MACKINAC ISLAND (WXYZ) — Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield made her first appearance as mayor at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island, outlining her priorities for business growth, public safety, and neighborhood investment in Detroit.
Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report:
Sheffield addressed the conference and later sat down for an in-depth discussion covering the city's economic momentum, credit rating improvements, and ongoing public safety challenges.
Watch the full interview below:
On the question of how to approach business development in Detroit, Sheffield said supporting long-established businesses is just as important as attracting new ones.
"You have to support businesses here first. We have businesses for 30-40 years in Detroit and have to have support. But also how do we attract larger regional brands to Detroit to help support vibrancy of our neighborhoods," Sheffield said.
Sheffield highlighted her focus on working with existing businesses, supporting small businesses, and employing 50% of Detroiters with Detroit companies. She also pointed to the "Move Detroit" program, which has received 5,000 applications for incentives to relocate to the city.
On Detroit's credit rating, Sheffield said the city has seen 12 consecutive years of bond rating upgrades from Moody's and S&P, and that she made meeting with both agencies a priority early in her administration.
"Moody's and S&P — 12 years we have had consecutive upgrades in our bond rating, which is great. One of my first meetings was with Moody's and S&P. We talked about how we can raise our rating higher. They talked about poverty and incomes of Detroiters. They were very energized and excited to see this administration is prioritizing social issues of Detroit," Sheffield said.
With the 2027 NCAA Men's Final Four coming to Detroit, Sheffield said there is much to celebrate, but public safety remains a top priority. When asked about teen takeovers and violence, she was direct.
"We are going to continue to hold people who come downtown or anywhere in our city, and display criminal behavior accountable," Sheffield said.
Sheffield also expressed confidence in the city's community-focused efforts.
"They are doing phenomenal work, working with community violence intervention groups," Sheffield said.
Sheffield highlighted the RX Kids program as another point of pride for her administration.
"4.5 million dollars. Over 3,000 families supported through RX kids. No income requirements. If you are a pregnant mother, you can have access to cash prescriptions, to help you through the most difficult time of pregnancy," Sheffield said.
The mayor also discussed welcoming 1,000 new single-family homes and putting $100 million back into the local economy.
When asked what a successful policy conference would look like, Sheffield said the results were already evident.
"It has been a successful policy conference. I've been able to forge strong partnerships. I've had great conversations around business retention. How we can better support businesses in our city. How we can further support our neighborhood economic development plan and bring more investment to Detroit," Sheffield said.
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