DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield laid out a bold blueprint for the city's future tonight in her first State of the City tonight.
Her venue of choice, Mumford High School, wasn't just a backdrop. It was a symbol of her promise to protest families with a new neighborhood "survival guide"
"Something that we all should be proud of, but now is the opportunity to show that Detroit's future is not only defined by a few square miles of downtown," Sheffield said. "This administration will ensure that Detroit's future is built block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood."
The mayor said she is attacking poverty from the inside. She's pledging a $21-an-hour "living wage" for city workers, and eliminating bus fares for every K-112 student. And to brighten up city blocks, there's a promise to install 3,000 new streetlights.
We wanted to take the mayor's message to Detroiters and community leaders, to see if these promises actually pass the test.
Watch Brittany's report in the video player below
Web Extra: Political analyst Mario Morrow gives his thoughts on last night's State of the City Address
Detroiters we spoke to said they really felt seen by Mayor Sheffield's State of the City address, and it's those efforts to improve Detroiters' everyday life, especially in the neighborhoods, that stood out. From those street lights to improving the busing system, Detroiters liked what they heard.
“It was inspiring. I’ve never heard anybody come with that much grassroots people-oriented plan for the city," said Pastor Mo Hardwick.
“What was most exciting to me was the minimum wage… increasing the money for Detroiters," said Detroiter Jennine Spencer.
“Lots of opportunity. It doesn’t look like anybody was left out," said lifelong Detroiter Leslie Graham Andrews. "It gave us something to look forward to.”
Detroiters felt energized after Mayor Mary Sheffield's first State of the State address. Sheffield first reflected on her first 90 days in office, then looked ahead to Detroit's future. She laid out efforts, including:
- Pledging $2.2 million in after-school programs
- Using affordable housing and down payment assistance to boost Detroit's population
- Repairing sidewalks and adding street lights
- Increasing city employee pay to over $21 an hour
Sheffield added that for 64 percent of Detroiters, one full-time job isn't enough to make ends meet. Even young Detroiters came out to listen, and the free bus rides for K-12 graders really hit home for student Matthew Taylor.
“It feels like I am actually being heard. I’m actually being seen," Taylor said. “Because I ride the bus. I rode the bus to get here, matter of fact. Crazy thing is, the bus… one of the buses broke down on my way here, so the fact she said there’s going to be new buses, more buses, more repairing and free rides is like a great plus for me, honestly.”
Mayor Sheffield also gave an update on the RX Kids program, which provides direct cash assistance to expecting and new Moms before and after the baby is born. She said that so far, they've approved 1,200 applications.
Detroiters said they have a lot to look forward to.
Related: Watch Mayor Sheffield's full speech below
