Detroit voters will elect two at-large city council candidates in 2025. Incumbents Coleman Young II and Mary Waters are on the ballot. So are former council member Janeé Ayers and Detroit Fire Department Community Relations Chief James Harris.

Why she’s running

Ayers joined the council in 2015. She was appointed to replace Saunteel Jenkins, who vacated her seat to become the CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund. Ayers won a special election in 2016 and secured a full four-year term in the 2017 general election. She ran for re-election in 2021 but lost.

At the time, the federal government was investigating corruption in city government. FBI agents searched her home for evidence but found none. The Justice Department closed the case in 2025 without charging her.

Ayers says if not for that ordeal, voters would have re-elected her.

“It was horrible, but I’ve come through it,” she says.

Ayers says she couldn’t talk about the investigation until now but welcomes voters’ questions about it. She also says it helped her understand many of the problems Detroit faces.

“I’ve lived it in a way that makes me so much more keen on the issues that people are dealing with,” she says.

Support local police

One of those issues is crime and how to fight it.

Detroit has seen a steady drop in the number of homicides and other violent crimes in recent years. Despite that, President Donald Trump has insisted crime is out of control in Detroit and other U.S. cities.

Vice President JD Vance repeated those claims while visiting Howell, Michigan, and said Trump would send the National Guard to Detroit if Governor Gretchen Whitmer requests it.

Ayers doubts she would.

“She and I know each other well,” Ayers says. “If she did, she’d have some serious questions to answer.”

Ayers says the federal government doesn’t need to police the streets of Detroit. But she does see a problem on the horizon—replacing Detroit Police officers who are retiring.

“We’ll be losing a lot of the institutional knowledge in those folks that have been on the job,” she says.

Ayers chaired the Public Health and Safety committee throughout her years on the council. She says the city needs to encourage young people to join the Detroit Police Department as older officers leave.

“We definitely need to strengthen that pipeline for Detroiters to start taking those positions,” she says. “So that we just have people that are from our community policing our community.”

On housing and jobs

Besides public safety, Ayers says she’s concerned about affordable housing in Detroit. One reason why it hasn’t been affordable for many, she says, is the formula the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development uses to calculate the city’s median income.

“For us, it is Detroit, Warren, and Livonia, and they take the median income from those three cities,” she says. “We can’t get a median income that makes sense for Detroiters as long as we’re compared to those two cities.”

Ayers says more Detroiters could afford to buy a home if they had better jobs and better access to transportation. She would also like to pick up where she left off with a task force to help people returning to the city after being incarcerated.

Don’t call it a comeback

While Ayers hasn’t been on the council for almost four years, she has been busy running her own consulting company and returning to work for the city’s recreation department where she started.

“I’ve been right here doing all the things I would have done with or without the title,” she says.

More election coverage

In about a month Detroiters vote to re-shape the city’s government.

After a dozen years, a new mayor will lead the Motor City.

But Detroit City Council member Scott Benson hopes one thing stays the same. The incumbent is running for reelection to represent northeast Detroit.

Benson says Council District 3 faces a flood of problems, including dealing with actual and sometimes massive flooding.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Scott Benson: We still have to help with public safety, we still need to help with jobs. We still need to help grow our infrastructure. We need to reboot our infrastructure, in many ways. Our infrastructure is hundreds of years old in certain places within the city of Detroit. And you don’t see it, so it’s easy not to think about it. When we look at stormwater infrastructure, advocating for new pipes, advocating for green stormwater to make us a more resilient space, that takes work. And it doesn’t happen without the heavy lifting and being very strategic and prescriptive around how we rebuild our city from underneath the ground as well. We can get the development from private investment. But the infrastructure, that’s public investment. We have to work with the state, the county and the federal government, which has its ebbs and flows, as we all know. We have to work with all those partners to make sure that we continue to invest in our infrastructure.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: When you are trying to pay for that work, there’s been a lot of talk about the so-called “financial cliff” the city’s facing because federal and other sources of funding are running out. In your view, what should the city do to get more revenue in?

SB: I want to go back to that statement about the financial cliff. I am a fiscal hawk on the Detroit City Council. We have been very strategic in how we utilize that federal funding. It was used as icing and not the cake. We have lived beneath our means in the city of Detroit. I want to continue to ensure we do that we save more than we spend. And we just saw where the mayor made the announcement that we got about a $60 million surplus that we’re going to reprogram this year. So we are in a position where we’re not worried about the loss of federal money.

To get more money in, we’re going to have to continue what we’ve done. Since I’ve been on the Detroit City Council there’s been over a 50% increase in the General Fund. We need to continue that growth. Which means we need more investment, we need to continue population growth. And that’s how we grow our General Fund.

