>> WELL, MAYOR MIKE DUGGAN HAS
LONG BEEN FOCUSED ON GROWING THE
POPULATION OF DETROIT.
HE LONG AGO SAID THAT’S HOW HE
EXPECTED TO BE JUDGED AS THE
CITY’S MAYOR.
BUT THE DROP IN POPULATION
MEASURED BY THE U.S. CENSUS HAS
BIGGER IMPLICATIONS THAN HOW THE
CITY IS DOING, THERE’S
REPRESENTATIVE SEATS AND ON AND
ON.
AND THE MAYOR SAYS HE HAS
RESEARCH THAT PROVES THE COUNT
WAS WAY OFF.
AND MAYOR DUGGAN JOINS ME FOR
THAT AND MUCH MORE.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND APPRECIATE
THE TIME TODAY.
>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS, DEVIN.
>> Devin: THAT’S THE NEWS OF THE
WEEK.
YOU’VE SAID THAT THERE WAS A
MISCOUNT.
AND YOU SAID IN YOUR REMARKS
THIS WEEK, YOU SAID THE
UNDERCOUNT WAS INTENTIONAL WHICH
IS A PRETTY SERIOUS ACCUSATION,
WHAT DID YOU MEAN?
>> THE SAME THING THAT I SAID
LAST OCTOBER WHEN THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION ENDED THE CENSUS
IS MONTH EARLY AND HADN’T SENT
ENUMERATORS DOWN TO DETROIT
UNTIL THE END.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DID
AN EXHAUSTIVE STUDY AND RELEASED
THE RESULTS YESTERDAY THAT SAYS
DETROIT WAS UNDERCOUNTED AT
LEAST BY 8% INSTEAD OF 639,000
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SAYS WE
HAVE, THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
SAYS WE HAVE 700,000 AND DTE
ENERGY WHICH HAS GAS AND UTILITY
SERVICES ALSO SAYS WE HAVE
700,000, SO NOW WE HAVE THE HARD
DATA TO GO MAKE THE CASE FOR OUR
APPEAL.
>> Devin: I IMAGINE THERE ARE
SOME CITIES LIKE AUSTIN, TEXAS
THAT WILL BE COMPLETELY FINE
WITH THE CENSUS FINDINGS, BUT
MANY MUNICIPALITIES, I IMAGINE,
WILL BE UPSET WHAT THEY FEAR IS
AN UNDERCOUNT.
HOW LIKELY DO YOU THINK IT IS
THAT FIGHTING THE NUMBERS CAN
GET YOU ANYWHERE?
>> DIFFERENT CITIES HAD
DIFFERENT EFFECT, BUT I DON’T
KNOW ANYBODY WHO HAS HAD A
UNIVERSITY STUDY WHERE THEY
ACTUALLY TOOK THE CENSUS COUNT
BLOCK BY BLOCK ON HOW MANY
HOUSES THERE WERE AND THEN
WALKED THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS
THEMSELVES.
BUT IT WAS ABSURD.
THE CENSUS BUREAU SAID THAT 20%
OF THE HOMES IN BOSTON EDISON
AND GREEN ACRES WERE EMPTY.
I SAID, COME ON AND WALK THE
BLOCK, YOU SHOW ME WHERE THERE’S
ONE OUT OF FIVE VACANT HOUSES
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT U OF
M SHOWED WAS THAT THE POST
OFFICE WAS DELIVERING MAIL TO
FAR MORE HOUSES THAN THE CENSUS
BUREAU FOUND.
AND IF THEY HAD JUST FOLLOWED
THE POSTMAN THEY’D HAD A BETTER
COUNT.
>> Devin: SO THE APPEALS ARE
GOING TO BE FILED AND WE’LL SEE
WHERE IT GOES.
MAYOR, LET’S GO TO COVID.
WE’RE OBVIOUSLY IN THE MIDDLE OF
A HORRENDOUS, NOW SURGE AGAIN,
AND THE VACCINE RATE IN YOUR
CITY REMAINS, SADLY, DEPLORABLY
LOW.
44% WE’VE LEARNED THE PAST WEEK.
WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT?
I KNOW WE’VE START ADD NEW
DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGN.
IS IT ENOUGH?
HOW DO YOU BREAK THROUGH TO THE
DETROITERS WHO HAVE BEEN
RESISTING ALL ALONG.
>> IN DETROIT, AND OTHER PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY.
NOWHERE IS IT EASIER TO GET A
VACCINE THAN THE CITY OF
DETROIT.
