Mayoral Forum Candidates Agree That City Is Strapped For Cash

DETROIT (WWJ) - What's the best way for Detroit to start generating revenue? That was just one of the questions asked of five mayoral candidates Tuesday night.

The Booker T. Washington Business Association hosted its annual Keys to Business Success and Detroit's mayoral candidates faced-off before an audience of black-owned business owners and journalists.

This year the organization has added a mayoral candidates forum to the mix.

Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis was part of the panel of journalists asking questions of the candidates during the evening.

Candidates Tom Barrow, Mike Duggan, Fred Durhal, Lisa Howze and Benny Napoleon agree on one thing; a good way to to get revenue flowing into cash strapped Detroit -collect money that's due from overdue taxes to fees.

Durhal spoke on that point:

"If you owe the city of Detroit some money and you don't pay us, I'm giving you notice right now, you can run for the border 'cause I'm coming to get you," said Durhal."And that's just the way it is - we're going to get the money that is owed to us. I don't care who the person is that owes us money."

There were a few jabs thrown during the evening; among them Lisa Howze to Benny Napoleon: "I look forward to celebrating with Sheriff Napoleon when the news report say he has a balanced budget within the Wayne County Sheriff's Department," she said.

"I promise the citizens of the city of Detroit that I will continue to be over-budget as your sheriff - if I have to release a thousand child molesters, rapists, spouse-abusers, murderers and robbers into this community," replied Napoleon. "If I'm going to be over-budget because of that - I will remain over-budget."

More on the forum -  here.

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• Detroit