QK: Some of the Detroit mayoral candidates have talked about possibly raising taxes on certain things in the downtown or other areas. What do you think of those proposals?

SB: The one that I’m thinking of is a tax on events. I’m not opposed to that. I believe the thought is that we would use that revenue to offset other tax obligations. It would be an additional opportunity to reduce property taxes. We have to figure out a way to reduce the cost to live in the city of Detroit when it comes to operating a home. We have to incentivize people to move back into the city of Detroit. And our property taxes and our car insurance, that’s a disincentive. We need to figure that part out. But having a tax of that nature, it hits on the downtown-specific events and it’s something that’s been done successfully around the country. So I am more than happy to take a look at how we can implement something like that in the city of Detroit.

If we want to grow our city, we have to do it by bringing in everybody.

QK: When I talk to some people around the city, they still bring up the specter of crime. They fear sometimes being in their own neighborhoods, including over in your district, which I go through every single day. In your view, what can be done about that? I know you favor the ShotSpotter system, which is supposed to alert police when it detects gunfire. And there’s lots of talk about community policing. But if you do something like add more personnel to the police department, that would take extra money. So what do you see as the best ways to address crime?

SB: ShotSpotter was something that I championed back in 2015, before it was cool. CVI, community violence intervention, I’ve also championed that in the third district. and we’ve seen results. So I continue to champion those items. We’ve given a pay raise to our police department so that we can keep and attract additional police officers. But we’re going to have to continue to leverage those items because we are not a wealthy district. We don’t have any of the traditional sexy neighborhoods. But we see a huge brunt of the crime, which means that my bosses, the residents, are often victims of crime. And when you tell other people, “Hey, come to the city. We’ve got all these assets, the quality of life that you’re looking for.” People say crime, either real or perceived, is an issue. If we want to grow our city, we have to do it by bringing in everybody. Income diversity is something that we need here in the city of Detroit.

QK: You’d been caught up in some controversy a while back as part of a federal corruption investigation into several public officials in the city over bribery allegations. They charged former Detroit City Council Member Andre Spivey with that. But they closed other cases at the beginning of this year with no charges filed against anyone else, including yourself. Do you feel exonerated after all that? Or are there any lingering concerns that somehow you could have been tarnished to where opponents can try to throw something at you about it?

SB: Any time that the federal government comes to your house unannounced, that’s a problem. But the grand jury did not indict anyone in my office, in my colleague’s office, none of us. The federal government even provided a letter indicating they were dropping the investigation, which it rarely, rarely does. There’s always going to be that. “Oh, your name was spoken with those words.” But you know what? They took a very deep dive into me, my personal finances. And we came up clean. My team came up clean, my colleague’s team came up clean. So I do feel exonerated.

QK: One thing I try to always ask anybody that’s running for office is why people should vote for them. So what would you tell voters? Why should they reelect you to Council?

SB: Number one, I have added value to my district when it comes to jobs. And I am all about jobs. My three priorities are jobs, jobs and more jobs. And we are not a typical area where people think about investment. Because we are overwhelmingly low-income in the third district, it does not mean that we are low-quality. I fought for the “Dining with Confidence” ordinance when I saw there were a number of major restaurant chains that thought they could serve residents on the northeast side of Detroit poisoned food, improper food. I fought very hard and lost once but won the second time to get an ordinance that holds restaurants accountable. They have to publicize their scores when it comes to their food compliance and food safety. It’s not just about being treated well in the downtown area. We pay taxes on the northeast side of Detroit as well.

More election coverage

The Detroit Department of Public Works announced a new effort to keep the city clean with a recycling pilot program at bus stops.

The department also unveiled two electric garbage trucks that will be used to collect recycling.   

The pilot program will place 800 new recycling cans at the bus stops.  

Public Works Deputy Director Sam Krassenstein says bottles and cans are the number one thing people throw away when waiting for the bus.  “And that’s what we’re trying to capitalize on by diverting that to keep that out of the landfill and keep that out of the streets.”  

Krassenstein says the pilot aims to increase recycling rates from 45% to nearly 100%.   

The $500,000 investment was funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, DTE, and City Council.   

Additional headlines for Thursday, September 11, 2025

Non profit offers free homecoming dress drawing

High school students in southeastern Michigan could get a free homecoming dress this weekend. 

Alison Vaughn is the CEO of Jackets for Jobs.  

She says her non profit and Comerica bank are hosting a homecoming dress giveaway on the lower level of the Samaritan Center in Detroit this weekend.  

“Homecoming is one of the young girls’ biggest moments of high school, and so we wanted to make them feel like Cinderella and the belle of the ball, if you will, and make them feel good and confident. And we know those events are very costly.”  

