DFD veteran James Harris takes on City Council incumbents

Detroit voters will elect two at-large city council candidates from a field of four.

Incumbents Coleman Young II and Mary Waters are on the ballot with former council member Janeé Ayers. The fourth candidate is James Harris. He’s the Detroit Fire Department‘s Community Relations Chief.

Why is he running?

Harris says winning would fulfill a dream he’s had since a city councilman came to his elementary school and spoke to his fifth grade class.

“He made us feel like our voice counted,” Harris says. “And I said one day I want to serve the citizens in that capacity.

Harris is the only at-large candidate without council experience. He says that’s not necessarily a disadvantage.

“The majority of people say we need some fresh blood in there,” he says. “The city always needs to change.”

One change Harris says he wants is to make it easier for new businesses to start up in Detroit. He says it’s frustrating for many entrepreneurs to cut through red tape.

“I’d make it a simple one-stop shop,” he says. “You get your certificates, you get all your compliance done, bam! You’re ready to go.”

Public safety matters

Harris has been a Detroit firefighter for 28 years. He says that experience is something his opponents do not have. He also says public safety starts with the citizens.

“You can’t have a police officer on every corner, every block, every house, but you do have citizens,” Harris says. “When you build that bridge with the citizens, with community violence intervention, it works.”

Harris says he does not want to see the National Guard policing the city.

“We have one of the best police departments in the world,” he says. “Our police officers, our citizens, our block clubs have a relationship.”

His vision: an affordable, walkable city

Harris says one way to increase affordable housing in Detroit is to lower property taxes. Another is to keep building housing projects that working class people can buy. He also wants to make Detroit more walkable. Harris says people should be able to walk to work, school, church, and recreation centers safely.

“I will work with the eight other council members to see what we could do to have more walkable communities.”

Election Day is Nov. 4, 2025.