FLINT -- Pastors in Flint are sending a stern message to both candidates for governor: don’t forget about us. The group Concerned Pastors for Social Action want Democrat Virg Bernero and Republican Rick Snyder to hold a town hall, debating Flint issues in Flint.
“We have problems in Flint,” said the group’s president, Pastor Lewis Randolph of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church located on Stewart Street.
“We have the violence, foreclosure, we have budget problems. We have so many things going against Flint,” he added. “Flint wants to be a part of what they will do in the event that one becomes governor.”
The city had its 46th homicide this week and police officers have long stated they are down in manpower. Meanwhile Randolph said the city never recovered from the steady loss of General Motors jobs, and employment of any kind is dreadfully needed.
“We not only need jobs in Flint, we need jobs across the state of Michigan,” he said. “We’re the second highest ranking state in unemployment in the country,” he added.
NBC25 reached out to both campaigns regarding this topic. Snyder spokesman Bill Nowling said the Ann Arbor businessman's ten point plan details an urban agenda for Michigan’s core cities. “Michigan can’t be the great state unless our cities are great cities,” he said, quoting Snyder. However, specific initiatives were not available.
Cullen Schwarz with the Bernero campaign told NBC25, "Virg has been saying for months that Michigan voters all over the state deserve many chances to compare his economic plan to Mr. Snyder's and to compare each other's record." He went on to say, "if folks are willing to set up a debate, Virg is willing to debate. He'll be there."
While the possibility of a Flint debate or town hall is not known, NBC25 can report both candidates will meet for one debate in Oakland County on October 10th.