YOU CAN GO TO THE PHARMACIES,
TCF CENTER, WE’LL COME TO YOUR
HOUSE AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT’S
AVAILABLE AND WE’RE AT A POINT
WHERE PEOPLE ARE HOSPITALIZED
AND IN SOME CASES TRAGICALLY
DYING BECAUSE OF THE CHOICES
THEY MAKE, BUT THE CITY IS
MAKING SURE IT’S AVAILABLE TO
EVERYBODY.
TESTING IS AVAILABLE TO
EVERYBODY.
I’VE HAD MY THIRD SHOT, I’LL
TAKE THE FOURTH SHOT THE FIRST
DAY THEY ALLOW ME TO, AND YOU
KNOW, I DON’T KNOW WHAT MORE WE
CAN DO.
AT THIS POINT PEOPLE ARE MAKING
CHOICES AND SUFFERING THE
CONSEQUENCES.
>> Devin: SADLY, THAT WAS MY
SENSE OF IT, TOO.
MY EXPERIENCE GETTING IT AT TCF
CENTER, IT WORKED LIKE CLOCK
WORK AND EXTRAORDINARILY
WELL-RUN AND LEFT ME SADDENED
ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.
IT’S EASE TOY GET THE SHOT,
AVAILABLE AND A PRETTY GREAT
PROCESS AND THE FACT THAT SO
MANY PEOPLE AREN’T IS KIND OF
SAD.
>> NOW, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH
GOING ON IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT
WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE’RE
DOING, ALL THE DEVELOPMENT
THAT’S COMING, ALL THE FEDERAL
PROGRAMS, JANUARY WITHIN THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE MAYOR
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A POLICY
THAT NOBODY COMES INTO THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICES FOR MEETINGS
WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF A VACCINE.
BECAUSE I NEED MY FOLKS ON SITE
WORKING, AND IT’S MY OBLIGATION
TO PROTECT THEM AND SO, YOU
MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A ZOOM CALL
OR THE LAKE AND AT LEAST WE’RE
GOING TO DO OUR PART HERE AND
HAVE THE CITY RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
>> Devin: DR. VITTI ANNOUNCED A
VACCINE MANDATE.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT FOR THE
SCHOOLS OR MANDATES IN GENERAL?
>> I THINK THAT DR. VITTI MASS
HANDLED THIS EXCELLENTLY FROM
THE BEGINNING AND WORKING WITH
THE TEACHERS ON THIS.
THIS IS REALLY A BUSINESS BY
BUSINESS, INDUSTRY BY INDUSTRY
DECISION AND I THINK I’M PLEASED
WITH THE WAY THAT DPSCD HAS
WORKED WITH THE UNIONS.
>> Devin: WE’VE HAD, OBVIOUSLY,
A REALLY BAD STRETCH FOR SCHOOLS
ALL OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN,
AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN OXFORD,
ALL OF THE COPY CAT THREATS AND
WE’VE ALREADY GOT SO MANY
PARENTS AND TEACHERS UNDER
STRESS WITH REMOTE LEARNING.
GIVE ME A THUMBNAIL ON YOUR
CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING
TO EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY FOR
DETROIT KIDS RIGHT NOW.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST
ISSUE HAS BEEN THE LACK OF
PARTICIPATION FROM COVID.
>> Devin: YEAH.
>> AND I KNOW IT’S BEEN A
CHALLENGE AND DR. VITTI HAD GONE
TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK EVEN BEFORE
THE OXFORD TRAGEDY.
BUT I THINK THEY’RE DOING WHAT
THEY CAN.
WE’VE GOTTEN LAPTOPS TO
EVERYBODY.
NO DOUBT CHILDREN LEARN BETTER
IN THEIR CLASSROOM AND WE NEED
TO GET BACK TO REGULAR
ATTENDANCE AT THE EARLIEST
POSSIBLE DATE.
>> Devin: LET’S TALK A LITTLE
ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY
AND WE HAD AN ANNOUNCEMENT A
WEEK AGO ABOUT THE U OF M
INNOVATION CENTER MOVING DOWN
INTO THE FOXTOWN AREA AND WE’VE
GOT THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE OLD
AMERICAN MOTORS HEADQUARTERS.
BUT WE’VE ALSO HAD THINGS THAT
WE SEE LIKE THE PACKARD PLANT, A
DEAL THAT WAS LONG PROMISED AND
HOPED FOR THAT KIND OF
APPARENTLY, IT FEELS LIKE THE
CITY WAS SOLD A BILL OF GOODS
THAT WEREN’T GOING TO HAPPEN.
EVEN DAN GILBERT’S TOWER
DOWNTOWN IS BEING SCALED BACK.
I’M CURIOUS ON YOUR TAKE, HOW
MUCH OF THIS IS COVID-DRIVEN AND
EXACTLY WHERE ARE WE ON A LOT OF
BIG PROJECTS WE THINK ARE
IMPORTANT TO THE CITY.
