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Detroit Mayoral Candidates Talk City Needs At Detroit Economic Club

DETROIT (WWJ) - Less than two weeks away from election day, both Benny Napoleon and Mike Duggan appeared before the Detroit Economic Club Wednesday.

And as WWJ's Marie Osborne reports, Napoleon was once again trying to link his opponent to Detroit's Emergency Manager takeover.

Napoleon took the opportunity to pounce on a comment made by Mike Duggan that he was approached by the governor's people two years ago about a possible emergency managers job.

Napoleon questioned Duggan's statements that he turned down the offer;

"If he said 'no' which he said he said two years ago - then why are they still interacting - talking to him about when the emergency manager should come and his thoughts about it," said Napoleon.

Duggan says that in the end - voters know that he is the man for the job.

"I think the people who went to the trouble to write my name in - and fill in the circle don't appear to have any doubt about what," said Duggan. "I think the people of the city overwhelmingly want change."

"My history has been in taking financially troubled organizations on the verge of bankruptcy and bringing them back and Sheriff Napoleon's has been in law enforcement and so the people of Detroit can decide are we electing a police chief or are we electing a CEO who is going to run the buses, run the ambulances - get jobs in here and balance the budget."

Napoleon countered that he has personal experience with the hardships the people in Detroit have faced:

"I understand what it feels like to have an abandoned house next door - slow police response - been a victim of a crime."

Overall the tenor of the exchanges between the two candidates was diplomatic and friendly during the DEC event.

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