Mayoral candidate speaks at East Side Business Association

David Davenport, a mayoral candidate in the August election, was the speaker at the East Side Business Association meeting June 22. Davenport, a member of the Flint School Board, has lived in Flint since 2000. He focused his comments on why he is running for office and how he will resolve public safety and jobs problems.

"Life in the city is dangerous — everywhere," Davenport said. "It's not safe for you or your kids. Criminals say, 'there's no police there,' so they come here. We can't sit back and let this happen. My top priority is your life — it is as important to me as my own."

Opening the jail, according to Davenport, is not the key for resolving crime.

"It's only a 72-hour lock-up," Davenport explained. "I will put cameras on the streets — so we can find out who is burning these houses and who is robbing the stores."

Davenport said he would be sure each minipolice station was manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"I want people to know there's a police officer in the station," he said.

Davenport said if elected he would solve the budget problem — "looking at each line item in the budget."

"My first day in office I'll cut my salary in half," he said. "My staff will also take a 50 percent paycut. But the only concession I will ask for from the unions is that they cross-train their people so the can do each others' jobs."

Flint's reputation as a high-crime area is detrimental to everyone, Davenport said.

"This city has a stigma that reflects on your businesses," Davenport said. "If elected I will not tear up downtown. I will take it up to the level of our surrounding cities. We don't need to shrink the city — that means people have to leave. That's nothing I want to do."

"I will have an open door policy. Once a week I'll meet with people in the pavilion. We'll have a softball game," Davenport said.

Davenport promoted a day labor service to get jobs.

"That means people get paid every day for the work they do. Crime is here because people have to feed their families," he said.

Asked how he would bring the people of Flint together when he has been a decisive factor starting recall campaign after recall campaign, Davenport said, "I led the recall campaigns because I don't want people to suffer. I did what I could do legally. We can't please everyone, but we can get everyone who loves life to work together."

In other matters, the Rev. Betty Rogers reported scrap metal thieves are working in broad daylight. She reported the incident to the mayor. She also reported her church has been the target of gunfire since she reported the incident.

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