Vaughn says anyone can come get a free homecoming dress and accessories from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday or from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Samaritan Center on 5555 Conner Street.  

Corewell terminates gender affirming care for minors

Corewell Health is the latest Michigan hospital to end gender affirming care for minors. The hospital announced it will no longer prescribe puberty blockers or hormone therapy to minors because of “the serious risk of legal and regulatory action.”

That pressure is coming from the Trump Administration. Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan’s hospital system, announced it will also stop gender affirming care last month.  

Corewell Health made a similar announcement in February this year before backtracking due to protest.

Dearborn improving business exteriors with grant funding

The City of Dearborn is celebrating the completion of the first façade improvement project on Warren Avenue at Nadia’s Pharmacy.

The city’s initiative awards up to $200,000 in Community Development Block grant funding, with a 10% business match to improve the exterior of selected businesses.

The goal of the project is to modernize, enhance, and create a cohesive business aesthetic along Warren Avenue between Lonyo Avenue and Greenfield Rd.

Nadia’s Pharmacy is the first to complete repairs. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

There is set to be considerable turnover on Detroit City Council after November’s election. City Council President Mary Sheffield is running for mayor leaving a vacancy in District 5. Fred Durhal III also ran for mayor, but failed to advance in the primary, so District 7 is now open.

Michigan State Representative Karen Whitsett, by virtue of name recognition and corporate backing, seemed to be the front runner heading into the District 7 primary.

However, it was Democratic Socialist Denzel McCampbell that earned the most votes.

McCampbell has some deep liberal credentials, including time as Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’s communications director and as the head of the Progress Michigan. McCampbell was also a Detroit Charter Revision Commissioner and lost a bid to replace Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey in 2021.

His opponent, Whitsett, hasn’t shied away from attacking McCampbell for his progressive roots. The Detroit Democrat has taken criticism from members of her own party for praising Donald Trump during the Covid-19 pandemic and caucusing with Republicans during last year’s lame duck session.

McCampbell isn’t fazed by Whitsett’s attacks.

“I’ve been a community organizer my entire adult life and been working around voting rights, election protection, equitable development, making sure that we have what we need in our neighborhoods around environmental justice issues – the right to breathe clear air,” McCampbell said.

So for me, it is actually making sure that our people have the power, but also that we have a city government that is responsive to their needs.

McCampbell says he’s knocked on 15,000 doors in his district.

“What folks are actually upset with…is the way that our government has given away so much money to, the billionaire class and corporations, while their needs go to the wayside,” McCampbell said. “So for me, it is actually making sure that our people have the power, but also that we have a city government that is responsive to their needs.”

Water affordability legislation was left behind in the state legislature when 2024’s lame duck session ended early. McCampbell says it needs to be brought back.

“I have been advocating for solutions that address affordable housing. I’ve been advocating for solutions to address water affordability, because water is a human right,” McCampbell said. “I’ve been pushing to make sure that corporations and their interests are out of our government, that would get money out of politics.”

McCampbell says Whitsett isn’t “showing up” for people in her House district by working with Republicans to kill Democratic priorities. Whitsett was the lone Democrat who voted for the GOP-led House budget.

If elected, McCampbell wouldn’t be the only Democratic Socialist on council. Gabriela Santiago-Romero is running for re-election in District 6.

As for Detroit’s race for mayor between Sheffield and Rev. Solomon Kinloch, McCampbell is still making up his mind.

“I’m focused on the District 7 race, but, I think what I’ll be looking for is a mayor that works closely and collaboratively with Detroit City Council.”

The Detroit City Council has approved an ordinance that would allow the city to prosecute more misdemeanors.  The measure moves some offenses such as minor assault and battery charges and some larceny cases out of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office. 

City Council member Scott Benson says that will make it easier for the city to keep Detroiters accountable. “But it also gives us the opportunity to make more referrals to specialty court – and as the demand of the community violence intervention programmers, that we have restorative justice as a part of those accountability measures.”

The ordinance enables the city to collect fines from misdemeanor judgements.  The program will cost $700,000 which has already been allocated in the city budget. 

(Reported by Bre’Anna Tinsley) 

Additional headlines from September 3, 2025

Midtown congestion 

Midtown streets around Wayne State University remain packed through the day as students attend their classes after Labor Day. 

Small traffic jams at times lead to congestion on Cass, Warren and other nearby streets.  And it can be hard finding a parking space in some locations. 

 The university says it has more than 24,000 new and returning students this semester.  If you’re driving or walking on campus, pack your patience. 

Pontiac Parks town hall

Pontiac is holding a town hall meeting later this month to discuss a proposed master plan for city parks.  The event will give residents a chance to hear the latest information – and ask questions of parks department representatives. 

