The document is a survey of candidates running for mayor of Jackson, Michigan in the August 2021 primary election. It includes their responses to questions about priorities if elected, budget cuts, and policing reforms. For priorities, candidates listed addressing public safety, infrastructure like roads and water lines, reducing crime, and neighborhood improvement. If forced to cut the budget, candidates said they would protect infrastructure, city services, and public safety like police and fire. On policing reforms, some supported oversight committees while others did not support defunding the police.

1. WKAR CANDIDATE SURVEY
WKAR surveyed all candidates running for Jackson mayor in the Aug. 3, 2021 primary
election. Below are their responses to some key questions. The answers appear as submitted
with the exception of some copyediting and formatting changes.
What top three priorities will you accomplish by the end of your term?
Jeromy Alexander:
Listening and representing the people of Jackson and ensuring the council is always considering how
policies will affect the livelihoods of all of our citizens first and foremost. Serving the council by ensuring
items brought forward by all council members can be discussed on the agenda in a timely matter and
ensuring proper procedures are followed. Keeping my eyes open and mind alert while watching for
excessive spending or any other unscrupulous behaviors, reporting to the people as and when
necessary.
Daniel Mahoney:
Addressing Public Safety Concerns
Comprehensive Road Repair Plan
Neighborhood Redevelopment Strategic Plan
Laura Dwyer Schlecte:
1. Infrastructure. Residents and visitors are fed up with our dilapidated and crumbling streets. Good
roads are essential not only for the comfort and convenience of the people who live here, but are
just as important to assure economic growth. We need a concrete (pun intended) plan to get a
plan to fix this problem NOW! I would start by creating a list of the roads, worst to best, and a 2nd
list of infrastructure (water & sewer), worst to best. We know the lead water lines have to be
replaced within 35 years. Use that time frame as the goal to replace all roads. The roads that are
15 years out or longer for construction should be milled down and overlaid to get through until it
is time for their reconstruction. At the same time put policies and enforcement in place to help
preserve our roads - establish a maintenance program for roads in good condition; enforce vehicle
weight limits; explore a one-hauler trash system to reduce truck traffic in the neighborhoods;
make sure our roads have good drainage; do regular street sweeping to keep debris from getting
into cracks and causing severe damage; conduct regular crack-filling and sealcoating; and
maintain manholes in good condition.
2. Reducing Crime. With our law enforcement community we must come up with realistic strategies
to address crime in the city, particularly gun violence. The city is receiving over $31,000,000 in

2. pandemic relief money from the federal government and, if elected, I propose allocating funds to
the effort as advised by the law enforcement professionals and community-based groups. This
can include things like: a “shot spotter” system; violence intervention groups; citizen awareness
programs such as the police simulator; grants for residence security devices and lighting;
increased street lighting; increased patrols; neighborhood watch groups; etc.
3. Neighborhood Improvement and Economic Growth. The City Master Plan identifies 30
neighborhoods each with its own distinctive characteristics, concerns and positive attributes.
Analysis of those concerns and attributes will better enable the city government to provide
additional, appropriate funding and assets for their development. The stakeholders in the process
include not only residents, but also all business owners within each neighborhood. We need to
review all of the vacant parcels the city owns and consider what type of infill projects can be done
to add to or complement the neighborhood and increase our tax base. We should look for ways
to encourage home or building improvements which will improve the overall appeal of a
neighborhood; develop grant opportunities and other incentives; work with residents to form
Neighborhood Watch Groups; and have a good balance of market rate and affordable housing.
We can facilitate connecting our local businesses to their surrounding neighborhoods. We can
promote financing opportunities to lower income families so that they can share in the benefits
of home ownership, grow their personal equity, and have a greater stake in the improvement of
their neighborhood and the city at large.
John Wilson:
Gun Shootings - Those responsible need to be arrested, charged and face a judge. Applying the
rule of law to those found guilty will send a message that will reduce and eliminate these street gang
shootings. Punishment first, followed by intervention programs.
Street Assessments - Homeowners have been overcharged with special tax assessments to have
their streets made drivable. These assessments can be lowered significantly for homeowners by re-
prioritizing spending. It's not the homeowner's fault their street is in terrible condition, nor is it the fault
of city employees who work on the streets, it's the fault of City Council - present and past, for their
misplaced spending priorities and promises that haven't been delivered with the amount of new tax
revenues from downtown development that was supposed to be spent on neighborhood streets.
Water/Sewer fee rates - City Council the last few years has increased water rates over 30% and
recently voted to increase water rates by 24% the next two years followed by 4% increases annually
thereafter. Sewer rates were increased earlier this year by 10% and council recently voted to increase
sewer rates by 40% over the next ten years. City Hall treasury is flush with money including a $9.5
million reserve fund, over $12 million in the local and major street funds and $19 million in its
sewer/water enterprise funds. City Hall is receiving $32 million of federal stimulus funding this fiscal
year that doesn't have to be paid back and millions more when Congress passes an infrastructure
package. As Mayor, I will propose City Council rollback the recent 24% water rate increase and freeze
sewer/water rates for 2 years.
If forced to make budget cuts, what’s the last thing you would cut from Jackson’s budget? i.e.
What spending do you think is most important to protect?
Jeromy Alexander:
Water, roads, police and fire.
Daniel Mahoney:

