Candidate Profile: M.L. Elrick, Detroit City Council

DETROIT — Voters in Detroit will vote for its representative to Detroit's City Council's fourth district in November's general elections.

To help readers make informed choices, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

M.L. Elrick is running against Latisha Johnson for Detroit City Council. Here's how he filled out his profile:

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Age (as of Election Day)

54

Position Sought

Detroit City Council

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Wife Tresa daughters Emily and Sophie

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Michigan State University, Bachelor's degree in Journalism, 1990

Occupation

Reporter and podcaster

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

East Outer Drive/Whitter street representative, East English Village Association; vice chairman, Detroit Free Press unit of the Newspaper Guild of Detroit

Campaign website

www.ml4detroit.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I'm running to bring honest change to Detroit politics, to clean up city hall and our neighborhoods, and to bring opportunity, safety and accountability to District 4 and the City of Detroit. After 30 years as an investigative reporter focusing on government and 20 years as a union activist, I'm looking for a different way to make a difference. I have also been active in my community and want to help improve the neighborhoods and business corridors in the 4th District, where I have worked or lived for nearly 40 years. While we have some nice parks and neighborhoods and improving business districts, most of the district has not enjoyed the renaissance of other parts of Detroit like downtown and Midtown. I want my neighbors and local business owners to have access to the same benefits and opportunities as downtown and to make sure that the people who have lived here and kept the city viable are not subject to second-class treatment while billionaires are lavished with tax breaks and special deals. I also want to see a return to the days when Detroiters could walk to work and support their families with jobs in their neighborhood that provide good wages and benefits.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Accountability. We need our elected officials and public employees to be accountable to following the law and doing their jobs, landlords to be accountable to neighbors by maintaining their properties and ensuring that their tenants do as well, and residents to take care of their properties so that all of our neighbors can enjoy clean and safe streets. I will continue to expose public officials who betray their oath of office, call upon city workers to help clean up neighborhoods, and enforce city code to be sure that people who don't respect their neighbors are cited.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate with a track record of holding public officials and employees accountable, with a knowledge of how to get things done in city hall and in our neighborhoods, I do not want to defund the police, and I am the only candidate for city council who has offered proposals to stop the flooding, end public corruption, end crooked towing practices and to provide more and better police.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

This is an open seat, but our former councilman was not responsive to the public. I will return calls and get to work solving my neighbors' problems.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think the City of Detroit set the gold standard for response to COVID-19.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Opportunity, Safety and Accountability. Opportunity means helping entrepreneurs open businesses so we have places to work, shop, dine and play within walking distance of our homes as well as providing recreational and educational opportunities for young people. Safety means installing speed humps on neighborhood streets to slow drivers down as well as hiring more and better police. And accountability means cleaning up city hall and our neighborhoods.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am a Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award winning investigative reporter with 30 years of experience as a government watchdog. I also have 20 years experience as a union organizer, steward and negotiator. I coached youth sports, mentored young people, served on a school commission and have raised more than $125,000 for youth recreation programs. I am a creative problem solver who builds strategic partnerships. I am currently the East Outer Drive/Whittier street rep and a member of the East English Village Association board.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Don't do anything that you wouldn't want to appear on the front page of the newspaper.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I gave up my job and, possibly, my career to run for Detroit City Council. I am not a politician, but a problem solver who hopes his neighbors will give him a chance to clean up city hall and our neighborhoods. I will never stop working for you!