Latest news with #FredDurhalIII
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Detroit City Council adopts 2026 fiscal year budget minutes before midnight
About 10 minutes before midnight Tuesday, the Detroit City Council approved the city's annual budget after several delays. Council members approved the fiscal 2025-26 $3 billion budget — of which $1.5 billion makes up the General Fund — boosting several departments and initiatives, including nearly $20 million for the Detroit Department of Transportation to hire drivers, boosting funding for the Charles H. Wright Museum, eviction protection, community violence intervention, disability affairs and housing-related investments. Overall, the city's General Fund budget grew by $102 million from last year's budget. Mayor Mike Duggan proposed the budget in February, which holds nearly $500 million in reserves, comprised of $150 million for the city's Rainy Day Fund and $350 million in the Retiree Protection Fund set aside for pensions. Council members underwent dozens of deliberations for a month to decide where funding shifts may be necessary. Members cut a $5 million subsidy out of the Detroit Land Bank Authority, dropping from $10 million last year. Officials justified cuts due to the Land Bank holding an unassigned $31 million fund balance, further explaining the entity can maintain its properties and services without the city's additional funding. The council also cut $5 million in one-time funding for the Construction and Demolition department for blight activity. The city also has $14.5 million in leftover American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, which needs to be spent by the end of 2026. Council members dedicated $5 million of it to address homelessness, which includes emergency shelters, street outreach, focused case management and the Homelessness Response System. The remaining $9.4 million will be split among the nine council members to spend on ARPA programs of their choice. Other budget adjustments include: $2 million for bus shelters. $2 million for the Charles H. Wright Museum; along with $975,000 in one-time capital funding for the Detroit Historical Museum. $500,000 for eviction defense outreach. $3 million for Community Violence Intervention initiatives. $534,788 to fund six investigators to address backlog and new cases. $400,000 for the Office of Disability Affairs. $1 million to the Housing Trust Fund to develop and preserve affordable housing. $2 million for home repair programs. $308,593 to increase the Board of Ethics' budget. $500,000 for the GOAL Line Detroit Program to increase quality education access. $300,000 to clean 1,000 alleys across the city $326,244 to add a manager of investigations and audit position in the Office of the Inspector General. $220,000 for three inspectors within the Buildings, Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department. $146,000 to restore two positions within the Food Code Enforcement Program in the health department. Councilman Fred Durhal III, who chairs the Budget, Finance and Audit Standing Committee, said this budget adoption led to 'unique challenges' due to resuming pension payments and spending federal ARPA money. 'Despite these tightened financial constraints, City Council worked collaboratively to ensure our highest priorities — like housing, public safety, transportation, infrastructure, and neighborhood investments — remained funded. Through discipline, transparency and cooperation, we've responsibly aligned our resources with the needs of Detroiters, reinforcing our city's commitment to long-term fiscal stability. I'm confident that by continuing to work together, we will keep Detroit on a path to lasting growth and ensure a brighter future for all residents,' Durhal said in a statement. Durhal and City Council President Mary Sheffield voted on their final city budget before leaving office at the end of the year, as they both campaign to be Detroit's next mayor in this year's election. Mayor Mike Duggan is leaving the seat to run for Michigan governor as an independent candidate. The two thanked their colleagues, the legislative policy division and others involved in the budget hearing process. Additionally, several council members wished them well on their future endeavors. 'I have been inspired by what we have been able to accomplish with respect to ensuring the city's budget reflects the priorities of our residents and the values upon which our great city was built,' Sheffield said in a statement. 'While we certainly haven't been able to meet every need or address every priority, our closing resolution is illustrative of our commitment and intent to continue to listen to our constituents and work towards creating opportunities, delivering services and addressing the needs of all residents.' Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@ Follow her: @DanaAfana. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit City Council adopts $3B budget for 2026 fiscal year
Axios
31-01-2025
- Business
- Axios
Council member Fred Durhal launches Detroit mayoral campaign
City council member Fred Durhal III launched his campaign for mayor Wednesday night, with supporters painting him as a hands-on civil servant whose Lansing history would benefit his hometown. The big picture: Durhal wants to continue "restoring the promise of our city," while creating paths for homeownership and financial empowerment, he said in a speech at the west-side Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan facility. Zoom in: Durhal targeted areas like affordable housing, community violence intervention, regional transit and rebuilding commercial corridors. "I'm 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. Plus, multiple speakers called out Durhal's ties to Lansing, where he was a state representative from 2015-2019. Tim Greimel, the mayor of Pontiac and a former state representative, said at the event that Durhal was "incredibly effective working with both Democrats and Republicans to bring enormous amounts of resources back home to Detroit." Zoom out: Other prominent names running for mayor include City Council President Mary Sheffield and former council president and nonprofit CEO Saunteel Jenkins.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Detroit City Councilman Fred Durhal III announces run for mayor
