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Monday,
Rev.
Nicholas
Hood III
announce
his
candidacy
for
Mayor of
Detroit.
"Together
we stand
under
the
great
seal of
Detroit
on the
wall of
the
Coleman
Young
Municipal
Center.
Inscribed
in Latin
on that
seal are
the
words,
Speramus
Meliora;
Resurget
Cineribus”
(Latin
for, “We
Hope For
Better
Things;
It Shall
Rise
From the
Ashes”),
stated
the
former
Detroit
city
councilman.
His
Statement:
I stand
before
you
today
with a
sense of
outrage
and
optimism.
Outrage
that our
fair
city is
under
such
unrelenting
pressure
that for
most of
us we
can see
no real
way to
solve
the
problems
that
confront
us. I am
outraged
that on
any
given
night
almost
every
neighborhood
in
Detroit
experiences
rolling
black
outs
where
the
street
lights
are off.
On any
given
night,
people
think
twice
before
they get
out of
their
car in
their
driveway-
wondering
“is it
safe to
put the
key in
the lock
of my
own
home?”
On any
given
night,
some of
our
neighborhoods
are held
under
virtual
siege by
small
groups
of young
men who
sell
drugs
and
terrorize
citizens.
I tell
you,
it’s not
fair and
we
should
demand
and
expect
more!
On any
given
night,
people
wonder,
“is it
safe to
pull up
to the
gas
station?”
It’s not
fair and
we
should
demand
and
expect
more! On
any
given
night,
someone
is
asking,
“will
the bus
run on
time?”
On any
given
day,
someone
is
asking,
“Why are
my taxes
so high
and the
service
I
receive
is so
poor?”
On any
given
day,
someone
is
asking,
“Why
does it
cost
more for
insurance
in
Detroit
than in
Grosse
Pointe,
Birmingham
or
Bloomfield
hills?”
On any
given
day,
someone
is
asking,
“Why do
only 25%
of our
students
graduate
on
time?”
On any
given
day,
someone
is
raising
the
question,
“Why
can’t we
have
better
grocery
stores
and more
restaurants?”
Let
there be
no
mistake,
the
challenges
we face
as a
city are
daunting.
Our tax
base is
shrinking.
The cost
of
living
and
doing
business
in
Detroit
is high.
The
budget
deficit
for the
city is
at least
$100
million.
Yet in
spite of
these
challenges
I stand
before
you
today
with a
sense of
optimism.
My
optimism
is born
out of a
sense
that in
spite of
what the
city has
been
through
the past
several
years we
are
still
standing!
With a
government
operating
on auto
pilot
for the
past
several
months
and the
fact we
have not
imploded,
I am
convinced
that
surely
God has
something
better
in store
for
Detroit!
In the
days
ahead I
will be
reaching
out to
some of
our
brightest
minds
for
creative
approaches
to
ending
the
structural
deficit.
Let me
share
with you
my
pledge
for what
I will
do as
mayor of
Detroit.
• I will
work to
bring
back the
neighborhoods
(not
just
downtown,
but
Mexican
Town,
Cork
Town,
the East
Side,
West
Side and
the
center
city)
• I will
work to
forge
regional
partnerships
and work
cooperatively
with our
neighbors.
• I work
to
improve
the bus
system
and at
the same
time
work to
bring
light
rail
lines
for
public
transportation
on our
major
streets.
• I will
work to
attract
new
industry
and jobs
to
Detroit
• For
example,
I would
like
Detroit
to
become
the
Environmental
Clean up
Capital
of the
world.
Why not
offer
greater
incentives
for
companies
to move
their
headquarters
to
Detroit?
• I will
work to
restore
the
confidence
of the
citizens,
city
workers
and
business
community
so we
can jump
start
the
redevelopment
of
Detroit
• I will
implement
creative
land use
strategies
so we
can
finally
begin to
turn
around
our
50,000
plus
parcels
of
vacant
land!
