LANSING, Mich. — The race for the Ward 2 seat on the Lansing City Council is pitting an incumbent against a political newcomer.
Both Oprah Revish and Jeremy Garza share a passion for residents in their Ward and both want to tackle quality of life issues if they win a term.
Revish, who came to Lansing to work for Michigan State University, says she found her tribe in Lansing and is now looking to represent her friends and neighbors.
Revish says she’s learned over the past few months of the campaign that the people in her ward want things to improve.
“I’ve talked with people who’ve been in their homes for 60 years and they’ve watched Lansing take resources away from young people, take resources away from developments in different parts of the city, especially Ward 2,” Revish said.
Ward 2 City Counclman Jeremy Garza is hoping voters will grant him a second term.
Garza says although he is from Lansing, every time he talks with a voter he learns more about the people in his ward.
“I’m learning more and more about the residents through campaigning. I was born and raised here, but there’s needs and wants from different people. You are constantly meeting different people who want to see their needs addressed,” Garza said.
He took the top spot in the primary election.
He says his top priorities include improving roads and parks, but the most important issue he wants to work on is safety. The city has seen 24 homicides this year, a record number. Seven of those killed were teenagers.
“Public safety seems to be the biggest issue as I’m talking to people at their doors right now. They are concerned about their community and obviously you want safe neighborhoods. You want a safe place to take your family if you want to go to the parks,” said Garza.
Revish is also making roads and park improvements a priority if she’s elected, but her biggest mission centers around the city’s youth.
“Given what’s been happening with our schools, specifically our high schools I’m really concerned with the gun violence and the rate that our children are dying and the resources they need to cease fire between each other,” Revish said.
Ward 2 covers the southeast side of the city.
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