(WWJ) - One of the highlights of the Mackinac Policy Conference happens Wednesday afternoon when Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan delivers a keynote speech, but he spoke earlier in the morning on several big issues facing Detroiters.
WWJ Newsradio 950's Roberta Jasina and Jonathan Carlson were joined live by Mayor Duggan from Mackinac Island as he addressed employment opportunities within the city, what authorities are doing about freeway shootings, the rise in gas prices and more.
On the subject of gun violence, Duggan said while homicide and shootings within Detroit are down 20%, the rise in freeway shootings across Southeastern Michigan is concerning.
“I am really disturbed by that and it’s becoming clear that people who have grudges to settle have figured out that if you shoot somebody on the freeway, people's windows are rolled up, they don’t hear. If it’s at night, nobody sees anything," Duggan said.
Duggan said authorities are working to find a solution and are pushing to get the state legislature to fund a camera system that would be used across freeway in Southeastern Michigan.
"[It] would be able to identify these vehicles, get license plates when we have these incidents, and shut them down," Duggan explained to WWJ's Roberta Jasina. "I think that will go a long way to making the freeways safe in Southeastern Michigan."
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In response to the claims of wrongdoing amid reports that he revealed the identity of a confidential FBI informant, Duggan laid rumors to bed as he told WWJ's Jonathan Carlson "you can't be blamed for revealing a secret you didn't know was a secret."
The Detroit News on Tuesday morning reported federal agents have linked the mayor to “a chain of events that outed a confidential FBI informant and alerted a target of an ongoing investigation of bribery, extortion and fraud at City Hall.”
Duggan earlier called suggestions that he knowingly revealed the informant’s identity “just plain nonsense.”
The Detroit mayor zeroed in on jobs within Detroit and discussed his frustration over $8.4 billion in potentially fraudulent unemployment claims within the state of Michigan, but also admits the task of processing those claims was unprecedented.
"The state was up against a tough situation," Duggan explained.
The mayor said there an overwhelming about of unemployment claims during COVID which bogged down the state's outdated system. In an effort to get money into the pockets of residents who needed it, Duggan said claims were processed as fast as possible.
He said on the flip side, there would've been an "outcry" if the state had delayed unemployment payments for weeks or months to correctly process and vet each claim.
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With most of the country open back up for business since the pandemic days, Duggan said Detroit is looking to the future and is doing so by landing auto plants and brining thousands of new jobs "as fast as the property is becoming available."
“I can’t remember the last time we lost competition for an auto plant," the mayor said in response to WWJ's Jonathon Carlson.
Duggan said a few battery plants were awarded to other cities as those types of plants require 500 to 600 acres of land -- Detroit can only offer 40 to 50 acres, but even that is getting snatched up, the mayor said.
Duggan continued to voice his support of President Biden's decision to forego Russian oil despite Michigan's average gas prices creeping upwards to record highs.
“I’m paying $5 a gallon too," the mayor sympathized. "I’m mad about it as anybody else."
"We could've turned our back on the people of Ukraine and let Russia do what they want and kept out gas prices down," Duggan said. "I think the president has made the right moral decision and I support it."
He said authorities will continue to work on strategies to keep prices as affordable as possible and mentioned how the electric car is becoming more desirable.
"Every month that goes by, the electric vehicle has become more and more affordable and comes closer to reality," Duggan said.
"I would not have supported turned our back on the people from Ukraine and just said lets keep our gas prices down," he stated.
The mayor is scheduled to make his keynote speech at 4: 20 p.m. You can watch LIVE VIDEO STREAM here,
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