midwest, with a big potential to grow. He said a closer relationship between the city and the Lansing School District could help to bring more activities and residents to Lansing.
Vandenboom said people are frustrated with Lansing's property taxes and level of services.
"There's a perception, it's a perception, that the LSD does not hold up to the same standards as school districts in surrounding areas and the way to solve that is to do a better job of promoting the district to young families who might otherwise choose somewhere else to live," Vandenboom said.
Martinez said Lansing is facing the same challenges much of the Midwest is and council members have worked to rebound from the pandemic. Martinez said focusing on the city's people, making them feel like they belong, will help to grow the city.
Biel said people leave for warmer climates, but also the possibility of economic opportunity. "We get painted as a one-trick pony," Biel said. "Autos or nothing. What do we do to fix that? More economic opportunity and development."
Denning said the city needs to be inviting, which starts at the top levels of the governor and state legislature and then the mayor and city council, who need to hear from residents about priorities, starting with housing for the homeless and safety for residents.
Is the city doing enough to help small businesses?
Pigeon said a more walkable city would help small businesses, many of which are frustrated with how the city has handled corridor construction projects that have closed major streets for months at a time.
Vaden said the city can do more to support small businesses with better coordination and reconsidering parking fees in places like Old Town and downtown. "The solutions are there," Vaden said.
Stone said the city gives out grants and loans to small businesses but he wants to see the process become more targeted, by offering different kinds of grants to attract specific businesses such as small groceries in neighborhoods.
Walters said there are many great programs for small businesses, but many aren't aware of the range of programs that could help.
Vandenboom said her "pie in the sky" idea is "to see the city advocate for some type of universal health care so many people would try a new business idea or quit a job they can't stand."
Martinez said she wants to learn more about small business concerns and the current programs but wants to ensure small businesses have any tools necessary to thrive.
"The city could always do more to help small businesses, it's a hard endeavor to start and sustain a small business," Biel said. He suggested strategic investments in corridors and more funding for small business programs.
Denning said a friend recently began to develop a business and has run into many problems, some of which the city could streamline, including communication of guidelines from the city and from economic development partners.
"I see small businesses popping up throughout the city, Old Town and downtown and everywhere, some on the south side," Denning said. "It's great and hopefully the city continues to support them but when the newness wears off, when the honeymoon phase is over, is the city there for them?"
City vacancies an issue
None of the candidates identified specific cuts they would make to the city's $173 million general fund budget.
Pigeon said the city needs to better address its vacancies and be cautious about developer incentives, and said the city should not consider additional property tax millages to pay for city hall.
The city plans to fund a new city hall with a $40 million appropriation from state government.
Vaden said people are understandably concerned about police staffing but a focus on services and access to food and education could reduce crime more effectively than more police officers. And she suggested pursuing state tax changes that could help stabilize Lansing's budget including a progressive city income tax.
Stone said there are unfilled positions in the police department and elsewhere in the city which could be reprogrammed into social workers or other positions.
Walters said the city could look at contracted services, such as bringing mowing back in-house, as a way to get better results and save money.
Vandenboom said she doesn't have any cuts in mind but would ask that city leaders get more creative, such as adopting a medical taxi policy to curb the number of not-medical emergencies that city firefighters respond to.
Martinez said she doesn't have cuts in mind but does want to support better infrastructure.
"Voters want solid infrastructure that's going to last through another generation or more," she said.
Biel said he is reluctant to cut anything that would aid residents and any targeted cuts should have minimal effects on people. Biel said BWL, a city utility, could push to convert more home appliances to electric, which could help lower residents' bills and grow the city's budget.
Denning said she wants to learn more about the city's budget but knows residents want more to be done about homelessness, housing and public safety.
"We have homeless people and yet we're building new apartments all over, at some point those things should come together," she said. "Can you find a happy medium?"
Meet the candidates:
Miles Biel
Age: 36
Professional background: Energy efficiency expert who works for Consumers Energy.
Political background: He has not held elected office
Quote: "I've noticed the city hasn't really bounced back as well as I hoped for, post-COVID, and we're in a more precarious state because of what's happening at the federal level."
Aurelius Christian
Age: Did not respond
Professional background: He is a development programs coordinator for the Lansing Economic Development Corporation.
Political background: He is on the Allen Neighborhood Center Board of Directors and the Capital Region Community Foundation's Impact Grant Committee and previously served on the Ingham Community Health Centers board.
Quote: Did not respond
Gloria Denning
Age: 67
Professional background: Constituent services for Michigan Senate Democratic staff and for more than 20 years for U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Political background: Worked in state and national politics
Quote: "I'm a fighter, I like helping people and I like serving and now I have my voice and I can speak and say 'that's wrong' or 'why are you this.' I have a servant's heart, I serve at my church, and I serve my family."
Jeremy Garza
Age: Did not respond
Professional background: Plumber and union official.
Political background: Ward 2 council member, first elected in 2017.
Quote: Did not respond
Clara Martinez
Age: 33
Professional background: A dance instructor at Everett High School and a school union official, she is involved with the All of the Above Hip Hop Academy, and has been on a variety of boards including the Lansing Arts and Culture Commission and the Michigan Dance Council.
Political background: Union official, served on a variety of arts and culture boards
Quote: "I still hear students say I have to leave Lansing because there's nothing for me here but that's not true and I want to show them the greater community we have here with resources and people. You can live your life here."
Nick Pigeon
Age: 30
Professional background: Musician and former executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.
Political background: Worked in politics
Quote: "The city has to look at our fill of vacancies and why we're not getting information on how the mayor is picking who is being staffed and what is being filled, that's frustrating."
Jonah Stone
Age: 31
Professional background: He is a forensic scientist for the Michigan State Police, specializing in DNA.
Political background: He has not held elected office
Quote: "What I know about science is you take a look at a problem and how you want to approach it and how you want to fix it and I think that's a good approach to politics and to Lansing."
Olivia Vaden
Age: 29
Professional background: Worked in philanthropy in Detroit and as director of policy for the Michigan Growth Office.
Political background: Worked in politics
Quote: "I see a lot of changes coming down the pipe in Lansing and I have a genuine concern that we're operating on growth for growth's sake agenda. We want development to happen but we're not taking the concern about what the development means for people: Displacement or erasure of culture."
Julie Vandenboom
Age: 50
Professional background: Policy analyst for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Political background: Board member of the Capital Area District Libraries, East Neighborhood, Friends of Bancroft and Place for Us, a start-up nonprofit working with unhoused LGBTQ people.
Quote: "I'm offering change. I'm not part of the establishment and I haven't been groomed by anyone for this position. I offer change and would love to bring empathy and compassion to city government."
Tirstan Walters
Age: 25
Professional background: Data worker for state of Michigan
Political background: Member of Lansing Parks Board and Ingham County Equal Opportunity Committee.
Quote: "I've really tried to bridge the gap between the parks dept and the neighborhoods department and the people they serve and I'd like to broaden that advocacy to city issues like roads, making sure our first responders are supported and more developments to get more things going and broadening my advocacy."
Contact Mike Ellis at [e-mail] or 517-267-0415.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: 10 at-large Lansing council candidates: Here's where they stand on key issues
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