Benny Napoleon, who's not the preferred mayoral candidate of editorial boards at Detroit's two dailies or the city's alternative weekly, does earn one newspaper endorsement.
"There are many reasons why we believe Napoleon should be the next mayor," says a Michigan Chronicle editoirial. The first of four it cites is that "Napoleon is a son of this city and has lived here all his life."
The issues that we face as a city require a mayor who is not only prepared in a professional sense, but also has a long history of involvement in this particular community. It demands a mayor who has the passion and empathy as well as the requisite professional background and experience to tackle issues that we will together confront as a city.
Given where the city has been and where it is now, Detroit cannot afford a leader who does not bring this entire package to the office of mayor.
Although Mike Duggan is an impressive man, we believe Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon better meets those criteria.
The 77-year-old weekly lists these other factors:
- Safety: "We do not believe Detroit could find a better crime fighter than Napoleon. . . . Having a mayor who was a tough police chief is an advantage and we have no doubt that, under Napoleon, public safety will take a visible front row seat in our local government."
- Growth: "Napoleon wants to grow the city and its potential because he believes in the future of Detroit. To do this, he wants to attract people to the city with new, affordable housing stock."
- EM: "Napoleon, who opposed the appointment of an emergency manager, has made it clear that he wants to take on the day-to-day affairs of the city while the emergency manager continues to address the financial well-being of Detroit during the time span remaining. . . . That is what should happen."
The Chronicle's unsigned editorial praises Duggan as "a strong candidate whose work and experience speaks of his love for public service."
From being Wayne County Prosecutor to CEO of the Detroit Medical Center, Duggan has done an outstanding job in every position he has served in. ... Whatever the outcome of the election, we hope he continues to play an important role in the city’s future.
Duggan was endorsed Oct. 9 by Metro Times, Oct. 18 by The Detroit News and Oct. 27 by the Free Press.