>> LET ME CORRECT YOU ON
SOMETHING.
WE WERE NEVER A PART OF THAT
PACKARD DEAL AND I WAS AGAINST
THAT PARTICULAR OWNER FROM DAY
ONE AND DID EVERYTHING I CAN TO
ENFORCE THE LAW.
THE CITY OWNS MOST OF THE SOUTH
SIDE.
WE’VE TAKEN OUT LARGE SECTIONS
ALREADY, ABOUT TO TAKE OUT
ANOTHER SECTION AND WE’RE GOING
TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET
THE PACKARD PLANT REDEVELOPED
AND ALL YOU’VE GOT TO DO IS
DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, THERE’S
MORE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN
THE CITY OF DETROIT TODAY THAN
ANYTIME IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
IT’S REALLY ASTONISHING TO SEE
THE NUMBER OF CRANES IN THE SKY
AND HUNTINGTON HEADQUARTERS IS
BEING COMPLETED AND TRAIN
STATION AND THE WORK AROUND FORD
AND HOUSING PROJECTS, DRIVE
THROUGH BRUSH PARK, THOSE UNITS
ARE GOING UP AND DAN GILBERT’S
HUDSON SIDE IS RISING FROM THE
GROUND.
SO, I’M PLEASED THE WAY THINGS
ARE GOING, BUT EACH INDIVIDUAL
DEAL IS COMPLICATED AND FOR MOST
OF THESE DEALS WE’VE GOT A
SUBURBAN COMPETITOR WHO HAS A
GREENFIELD SITE COMPETING FOR
THE SAME COMPANIES AND WE’RE IN
A COMBAT WITH REALLY GOOD
SUBURBAN KRETCOMPETITORS AND WIN
OUR SHARE.
>> Devin: IT’S BEEN A WHILE
SINCE WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THIS
AND FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE
PANDEMIC, SO MUCH OF THE CITY IS
BUILT AROUND CITY WORK
DEVELOPMENT AND WORKPLACE AND IT
APPEARS THEY’LL NOT NEED AS MUCH
OFFICE SPACE IN THE FUTURE.
WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE WAY THAT
WE VIEW AND DEVELOP OUR CITY?
>> YEAH, WELL, I THINK THAT’S
GOING TO BE TRUE OF EVERY MAJOR
CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
WE’RE NOT AFFECTED NEARLY AS BAD
AS MANHATTAN OR CHICAGO OR THE
LIKE.
BUT WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS A
SHIFT OF LESS OFFICE BUILDING,
MORE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING AND I
DON’T THINK THAT’S A BAD THING.
GREAT CITIES HAVE PEOPLE LIVING
IN THEM AND SO, WE’RE SEEING A
LOT MORE RESIDENCES.
PEOPLE STILL, PARTICULARLY THE
TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE, WANT TO
LIVE IN AREAS WHERE THEY’RE
CLOSE TO OTHER PEOPLE, WHERE
THERE’S ACTIVITIES.
WE’VE GOT FOUR SPORTS TEAMS,
THEATERS, ALL KINDS OF
ACTIVITIES ON THE WATERFRONT AND
SO WE’RE SEEING A BOOM IN
HOUSING, A LITTLE LESS AT
OFFICE.
IS THAT GOING TO SHIFT IN TWO OR
THREE YEARS?
I’M NOT SURE, BUT I’M VERY HAPPY
ABOUT HAVING MORE NEIGHBORHOODS
IN THE CITY.
>> Devin: THAT’S NOT A BAD
THING.
MAYOR, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A
PROBLEM THAT CONTINUES TO
BEDEVIL THE CITY AND BASICALLY
SURROUNDS THE AREA OF ETHICS.
WE’RE SEEING ALL OF THESE
PROBLEMS AROUND TOWING CONTRACTS
AND WE’VE SEEN THEM OVER
DEMOLITION CONTRACTS.
AND SPENDING ON CITY COUNCIL
SEEMS LIKE A TIME TO TALK TO THE
FBI.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO INCREASE
POLICIES AND ETHICS IN THE CITY?
>> I WOULD SAY 80 TO 90% OF WHAT
YOU’RE SEEING RELATES TO TOWING
AND THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT WE’VE
HAD A SYSTEM HERE WHICH, FOR
SOME REASON, 10 YEARS AGO THE
CITY DECIDED NOT TO BID THE
TOWING CONTRACTS, BUT TO GRANT
PERMITS TO PEOPLE THROUGH THE
POLICE COMMISSION.
