Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan Says He Does Not Plan To Run For Governor
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says he does not want to be governor of Michigan someday.
Asked about his political aspirations directly,"No," he told WWJ's Roberta Jasina in a live interview on Mackinac Island. "If I wanted to be governor, there were a whole lot easier ways to do it than running for mayor of Detroit."
How about President of the United States?
"Uh...yeah," the mayor said with a laugh.
Duggan, who remarkably won the election by write-in after a technicality kept him off the ballot, has bold plans for turning things around in the city — although he wields only limited executive power for the time being,
Until Detroit emerges from Chapter 9 bankruptcy, Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr maintains control over the city's finances along with everything to do with bankruptcy proceedings.
Under a Delegation of Authority Agreement with Orr, Duggan has primary authority over day-to-day management of city government, other than law enforcement, which Orr continues to supervise directly.
Interview: Mayor Mike Duggan On Mackinac
"I think that Chief (James) Craig has done a good job, but the police department is not under my authority yet, and I don't know why — as the former prosecutor — I'm not qualified to supervise the police department, but hopefully that will change," he said.
"So, I'm really not talking about the law enforcement side until it's an area I'm responsible for, but I do like the direction Chief Craig has things going."
Once Orr leaves — which will be in October, if all goes to plan — does Duggan plan to clean house, installing his own people in the DPD?
"Every one of us stays as long as we perform," Duggan said. "And if Chief Craig continues to perform the way he has been, I expect him to be the chief for a long time."
Speaking before hundreds of Michigan's business and political leaders at the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference on Wednesday, Duggan highlighted the progress the city has made since he became mayor in January. [Listen to his remarks HERE].
[CLICK HERE for more Mackinac Conference coverage].