• I will
challenge
the
people
of
Detroit
to
embrace
the
children
of
Detroit
to
provide
more
after
school
education
for our
children
• I will
challenge
the
people
of
Detroit
to
embrace
and
enhance
and
support
our
cultural
gems.
• I will
challenge
Lansing
and
Washington
to
provide
more for
arts and
culture.
• I will
push
Washington
and
Lansing
to give
us the
resources
for more
police
and fire
fighters.
• I want
Detroit
to be a
safe
city, a
clean
city, a
well lit
city, a
well
educated
city and
most of
all, a
prosperous
city.
Let me
tell you
what I
will not
do as
Mayor.
1. I
will not
be an
embarrassment
to the
city
2. I
will not
have a
lot of
security
chasing
behind
and in
front of
me
3. I
will not
tolerate
crime
and
Graft in
government
I will
return
the
Manoogian
Mansion
to a
public
use for
non-profits,
neighborhood
group
meetings
and a
place to
host
official
meetings
and
guests
of the
city of
Detroit.
Let me
share
with you
why I
believe
it is
possible
to turn
this
city
around.
As an
elected
member
of the
Detroit
City
Council,
for
eight
years I
have
participated
at the
highest
level of
local
governmental
legislative
experience.
As a
minister
and
pastor
of a
major
church
in our
community,
I have
some
distance
from
government
which is
critical
when
reaching
for
creative
solutions
to the
challenges
of the
day. I
am not a
career
Politian.
I have a
life
outside
of
politics.
My
entire
ministry
has
focused
on good
works
projects
to
enhance
the
quality
of life
in
Detroit
and
throughout
the
world.
I did
not just
move to
Detroit,
but I
have
lived
here
since
1958. I
am the
product
of the
Detroit
Public
Schools.
I
learned
how to
swim in
the
Parks
and
Recreation
Pools. I
still
swim in
Parks
and Rec
Pools. I
played
sports
in city
parks.
My
children
are
products
of the
Detroit
Public
Schools.
I am
married
and have
lived
with my
wife for
32 years
in
Detroit.
We live
in
Detroit,
sleep in
Detroit,
work in
Detroit,
eat in
Detroit,
have
raised
our
children
in
Detroit,
and yes,
vote in
Detroit.
I am
Optimistic
that
with
your
help I
craft a
solution
to these
problems
that
will set
the city
on a
path
toward
safety,
openness,
fairness,
and
effective
service
delivery.
People I
know
greet
these
statements
with
skepticism.
People
do not
believe
that the
busses
can be
made to
come on
time and
they
surely
do not
believe
the
police
will
come
when
called.
And that
is why I
am
running.
I am
running
because
I know
we can
deliver
great
basic
city
service
and I
know the
people
have a
right to
expect
it.
I can
lead us
to a
place
where
the city
works
and
people
believe
in the
faithfulness
of its
leaders.
I can
lead us
to a
place
where
government
openness
is the
rule and
not the
exception.
I can
lead us
to a
place
better
than the
space we
are in
right
now.
I can
lead us
to a
place
where
our
budget
is
balanced
and our
services
excellent.
Today is
the day
the city
of
Detroit
can
choose
excellence
over
failure.
-Honesty
over
deception.
-Openness
over
secrecy.
-
Faithfulness
over
corruption.
-Optimism
over
pessimism
-I can’t
do this
by
myself.
-It will
take
people
of all
races
-Rich
and
poor.
-Black
and
White.
-Jewish
and
Arab.
-Hispanic
and
Asian
-Remember
the
motto on
the
seal:
“We hope
for
better
things;
it shall
rise
from the
ashes”
-Put
your
hands up
for
Detroit!
Put your
hands up
if you
want to
see the
city
turn
around.
Put your
hands up
if you
want a
safe
city, a
clean
city, a
well lit
city, a
well
educated
city, a
prosperous
city
-Put
your
hands up
if you
believe
it is
possible!
Today I
announce
my
candidacy
for
Mayor.
Thank
you all.
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