Senita Lenear previously served as a Third Ward Commissioner and a Grand Rapids Public School board member, while David LaGrand served as a state representative, city commissioner, and assistant Kent County prosecutor. They’re both vying to fill the spot being vacated by Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, who’s term is up on December 31st.
Both candidates discussed a variety of topics, including how to help the city’s unhoused population.
“I suspect we’re sort of spending a penny when we need to be spending a dollar on this problem. We’re underspending.”
“In Grand Rapids, we are program rich and impact poor. There’s something broken in the systems that we have in place to address some of these issues.”
The candidates also discussed what many are calling the city’s housing crisis.
“You have to build. You have to teach people how to retain what they have and the value of it because if you sell, you can’t, by law, determine or dictate who gets to buy that home.”
“I walked here, and I counted eighteen buildable lots between my house and here, and that’s just a walk down Wealthy Street.”
Other topics included education, transportation, and public safety.
The debate was hosted by the Grand Rapids Community Media Center and broadcast live on GRTV. You can watch a rebroadcast of the debate every evening at 6 p.m. on GRTV from now until November 5th.
