Voters in Ann Arbor head to the polls tomorrow for the city council primary elections. There are contested races in four of the city's five wards. However, the 2nd ward will be decided in November. Leading up to the race, the candidates have been addressing a number of issues including public safety, development, transportation and infrastructure. Here, we take a look at at the 1st and 4th ward races.
(Report on 3rd and 5th Wards found here.)
Listen to the full report here:
1st Wards - Public Safety
Public safety is, and has been, an ongoing concern and source of discussion in Ann Arbor. Both 1st ward candidates would like to see some improvement is needed. Sabra Briere is the incumbent. *Listen to the audio above
Challenger Will Leaf would like to see more transparency.
But it wouldn't be an election if the candidates agreed on everything, even if sometimes the differences are subtle. When it comes to business development Briere would like to rally the community to help save current local businesses, but she needs your help.
For his part, Leaf says he wants to change the city's land use regulations to create more space for new business.
4th Ward - Affordable Housing
In the 4th ward, longtime councilman Jack Eaton is running off against University of Michigan Educational Technology expert, Jaime Magiera.
Affordable housing continues to be a hot topic in Ann Arbor and the 4th ward candidates have some differing views. Councilman Jack Eaton says spending too much money on new development is not the answer.
Magiera says he wants, and the city needs new development, and he stands behind a proposal offered up by the Ann Arbor consulting firm Duet Development.
4th Ward - Transit
Another issue of contention in Ann Arbor concerns transportation and the city's essential infrastructure. Eaton takes this view:
Magiera says the councilmember's plans are outdated.
The Ann Arbor City Council Primary elections will be held tomorrow. Polls open at 7am tomorrow morning and close at 8am Tuesday night. Follow WEMU on Facebook, Twitter and our website at for election results as they happen on Tuesday evening. Then join us for a full wrap-up of the elections during Morning Edition on Wednesday.