I HAVE BEEN UNDOING THAT A PIECE
AT A TIME WITH A LOT OF
RESISTANCE THAT WE’VE BEEN SUED
BY ALMOST EVERY TOWER BECAUSE WE
TOOK AWAY THEIR PRIVILEGES AND
NOW I THINK THAT CITY COUNCIL IS
ON BOARD WITH MAKING THIS BE
EVERY TOW-ER IS GOING TO HAVE
CONTRACTS AND SPECIFIC
ASSIGNMENTS AND
ASSIGNMENTS MAKE IT PUBLIC, WHO
GOT TOWED, HOW MUCH YOU HAD TO
PAY FOR IT AND ADD IN AFTER YOUR
PHONE AND PEOPLE COME OUT AND
YOUR CAR IS GONE, THEY DON’T
KNOW WHERE IT’S GONE.
WE WANT TO HAVE AN APP, HERE IS
WHERE IT’S TOWED AND THE DAILY
STORAGE FEE, WE’VE HAD REAL
ABUSE ON STORAGE FEES AND HERE
IS HOW TO GET IT BACK.
WE’LL MAKE THIS TRANSPARENT.
ANYWHERE IN GOVERNMENT WHERE
THERE’S A LOT OF DISCRETIONARY
MONEY AND NOT TRANSPARENCY,
YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE THIS
PROBLEM AND I THINK WE’RE
FINALLY GOING TO ROOT THE TOWING
CORRUPTION OUT OF THE CITY.
>> ANYONE WHO HAD THEIR CAR
TOWED KNOWS IT’S A NIGHTMARE.
AND THE DIRTY SECRET, TOWING
CARS IS LUCRATIVE ALL THE WAY
AROUND, ISN’T THAT THE PROBLEM?
IT’S EXTREMELY LUCRATIVE TO TOW
THEM AND STORE THEM.
IF YOU CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHERE
YOUR CAR IS FOR THREE OR FOURS
DAYS, YOU GET A HUGE STORAGE
FEES WHILE YOU TRIED.
THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN AWFUL AND
IT WAS GRANDFATHERED INTO THE
POLICE COMMISSION.
I’M PROUD OF THE POLICE
COMMISSION LAST YEAR AND VOTED
ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY TO GET OUT OF
THE BUSINESS AND I HAD A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND I
SAID YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS
BUSINESS BEFORE THE FEDS PUT YOU
OUT OF THE BUSINESS.
AND I THINK NOW WE ARE GOING TO
BE IN A PLACE TO GET IT CLEANED
UP, BUT YOU SAW INDIVIDUAL
OFFICERS MAKING MONEY SKEWING TO
PARTICULAR CONTRACTORS AND YOU
HAVEN’T PUBLICLY REPORTED ON THE
MAIN CONTRACTOR WHO WAS BEHIND
ALL OF THIS, BUT WE’VE GOT, YOU
KNOW, WE’VE HAD A BAD SITUATION
FOR A WHILE AND WE’VE CLEANED
MOST OF THE BAD ACTORS OUT AND
IT’S EASEY TO FIND THEM, THEY’VE
ALL SUED ME.
[LAUGHTER]
>> PROBABLY A MARK OF SUCCESS.
MAYOR, I WANT YOU TO MAKE THE
LAST APPEAL, THERE’S A COUPLE OF
DAYS LEFT FOR PEOPLE SEEKING
AMNESTY FOR NOT HAVING BEEN
DRIVING AROUND WITH AUTO
INSURANCE FOR A LONG TIME.
YOU’RE URGING PEOPLE TO GET IN
LINE BEFORE THE 31ST.
>> THE NUMBERS ARE PHENOMENAL.
160,000 PEOPLE ARE NOW INSURED
BECAUSE THEY COULD AFFORD IT GO
THAT WEREN’T INSURED THREE YEARS
AGO.
THE BILL HASN’T BEEN PERFECT,
BUT IT’S DRAMATICALLY CUT RATES
AND IT’S MADE INSURANCE
AVAILABLE, BUT WE PUT A
PROVISION IN THE BILL THAT
NORMALLY IF YOU HADN’T HAD
INSURANCE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS,
YOU COME BACK IN AND THE
INSURANCE COMPANY CAN CHARGE YOU
A PREMIUM BECAUSE YOU HAD NOT
COME IN.
AND YOU’RE PROTECTED AGAINST
THAT THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.
AFTER THAT, IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN
INSURED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS, THEY CAN JACK UP YOUR
INITIAL CHARGE.
IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT
INSURING YOUR CAR, DO IT BEFORE
DECEMBER 31ST.
>> Devin: I’VE GOT TO LEAVE IT
THERE.
WE’VE GOT GET TO A BREAK.
ENJOYED YOUR TIME, FOR THE