Mike Duggan

Mike Duggan, the 75th mayor of Detroit, assumed office on January 1, 2014, and was reelected in 2017 and 2021. This tenure was not only remarkable for his political achievements but also for his distinction as the first white mayor of the majority-Black city of Detroit since the early 1970s. Duggan's focus during his mayoral campaign was on spearheading a financial turnaround, reducing crime, and driving economic development. His tenure as mayor was marked by significant initiatives such as the "Detroit at Work" online portal to connect job seekers with employers and the "Grow Detroit’s Young Talent" program, a youth summer employment initiative.

Before his political career, Duggan served as president and CEO of the Detroit Medical Center, a role that prepared him to manage the city’s vaccine rollout and expand access to the vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. His administrative skills also shone in his leadership of efforts to demolish the former American Motors Headquarters in December 2021 for a redevelopment project. Duggan's approval rating remained notably high at 68% in 2020, the highest for any Detroit mayor.

In his third term, Duggan unveiled and secured approval for a new proposed city budget, announced the demolition of the Detroit Incinerator, a significant source of pollution, and made changes to key staff in his administration. One of his key focuses was on affordable housing, with a $203 million plan developed to provide various housing services in Detroit for 2022. Furthermore, the Detroit Housing for the Future Fund, which aims to preserve affordable housing, received a $10 million donation from KeyBank in January 2022. In 2023, Duggan proposed a land value tax to double the tax rate on bare land to fund tax reductions on homes and businesses, pending approval by the Michigan legislature and Detroit voters. Under his leadership, Detroit experienced its first year of net population growth since 1957 in 2023, fulfilling one of Duggan's campaign pledges.