Fred Durhal III began knocking on doors — under the guidance of his father — to campaign for other elected officials at the age of 3. But when he comes knocking this year, it will be because he's running for mayor, the current Detroit city councilman announced Wednesday. Durhal is aiming for Detroit's top job because, as he told the Free Press, the city needs someone with experience in multiple levels of government. And the councilman says he has it. He kicked off his campaign Wednesday at the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan: Lloyd H. Diehl Club, 4242 Collingwood, in the Nardin Park neighborhood, which is adjacent to Russell Woods where Durhal grew up. Speaking of levels of experience, Durhal said he has worked multiple jobs throughout his life that taught him how to deal with and help people, from retail at Kmart, in customer service, as a mental health peer counselor for teenagers, in consulting and as a state representative from 2015 to 2019. Past congressional leaders Barbara Rose-Collins and John Conyers influenced Durhal to enter public service. But it was his father, Fred Durhal, Jr., also a former state legislator, who was his main inspiration. 'I had the opportunity to sit at the feet — due to his (father's) relationships with other elected officials — of some of the greats, like Mayor Coleman Young. I remember being a young boy running around the Manoogian Mansion. It is also nostalgic every time I walk into the City-County (Coleman A. Young Municipal Center) building. I can remember being a little boy running throughout that building,' Durhal said. 'I don't want us to go backwards in our progress. We've made that significant amount of progress with tough decisions. The next leader has to be very strong, very unapologetic about the decisions that they make, because they make it confidently and it's based upon this experience.' Durhal, 40, has long supported many of Mayor Mike Duggan's initiatives for new developments in the city, along with his common fight of the "Us vs. Them" narrative, where people claim that the focus is on downtown versus neighborhoods. But the comparisons between the councilman and Detroit's current chief executive do not faze Durhal, he says, as long as Detroit has an administration to push for "good government" and fix the city's issues. There's also the consideration of his wife and kids' futures, and the future generations of all Detroiters, that he says steered him to define his future moves and priorities for the city. Expanding commercial corridors to have walkable communities, which would include developed spaces and retail within a short distance from neighborhoods, would be among the first initiatives he'd tackle in his first 90 days, if elected, he said. "That's one of the priorities we'll be very aggressive on as we talk to some of our partners — public-private partnerships — and maintaining those relationships. And those partnerships are going to be instrumental," Durhal said. "I believe that, that you're going to have to have a leader that the business community trusts, but also that the community trusts, because you'll have to bridge that gap." Durhal said he also aims to look into potentially expanding the Downtown Development Authority's boundaries. "We'll be looking at changing the definition of what our Downtown Development Authority does, and what is the geographical boundaries of that, to kind of expand it into those commercial corridors, such as Gratiot (Avenue); such as Michigan Avenue; and even farther down Woodward to the North End; and then look at these main streets in every community and work on that," he said. Enhancing public safety is at the forefront of Durhal's mind, he said. The councilman chairs the city's Gun Violence Task Force and supports community violence intervention initiatives, like ShotStoppers, a program intended to prevent shootings and homicides. Durhal added that social determinants of health can lead to gun violence in the city. "It will give us an opportunity to address cognitive behavior, to address mental health and some of these underlying issues that exist. But we'll also be able to look at the socioeconomic issues that lead up to gun violence as well. As we talk to a lot of young men and women across the city of Detroit, they feel no one cares about them. They feel that there is no opportunity for them, and in some cases, that leads to crime," Durhal said. "We do have numbers and data that shows that we're becoming safer. But it is also my belief that you are only as safe as you feel ... you shouldn't fear having to go to the pharmacy to pick up your prescription at night." Part of boosting public safety includes providing resources for officers, he said. And the City Council has approved pay raises for Detroit Police Department officers as a step. "We've got to get really granular when we talk about public safety," Durhal said. "Part of that feeling safe is knowing that you can call somebody when you're in danger. At one time, Detroit had over 4,000 police officers, and as time went on and the population declined as well, you saw the decline in population of our police department." Beyond public safety, Durhal said he wants to focus on enhancing the futures of young Detroiters through partnerships with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to provide programming and better infrastructure. Strengthening Detroit's school system also means meeting with state legislators to procure resources, which Durhal said he's prepared to do, given his history as a state legislator and relationships he's built. "We don't want to take over the schools, but we want to fix that bridge between government and school government ... whether that's talking about our infrastructure here in the city of Detroit with the number of abandoned schools that exist. What's our plan, collectively, to take down some of these buildings that have been sitting there, some of this decay that's been sitting there for multiple years that ... adds to the negative mind state of our youth? You become desensitized. You walk past an abandoned school that's got weeds and broken windows, and that becomes part of your conscience, your subconscious." Preparing Detroit's youth for the jobs of the future — including tech, innovation and mobility — to grow their skillset and retain them as residents will be another task he aims to target, if elected. Durhal said he aims to push the Detroit Promise program, which provides a tuition-free pathway for college and university students. "We're not doing a great job of promoting that," Durhal said. Retaining young talent, however, will require more than just programs to boost their skillset, which the councilman said he expects to maintain. Durhal said he also wants to re-engage discussions about regional transit, which has been a determining factor for younger talent leaving Detroit to live in other big cities. "It connects our communities. And when our communities are connected, folks feel like they just don't have to stay in one spot," Durhal said. "Regional transit is going to be, I think, one of the biggest issues that has been one of the biggest barriers that has plagued, I believe, the growth of our entire region over the past decade or so. And you're going to have to have great relationships with those leaders at a county level," Durhal said. Durhal's announcement comes on the heels of President Donald Trump issuing an executive order to halt federal funding, which Detroit has relied on for years. A federal judge put a temporary hold on the order Tuesday, then the federal Office of Management and Budget announced Wednesday that it was backing off the funding freeze — at least for now. Though the status of funding freeze remains murky at this time, Durhal said if the freeze were to happen he would make calls — similar to how Duggan, who had strong relationships with the Joe Biden White House and federal officials would reach out for aid — to lobby for issues of importance or at least get basic information. "One of the first things that I would do is pick up the phone. You've got to have those conversations. Pick up the phone and attempt to speak to the president and let him know how important it is, as far as grants are concerned, that the city needs them to thrive. We're still rebuilding. I know we were in a good spot, and we've got one of the greatest comeback stories in history. Well, we're still going. And the way to do that as well is use your partners," Durhal said. The role of the mayor is nonpartisan. But Durhal, a Democrat, acknowledged the job would require calling on Republican officials as well. "You can't participate in name-calling. You can't participate in the show that some folks like to push out there, because your number one job as mayor is to deliver those resources for your city no matter what's happening, no matter who's in charge, no matter who's in office," Durhal said. Other candidates who have formed committees for mayor or announced their intentions to run include City Council President Mary Sheffield, former City Councilwoman and current THAW (The Heat and Warmth Fund) CEO Saunteel Jenkins, former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate and businessman Joel Haashiim. Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@ Follow her: @DanaAfana. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Councilman Fred Durhal III launches mayoral campaign
USA Today
29-01-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Detroit City Councilman Fred Durhal III announces run for mayor
Fred Durhal III began knocking on doors — under the guidance of his father — to campaign for other elected officials at the age of 3. But when he comes knocking this year, it will be because he's running for mayor, the current Detroit city councilman announced Wednesday. Durhal is aiming for Detroit's top job because, as he told the Free Press, the city needs someone with experience in multiple levels of government. And the councilman says he has it. He kicked off his campaign Wednesday at the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan: Lloyd H. Diehl Club, 4242 Collingwood, in the Nardin Park neighborhood, which is adjacent to Russell Woods where Durhal grew up. Speaking of levels of experience, Durhal said he has worked multiple jobs throughout his life that taught him how to deal with and help people, from retail at Kmart, in customer service, as a mental health peer counselor for teenagers, in consulting and as a state representative from 2015 to 2019. Past congressional leaders Barbara Rose-Collins and John Conyers influenced Durhal to enter public service. But it was his father, Fred Durhal, Jr., also a former state legislator, who was his main inspiration. 'I had the opportunity to sit at the feet — due to his (father's) relationships with other elected officials — of some of the greats, like Mayor Coleman Young. I remember being a young boy running around the Manoogian Mansion. It is also nostalgic every time I walk into the City-County (Coleman A. Young Municipal Center) building. I can remember being a little boy running throughout that building,' Durhal said. 'I don't want us to go backwards in our progress. We've made that significant amount of progress with tough decisions. The next leader has to be very strong, very unapologetic about the decisions that they make, because they make it confidently and it's based upon this experience.' Durhal, 40, has long supported many of Mayor Mike Duggan's initiatives for new developments in the city, along with his common fight of the "Us vs. Them" narrative, where people claim that the focus is on downtown versus neighborhoods. But the comparisons between the councilman and Detroit's current chief executive do not faze Durhal, he says, as long as Detroit has an administration to push for "good government" and fix the city's issues. There's also the consideration of his wife and kids' futures, and the future generations of all Detroiters, that he says steered him to define his future moves and priorities for the city. Key priorities Expanding commercial corridors to have walkable communities, which would include developed spaces and retail within a short distance from neighborhoods, would be among the first initiatives he'd tackle in his first 90 days, if elected, he said. "That's one of the priorities we'll be very aggressive on as we talk to some of our partners — public-private partnerships — and maintaining those relationships. And those partnerships are going to be instrumental," Durhal said. "I believe that, that you're going to have to have a leader