Wayne County government is broken. Because it’s broken, Wayne County needs a leader who has demonstrated that he can not only meet the many challenges the county is facing but also restore the trust in government lost as a result of the recent convictions of Ficano appointees and the ongoing federal corruption investigations.
Among the pool of candidates who are running to become the next County Executive, we believe the candidate who has the strongest background and experience is former Wayne County Sheriff and Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans.
It is critical that the electorate gets this election right. We do not need another jurisdiction in emergency management.
Balancing Wayne County’s budget, funding its pension obligations and addressing public safety are among the major challenges the county faces. If not handled expertly, these issues could drive the county to the same depths experienced by its largest city. Yet, as important as those issues are, they cannot be addressed until credibility in county government is restored.
The current administration of County Executive Robert Ficano continues to be engulfed in a sweeping federal corruption investigation that has already netted convictions and prison time for top officials of the Ficano administration. We do not see any way for that administration to climb out of the hole it is in and, at the same time, adequately address the structural problems the county faces.
No, Ficano has not been indicted, but from the perspective of political accountability, as leader of the county the buck stops with him. One of the County Executive’s basic responsibilities is to in ensure that officials of the government demonstrate the highest integrity, with transparency, in serving the residents of the county. Mr. Ficano simply has not done that.
And then there is the whole new county jail fiasco. Even if there is no malfeasance there, the misfeasance should disqualify the current administration from reelection.
Warren Evans has managed big budgets as sheriff and he has shown during his tenure that he can build strong coalitions that can work together for the betterment of our community. He is a hardworking, effective executive and he has proven that he understands county government. We believe that Mr. Evans has what it will take to right the ship of a county that has fallen out of favor with taxpayers.
We note that he has a long and strong working relationship with the mayor of Detroit, Mike Duggan, and is well positioned to partner with the Duggan administration in moving Detroit and Wayne County forward, following the completion of Detroit’s bankruptcy proceedings.
We also note that the relationship between the County Executive and the County Prosecutor is crucial in addressing a myriad of public safety issues facing Wayne County. The current tug of war over resources between Ficano and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy sends the wrong signal to residents about how much our leaders are in tune with the issues that matter in their lives.
From testing rape kits, to keeping violent offenders off the streets, all should be top priorities of any leader in Wayne County.
Warren Evans has pledged to find creative ways to address the challenges in resources that has sometimes handicapped the work of the County Prosecutor. Securing the support of the prosecutor on the campaign trail also shows Evans understands how to build relationships among leaders whose support will be crucial in ensuring his success as County Executive.
On the county jail project, Evans offered a realistic answer when asked.
“Right now I don’t see putting good money after bad, and the current site was never built with enough capacity to accommodate the need and that’s why I opposed it when it was first proposed,” he said. “Until the county has a real handle on the deficit and its expenses, I would recommend keeping the current system as it is. I don’t believe the county can afford this right now.”
That is what we expect of the next county leader — operate within the resources available and not in a fashion that wastes millions of taxpayer dollars on a project that has not proven viable. And by the way, conduct yourself, and demand that those who work for you, conduct themselves with integrity and with the best interest of the citizenry foremost in their minds.
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