Ypsilanti City Council Ward 2
The Ypsilanti City Council is comprised of a Mayor, who is elected by voters in the city at-large, and 6 Council Members elected from the City's three voting wards. The voters of each ward shall elect one Council Member at every regular City election for a four-year term. The term shall begin at 7:30 p.m. local time on the Monday following the election.
Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.
-
Patrick A. McLean
(Dem)
What in your education and experience make you the best qualified candidate for this position?
What are your goals should you be elected and how will you work to accomplish them with available resources?
What are the most serious problems facing the City of Ypsilanti and what steps will you take to address them?
What are Ypsilanti's greatest assets and how can they be used to help the community thrive?
DISTRICT
Ypsilanti City Council Ward 2
PHONE
614-395-0466
WEBSITE
facebook.com/patrick.mclean.city.council
Number of years as resident
22
I have had a career of more than three decades in state and local government, including senior positions in government finance. I was the Finance Director for the city of Toledo following the great recession (2010-2013) and balanced the budget after inheriting a $48 million dollar deficit. I have also served as a trustee at Washtenaw Community College, where we focused on keeping tuition down for Washtenaw County residents. I know how city government works from having served in multiple capacities. I also know that the best experiences come from listening to residents and understanding what they want and need.
1. Continue to focus on balancing the budget. Ypsilanti brings in less money than it spends. That is not sustainable. In my time on council, I have worked tirelessly to make the budget more transparent and align financial resources with spending priorities. I have sometimes voted against popular measures because we don't have the money for them. Finally, a portion of the fiscal stability is tied to having resources when a "rainy day" comes, like an economic downturn. I established a rainy day fund which now has more than $3.4 million in it.
2. Housing needs, including housing supply, housing costs and the challenges faced by those without housing.
3. Focusing on a more vibrant, safe, inviting downtown.
1. Housing. Because the costs and challenges in this area are so daunting, this has to be addressed at a regional level. This includes the problems faced by the unhoused, whose needs extend far beyond just the lack of a roof over their heads. It also includes the need for more in-fill houses on lots that can support new buildings.
2. Water Street. We have to get the mix right on this project, in a way that will augment our tax base at the same time we add to the residential and commercial vibrancy of the downtown area community.
3. Public safety. Making sure we a well trained, well managed, accountable police department that is augmented by other resources to address the range of public safety needs.
The greatest assets are our people. We have an incredible pool of creative and hard working talent. Ypsilantians are not afraid of hard work and they are willing to give of themselves. We should be harnessing that talent for more projects the way we did twenty years ago to rebuild Rutherford Pool.
We are also blessed with tremendous neighborhoods, both in terms of the physical spaces and also the people that live in them. We have to do a better job of protecting the assets of these neighborhoods, for example, taking care of the trees and the urban environment. That's why I included money in the most recent budget for a forestry program that will actively manage our tree canopy and develop plans for maintaining the health of our trees.
To make a selection for a candidate you must first find your races. Would you like to find your races now?
You have already selected the maximum number of candidates for this race.
You must uncheck an existing selection before making another selection.