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WSU Expands Effort To Involve Detroiters In Local Government

DETROIT (AP) - Wayne State University is expanding an effort to educate Detroiters about local government and involve them more deeply in public policy issues.

The Detroit school announced Wednesday that the expansion of CitizenDetroit is supported by $750,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The move comes after Detroit's historic bankruptcy, the largest by a government in U.S. history.

The goal of CitizenDetroit is to help residents think critically about candidates and political issues, such as the budget, safety and transportation. It uses community gatherings, dialogue sessions, town hall meetings, social media and other resources.

With three-year Knight Foundation support, CitizenDetroit plans to expand programming to reach more citizens.

CitizenDetroit was created in 2012, when the city was in financial distress ahead of its bankruptcy filing.

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