She says Kilpatrick serves only his own
December 15, 2004
BY MARISOL BELLO FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
The race for Detroit mayor officially started Tuesday evening with a few quick jabs when Detroit City Councilwoman Sharon McPhail and her running mate, former Police Chief Benny Napoleon, promised to return integrity and honesty to an office they say has been guided by trickery in the last three years.
In announcing McPhail's run for mayor in the November 2005 election, the two said they would offer mature and experienced leadership, drawing comparisons with Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who at 34, is the city's youngest elected mayor.
"From a three-hour wait for a bus to a tax burden that drives away even the most faithful Detroiters, a collective sense of hopelessness grips our citizens and our employees," said McPhail, 56.
"Instead of working to serve our interests, Mayor Kilpatrick serves the interests of his family and his friends with high-paying jobs and special favors."
Kilpatrick's spokesmen, Dave Manney and Howard Hughey, declined to comment on McPhail's accusations.
If elected, McPhail pledged to appoint Napoleon, 49, as her deputy mayor. The move solidified the support of one resident at Tuesday's news conference.
"He should have been running for mayor," Lenora Douglas, 40, said of Napoleon. She said she grew up with him on the city's east side.
During their speeches, McPhail and Napoleon promised to cut crime by 50 percent and eliminate the city's growing deficit. They did not offer details about how they would accomplish those goals, saying they were drafting a plan.
Napoleon said curtailing crime would involve reorganizing the Police Department but would not require additional money.
McPhail said she would start to reduce the deficit by cutting spending.
The city faces a $215-million deficit in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
McPhail unsuccessfully ran for Wayne County prosecutor in 2000, Wayne County executive in 1998 and Detroit mayor in 1993.The one-term councilwoman was elected to her seat in 2001 and has said she will not run again. All nine council seats are up for election next year.
McPhail and her allies on the council -- Council President Maryann Mahaffey and members JoAnn Watson and Barbara-Rose Collins -- have consistently voted against proposals introduced by Kilpatrick's administration.
Most recently, McPhail led the opposition to the mayor's plan to issue pension bonds to help the city out of this year's financial hole. She said the move was too risky.
McPhail also supported the council's African Town concept that included creating a loan fund exclusively for black entrepreneurs. City and federal officials and constitutional law experts said it was unconstitutional for the city to use public money to benefit only one race.
The council later reworked the plan and dropped the condition for such a loan fund. McPhail voted against it.
Last year, McPhail accused the mayor of rigging the electric massager on her office chair so it would shock her. She later backed off the accusation.
Contact MARISOL BELLO at 313-222-6678 or bello at freepress.com.