Pontiac has also started a survey to get more input from city residents about its plan for parks. 

The town hall meeting takes place on the 2nd floor of Pontiac City Hall – 47450 Woodward Avenue.  It runs from 6 to 7:30 pm on Monday, September 15^th .   

Gas prices fluctuate

Gas prices are slightly lower than they were a week ago.  That’s according to the latest survey by Triple-A Michigan.  Metro Detroit  gas prices average $3.28 per gallon today.  That’s down from $3.34 a week ago as motorists prepared to travel for the long Labor Day holiday weekend.  But today’s price is still nine cents higher than a month ago.  You can save some gas by making sure your tires are properly inflated, and by driving at the speed limit. 

Powerball lottery over $1 billion

And if you have dreams of becoming a billionaire, today might be your day. 

The jackpot for the multi-state Powerball lottery has grown to $1.3 billion.  The last time someone picked all six digits was at the end of May, so the jackpot has continued to grow since then. 

The odds of winning aren’t very good though.  They’re about one in 290 million. Good luck! 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Vetoes aren’t just polite refusals. They’re vital checks of power between executive and legislative branches, at every level of government. 

But when the city council doesn’t grasp how vetoes work, things can get heated.

During a recent city council meeting in Highland Park, confusion over veto authority sparked a heated moment with a dramatic walk‑out by Council Member Khursheed Ash-Shafii. 

The city council had previously voted to cease a contract with the consulting firm McKenna. The mayor vetoed that decision and then the city council was tasked with upholding or overruling the Mayor’s veto, per the city’s charter, at the Aug. 4th meeting. 

Metro Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke with Detroit Documenters Caitlin Santer and Lynelle Herndon to unpack the tension and decode what went wrong. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Detroiters cast their ballots during early voting and on August 5 to choose which candidates will move on to the general election in November. The primary results help shape the races for mayor, City Council, and other key local offices.

100% PRECINCTS REPORTING 
Last updated Aug. 6 at 8:52 a.m. 

Detroit Mayoral Race

For months, Detroiters and suburbanites have had their eyes on the mayoral race. That’s for good reason: Mayor Mike Duggan is running for governor and the mayoral race is the most competitive it’s been in years. It’s also very likely that the city will have a Black mayor once again.

But other races in Detroit deserve attention. Twenty-two candidates are competing in the Detroit City Council primary races. Those seats matter — the people who win those positions are the city’s legislators. They decide what ordinances get passed, what norms are established, and which ones fade away. 

Bridge Detroit has been hosting town halls in every Detroit district leading up to Tuesday’s primary election. For more on what issues are uniting and dividing residents, The Metro brought into the WDET studios the two people leading those town halls: journalists Bryce Huffman and Malachi Barrett.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

More stories from The Metro

Detroit City Council recently approved changes to city ordinances to make the licensing process easier and less cumbersome for small businesses.

The changes, which were unanimously approved by the council, will reduce administrative burdens by cutting redundant licensing requirements that “do not protect health and safety”; allow businesses to renew their business licenses every two years instead of annually; improve the city’s permitting and licensing processes and more.

Hassan Beydoun, group executive of Economic Development for the city of Detroit, joined The Metro on Tuesday to elaborate on what these new resolutions mean for small businesses in Detroit.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

More than 6,000 signatures have been collected by a group seeking to change Dearborn’s city council format from an at-large body to holding district-based council elections.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dearborn Wants Wards filed the petition with the Dearborn City Clerk’s Office on June 18. If the language is approved, the city would have council members per district and only two at-large seats, for a total of nine council members.

If the language is approved, the city would have council members per district and only two at-large seats, for a total of nine council members. 

Campaign spokesperson Mona Mawari says the changes are overdue and necessary for equal representation of the city’s east and south sides. 

“So most of the seats are won by folks from the west side; and the East End has only one person on city council, and the South End has none,” she said. “So that’s when I decided to create this campaign where we will be going to change the structure of city council to a more equitable structure.”

If all the signatures are certified and election language is approved, voters in Dearborn will see the measure on their ballot in November.

Changes to the city council and charter commission would go into effect in 2029.

Other headlines for Monday, June 30, 2025:

• A series of bills were introduced in the state Senate that aim to make renting more accessible. The bills would cap rental application fees at $25, eliminate junk fees that occur after a lease is signed, and seal eviction records.
• The city of Dearborn will be increasing its police presence this Fourth of July weekend to combat a rise in illegal fireworks usage. Parents of children caught mishandling and using illegal fireworks will also receive citations as well. Police are reminding residents that fireworks are only allowed on private property from 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. between June 29 and July 5.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.