3. If forced to make budget cuts I would look to make cuts that have the least impact to the citizens we
serve, next to that the least impactful to the employees who work for the city. I think all the items are
important depending on who you’re asking, but some items in the budget are mandated services that
must be provided. Those items would take the highest importance.
Laura Dwyer Schlecte:
Infrastructure and city services. A municipality has the power to expend funds only for a public purpose.
A public purpose is when the expenditure is a direct benefit of a reasonably general character to a
significant part of the public. Most of our revenue is from property and income taxes. Citizens expect
our government to provide services such as police and fire protection, road maintenance, clean water,
snow removal, leaf pick up, street lighting, parks and recreation – all things we can see and feel. The
expenditures they don’t see are the costs for sewer and line maintenance, City Attorney, City Assessor,
City Treasurer, City Clerk, information management, planning, economic development, personnel costs
including benefits, interest on debt and so much more.
What would be non-negotiable for our city? My initial reaction is police and fire. However, if you think
logically or look at this question as a private business the answer would be to maintain services. These
services keep our community viable and will bring in revenue to allow us to provide all or most of the
other required services. If we ignore maintenance of our roads, infrastructure and other City assets we
will enter a vicious cycle of continuous decline. Street lights need to be maintained, public grounds
mowed and weeded, potholes filed, and clean water provided, just to name a few.
The best example of this was what happened to our tax base during the economic decline in 2007 to
2012. Our tax revenue was severely reduced and services had to be cut. Our city looked terrible.
Companies did not want to locate here. Investors/landlords bought the housing stock at a low cost and
turned them into rentals. In 2009, 81.5% of the properties which sold in the county were mortgage
foreclosures. In 2012, City Council had to start making tough decisions on where to spend its limited
capital. It chose to invest in the desirability of the City to attract new businesses and developments
which created new sources of revenue. Those decisions are just now beginning to pay off.
John Wilson:
Last to be cut would be public safety, both fire and police protection. Public safety spending is most
important.
How should policing be reformed in the city? Do you support defunding the police/cutting
police funding?
Jeromy Alexander:
I support our Police Department and will continue to fund the department and pursue new ideas to
reduce crime through prevention and the use of the proper tools, techniques, and training for our
officers.
Daniel Mahoney:
Police reform is a national hot topic and triggering conversation for those who stand strongly on both
sides of the discussion. Even the term “defunding the police” is one charged with tension that will likely
drive further a wedge between the opposing opinions. My thoughts on the subject are simple. We need
an intergovernmental community police oversight committee. This is a proactive measure that would
give additional visibility to the way our community is policed. We need reallocation of funding. In many
government budgets public safety get a nice chuck of that budget. More boots on the ground approach
while sounds nice and safe has never been a good method of approach for crime prevention. We need

4. support for mental health experts in the field and ways to address the system poverty in the community
to help address crime.
Laura Dwyer Schlecte:
I do not support defunding the police. If the police budget is cut, the department will inevitably turn to
“taxation by citation” to raise money – which is wholly undesirable for the citizens, businesses and
visitors. My opinion is that our police department does an excellent job, but if there is any misconduct, it
must be swiftly addressed. The city is forming a new Police Oversight Commission supported by our
chief of police which will deal with allegations of police abuse. I also support and encourage ongoing
officer and staff training in human rights, relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion; and, by the same
token, I think it is important to reach out to our residents and businesses to help them understand the
difficult decisions which officers have to make. Mutual understanding is the key to successful policing
and protection of the community. Also, we should be adding community-based programs which focus
on the causes of crime. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is a financial boon that will give us an
opportunity to fund these types of programs and aid in making Jackson a safer place to live and work.
John Wilson:
Jackson Police Department does not need to be reformed with its current policies and procedures in
place. I'm opposed to defunding or cutting the police budget, and I'm opposed to a citizen's advisory
committee that would interfere with police duties. Any rules or laws passed by the state Legislature and
signed into law by the governor regarding reform would be implemented.
What will you do to help the city of Jackson and its residents recover financially and socially
from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Jeromy Alexander:
Listening and responding to the needs individually as received directly and through a wide variety of
community groups to ensure that community needs are met through those community groups.
Daniel Mahoney:
Supporting the creation and growth of small businesses, continued economic development and
investment, providing pathways for our citizens to get careers that pay a living wage.
Laura Dwyer Schlecte:
Spend money where it is needed most – dedicate city-owned homes and buildable lots to affordable
housing; reform the landlord/non-owner-occupied policies to encourage investment here; use Federal
grant dollars to upgrade neighborhood parks so that they get used by the surrounding neighbors and
their kids; offer incentives to restaurants and retail shops to locate within the City; sponsor events not
only downtown, but out in the numerous parks to draw in locals and visitors.
Many small businesses closed, including my own – The Orange Peacock Gallery. Studies show that
people are now spending and making less money than usual, and this will continue to affect our
businesses. It will be even more important to help our local businesses by creating access to talent and
making the cost of doing business more affordable for them. We need to continue programs that
provide opportunities for businesses to expand, educate business owners on cost saving techniques,
promote buy-local initiatives, find tax incentives for development, and encourage or provide facilities
that incubate small businesses. Our community needs to be diverse and vibrant to attract the talent-
base employers need. Jackson businesses provide job opportunities, tax revenue for the city, and make
our community more desirable to residents and visitors. It is important that we do everything we can to
support businesses and encourage growth by reducing red tape, simplifying ordinances while still

5. requiring quality, and making sure the fees and costs we charge are fair and in line with the service that
is provided.
A perfect storm has happened and the result can be positive. With low interest rates, MSHDA loan
programs, vacant land, and strong community actions we can start to build solutions for those residents
and businesses most affected. The city must embrace the change. We now live in a new normal which
can be an even better world than what we had pre-pandemic. The hardship we confronted should bring
us together – not pull us apart.
John Wilson:
As mayor, I would promote the importance of those able-bodied, working age adults to seek and secure
employment. As mayor, I will promote the importance of a high school education, a job, and good
citizenship. That will surely help Jackson both financially and socially from the Covid-19 pandemic.