that the business community trusts, but also that the community trusts, because you'll have to bridge that gap." Durhal said he also aims to look into potentially expanding the Downtown Development Authority's boundaries. "We'll be looking at changing the definition of what our Downtown Development Authority does, and what is the geographical boundaries of that, to kind of expand it into those commercial corridors, such as Gratiot (Avenue); such as Michigan Avenue; and even farther down Woodward to the North End; and then look at these main streets in every community and work on that," he said. Enhancing public safety is at the forefront of Durhal's mind, he said. The councilman chairs the city's Gun Violence Task Force and supports community violence intervention initiatives, like ShotStoppers, a program intended to prevent shootings and homicides. Durhal added that social determinants of health can lead to gun violence in the city. "It will give us an opportunity to address cognitive behavior, to address mental health and some of these underlying issues that exist. But we'll also be able to look at the socioeconomic issues that lead up to gun violence as well. As we talk to a lot of young men and women across the city of Detroit, they feel no one cares about them. They feel that there is no opportunity for them, and in some cases, that leads to crime," Durhal said. "We do have numbers and data that shows that we're becoming safer. But it is also my belief that you are only as safe as you feel ... you shouldn't fear having to go to the pharmacy to pick up your prescription at night." Part of boosting public safety includes providing resources for officers, he said. And the City Council has approved pay raises for Detroit Police Department officers as a step. "We've got to get really granular when we talk about public safety," Durhal said. "Part of that feeling safe is knowing that you can call somebody when you're in danger. At one time, Detroit had over 4,000 police officers, and as time went on and the population declined as well, you saw the decline in population of our police department." Beyond public safety, Durhal said he wants to focus on enhancing the futures of young Detroiters through partnerships with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to provide programming and better infrastructure. Strengthening Detroit's school system also means meeting with state legislators to procure resources, which Durhal said he's prepared to do, given his history as a state legislator and relationships he's built. "We don't want to take over the schools, but we want to fix that bridge between government and school government ... whether that's talking about our infrastructure here in the city of Detroit with the number of abandoned schools that exist. What's our plan, collectively, to take down some of these buildings that have been sitting there, some of this decay that's been sitting there for multiple years that ... adds to the negative mind state of our youth? You become desensitized. You walk past an abandoned school that's got weeds and broken windows, and that becomes part of your conscience, your subconscious." Preparing Detroit's youth for the jobs of the future — including tech, innovation and mobility — to grow their skillset and retain them as residents will be another task he aims to target, if elected. Durhal said he aims to push the Detroit Promise program, which provides a tuition-free pathway for college and university students. "We're not doing a great job of promoting that," Durhal said. Retaining young talent, however, will require more than just programs to boost their skillset, which the councilman said he expects to maintain. Durhal said he also wants to re-engage discussions about regional transit, which has been a determining factor for younger talent leaving Detroit to live in other big cities. "It connects our communities. And when our communities are connected, folks feel like they just don't have to stay in one spot," Durhal said. "Regional transit is going to be, I think, one of the biggest issues that has been one of the biggest barriers that has plagued, I believe, the growth of our entire region over the past decade or so. And you're going to have to have great relationships with those leaders at a county level," Durhal said. In a crisis, 'pick up the phone' Durhal's announcement comes on the heels of President Donald Trump issuing an executive order to halt federal funding, which Detroit has relied on for years. A federal judge put a temporary hold on the order Tuesday, then the federal Office of Management and Budget announced Wednesday that it was backing off the funding freeze — at least for now. Though the status of funding freeze remains murky at this time, Durhal said if the freeze were to happen he would make calls — similar to how Duggan, who had strong relationships with the Joe Biden White House and federal officials would reach out for aid — to lobby for issues of importance or at least get basic information. "One of the first things that I would do is pick up the phone. You've got to have those conversations. Pick up the phone and attempt to speak to the president and let him know how important it is, as far as grants are concerned, that the city needs them to thrive. We're still rebuilding. I know we were in a good spot, and we've got one of the greatest comeback stories in history. Well, we're still going. And the way to do that as well is use your partners," Durhal said. The role of the mayor is nonpartisan. But Durhal, a Democrat, acknowledged the job would require calling on Republican officials as well. "You can't participate in name-calling. You can't participate in the show that some folks like to push out there, because your number one job as mayor is to deliver those resources for your city no matter what's happening, no matter who's in charge, no matter who's in office," Durhal said. Other candidates who have formed committees for mayor or announced their intentions to run include City Council President Mary Sheffield, former City Councilwoman and current THAW (The Heat and Warmth Fund) CEO Saunteel Jenkins, former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate and businessman Joel Haashiim. Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@ Follow her: @DanaAfana.
