Detroit attorney Todd Perkins announced his bid for mayor this week, making him the eighth candidate to enter the race to succeed Mike Duggan.
Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
The North End resident vowed to cut the city’s property and income taxes. Perkins says lower taxes will send a positive message about Detroit’s future.
“I think that the idea of reducing taxes, starting off with a reduction, would be a sea change, and would be into the idea of spurring growth, not only bringing people back to the city, but also bringing companies back to the city,” he said during a press event on Wednesday.
Perkins’ campaign also includes a promise to add 8,000 new homes to the city and rehabilitate 2,000 existing vacant properties.
“I want to put people in homes. My preference is, is people want that white picket fence with the plot of land? But the reality is, getting people into quality housing is the most important thing,” he said.
He also intends to conduct a comprehensive audit of the city’s finances to ensure fair assessment and spending.
“I want to study those issues, and I want to make sure that people who are being taxed, are being taxed fairly, because I don’t want to run people out of the city.”
Perkins also vowed to improve public safety by putting more closed-circuit TV cameras in the most crime-ridden areas.
Running on the campaign slogan “Better Days Ahead,” Perkins believes his experience as a lawyer and his deep connections with residents of the city makes him the perfect candidate for mayor.
“I’m excited for what’s to come,” he said. “I’m excited about leading, and working as a partner with other cities, as the mayor, as a servant to the citizens of (the) city of Detroit, and I just believe better days are ahead with the right leadership.”
