Mid-Michigan heads to the polls this Tuesday with Flint residents deciding on their next mayor. Voters have a number of concerns on their minds including the economy and crime. The campaign signs are hard to miss no matter what street you take in Flint. Darryl Buchannan is trying to defeat incumbent Dayne Walling for the office of mayor. Voters are already taking notes on both candidates.
Claire McClinton says, " Regardless of who wins the election they'll have their hands full."
The need for jobs is easily a major concern for most voters. Michigan currently has a unemployment rate around 10 percent. That's a point down from this time last year, but still above the national average of nine percent.
Resident Trina Turner says, " With so many people out of work and them ending welfare its going to be a lot more people looking for ways to get money, stealing."
Flint also struggles with a blight problem. Empty homes cause safety problems. Blaire Neifer agrees saying, " Make use of the structures, houses, that are still viable to live in the neighborhoods."
Resident Johnathan Smith agrees saying, " Then we got all these schools closing down and stuff like that, welfare cutoff."
Virtually no one neglected to mention crime. Most would like to see more officers on the streets.
Resident William Brown says, " I would like to see crime go down and make it safe for the residents here and work, just crime and work."
Crime is such a problem that many voters would like to see a candidate who actually lives and works in Flint. Leonard Grace says of most candidates, " They don't live here in the city so how can you approach issues we have in the city when you not living here in the city."
