>> Anchor: TONIGHT MAYOR
DUGGAN OPENING UP ABOUT THE
PANDEMIC AND THE IMPACT IT’S
HAVING ON HIS CITY.
>> Anchor: I RECENTLY SAT DOWN
WITH THE MAYOR AT A SAFE SOCIAL
DISTANCE TO TALK ABOUT WHEN HE
THINKS THE CITY COULD REOPEN AND
WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE IT
DOES.
CORONAVIRUS HIT DETROIT AT A
TIME WHEN MANY AREAS IN THE CITY
WERE EXPERIENCING AN ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE.
BUT NOW THAT THE BUSTLE OF
DOWNTOWN RESTAURANTS, BARS AND
SPORTING EVENTS HAS BEEN PUT ON
HOLD, WILL THE CITY BOUNCE BACK
AND CONTINUE TO THRIVE?
THE MAYOR SEEMS OPTIMISTIC.
>> YES, I MEAN A $350 MILLION
DEFICIT IS A MAJOR ISSUE TO DEAL
WITH, AND I THINK CITY COUNCIL
HAS BEEN ACTING RESPONSIBLY FOR
THE LAST SIX YEARS SO WE HAVE A
LOT OF MONEY IN RESERVE
PREPARING FOR THE NEXT
RECESSION, WE JUST DIDN’T THINK
IT WOULD BE THIS FAST AND THIS
DRAMATIC.
BUT THE CITY OF NEW YORK DOESN’T HAVE A 350 MILLION DEFICIT, THEY
HAVE A 350 MILLION DEFICIT, THEY
HAVE A $10 BILLION DEFICIT.
YOU THINK ABOUT HAS EXPRAITION
THEIR PROBLEMS ARE FAR MORE
SEVERE THAN --
YOU THINK ABOUT LAS VEGAS, AND
THEIR PROBLEMS ARE FAR MORE
SEVERE THAN OURS.
>> Reporter: GOING FORWARD DO
YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL GO TO THE
CASINOS LIKE THEY DID BEFORE?
>> I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF
LATER THIS YEAR YOU HAVE
RESTAURANTS AND CASINOS OPENING
IN A THIRD OF CAPACITY AND
YOU’VE GOT PEOPLE SPACED 6 FEET
APART AND A LOT OF CLEANING
PROTOCOLS AND PEOPLE WEARING
MASKS, I DON’T THINK YOU’LL SEE
THEM FULLY OCCUPIED UNTIL A
VACCINE IS DEVELOED AND I THINK
THAT’S PROBABLY A YEAR AWAY.
>> Reporter: WE’VE HEARD
DR. FAUCI TALK ABOUT HIS CONCERN
FOR A SECOND WAVE OF THIS AS
PEOPLE START TO GO BACK AND SOME
AREAS GOING BACK MAYBE A LITTLE
TOO QUICKLY.
DOES THAT CONCERN YOU?
A SECOND WAVE, AND IF SO, ARE
YOU DOING ANYTHING TO PREPARE
FOR THAT?
>> I THINK THE GOVERNOR HAS
HANDLED THIS VERY WELL FROM THE
BEGINNING.
BUT YOU PREVENT A SECOND WAVE BY
BRINGING PEOPLE BACK IN A
MEDICALLY APPROPRIATE WAY, SO
I’VE BEEN GOING TO WORK EVERY
DAY FOR WEEKS.
I WEAR A MASK, MY TEMPERATURE IS
CHECKED EVERY MORNING WHEN I
COME IN.
WE KEEP DISTANT FROM EACH OTHER.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE TO
REOPEN MOST BUSINESSES IN A
MEDICALLY SAFE WAY, AND IF WE DO
THAT WE’LL BE FINE.
AND IF WE GO BACK TO HUGE CROWDS
IN THE PARKS AND THAT KIND OF
THING, IT WILL SPARK BACK UP.
>> Reporter: HOW IS IT
PERSONALLY WEIGHING ON YOU?
>> IT WAS A LOT WORSE FOUR WEEKS
AGO.
WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
AND SEE THAT 50 PEOPLE HAD DIED
THE DAY BEFORE, AND ANOTHER 100
WENT TO QUARANTINE THIS MORNING
AND WE COULDN’T GET IN BASIC
MASKS, IT WAS REALLY TENSE.
BUT THE TEAM WENT TO WORK, AND
DAY BY DAY WE DUG OUT OF IT.
OF COURSE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL
THAT WE LOST OUR POLICE CHIEF
FOR THREE WEEKS, WHICH ADDED TO
THE STRESS LEVEL.
BUT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN
AROUND FOR SIX YEARS, WE’VE GOT
AN EXPERIENCED STAFF, THE TEAM
IS PULLING THEIR WEIGHT, AND NOW
IT’S GOOD TO GO TO WORK.
STILL WE’RE LOSING FOUR OR FIVE
PEOPLE A DAY WHICH IS STILL VERY
PAINFUL, BUT IT WAS 40 OR 50.
IF WE KEEP GOING, WE’LL MAKE --
RIGHT NOW MY GOAL IS I WANT
EVERY DETROITER WHO WANTS A TEST
TO GET A TEST.
WE’RE GOING TO START TO MOVE IN
THAT DIRECTION.
>>> MAYOR DUGGAN HAS ENDORSED
JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT.
I ASKED FM IF HE WOULD WORK FOR
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I MADE A PROMISE TO DETROITERS
WHEN I GOT ELECTED, I’D SERVE
THE FOUR YEARS.
THERE’S NO CONVERSATION ABOUT ME
LEAVING.
RIGHT NOW THE LAST THING THIS
CITY NEEDS IS A CHANGE.
WE’RE GOING TO BE DIGGING OUR
WAY OUT OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
TO COVID-19 FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR
TWO, AND WE NEED A MAYOR WHO IS
COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON THE JOB
HERE AND THAT’S ME.
>> Anchor: HE IS VERY
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF
THE CITY.
IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST PART OF
MY INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR, WE