Mary D. Waters

Mary Waters
Member of the Detroit City Council from the at-large district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2022
Preceded by	Janeé Ayers
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 4th district
In office January 1, 2001 – January 2007
Preceded by	Edward Vaughn
Succeeded by	Coleman A. Young II
Personal details
Born	(1955-08-27) August 27, 1955 (age 69) Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Detroit Business Institute University of Michigan (BA)
Website	Campaign website

Mary D. Waters (born August 27, 1955) is an American politician serving as an at-large member of the Detroit City Council since 2022.^[1] A member of the Democratic Party, Waters previously served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, serving as the chamber's first Black minority leader from 2003 to 2006.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Waters was born in Alabama on August 27, 1955. While in grade school, she picked cotton in Greenville, Alabama, but moved to Detroit as a teen, when her father found work with the auto industry.^[2][3] Waters attended the Detroit Business Institute. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, where she studied communications and behavioral sciences.^[2]

Career

On November 7, 2000, Waters was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives where she represented the 4th district from January 10, 2001, to 2006. Waters served as the Minority Floor Leader for the state House from 2003 to 2006, being the first African-American woman to serve as Democratic floor leader in the chamber.^[2] Waters left office in 2006 due to term limits.^[2]

While in the Michigan legislature, Waters worked with Gretchen Whitmer who later became Michigan's governor. She often reminded her former colleague to take poverty-related issues like job training, insurance redlining and other maters related to Detroit seriously.^[4] She also backed candidate Whitmer by introducing her to Black church congregations in Detroit.^[5]

In 2010 Waters ran unsuccessfully for District 1 State Senator in the Democratic Primary.^[6]

2010 Michigan 1st Senate District Democratic Primary Election^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	'Coleman Young II'	8,138	41.2
	Democratic	Lisa Nuszkowski	5,701	28.9
	Democratic	LaMar Lemmons	3,812	19.3
	Democratic	Mary D. Waters	1,911	9.7
	Democratic	Dobey Gavin	179	0.9

In 2021, Waters won an at-large seat on the Detroit City Council.^[7] While on the City Council she proposed establishing gun-free zones in the city's downtown area.^[8] She also opposed the sale of occupied, city-owned houses, calling it "Putting profit ahead of people."^[9] In October 2023 she proposed eliminating all property taxes in Detroit.^[10][11]

Legal Challenges

In October 2010, Waters pleaded guilty along with her former campaign manager, Sam Riddle, for their roles following allegations they conspired to bribe a Southfield, Michigan City Councilman, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Michigan. In May 2010, Waters pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of filing a false tax return. Later that year, she was sentenced to one year of probation on claims she received a $6,000 Rolex watch from a Southfield jewelry store. She later attempted unsuccessfully to withdraw her plea, and has since said that she was railroaded by "overzealous federal prosecutors" who really wanted Sam Riddle, her campaign manager.^[12] Riddle also pleaded guilty to conspiring with, then, Councilmember Monica Conyers, and other individuals, to disrupt commerce by extortion.^[13]

Congressional campaign

Main article: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan § District 13

On February 8, 2024, Waters announced that she would be running for United States Congress in Michigan's 13th Congressional District. On the campaign trail, she has called for a ceasefire in Gaza, and freeing of the hostages.^[14][15]

References

1. Burke, Melissa Nann (November 14, 2023). "Detroit councilwoman mulls U.S. House bid against Thanedar". Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
2. "Legislator Details - Mary D. Waters". Library of Michigan. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
3. Waters, Mary (December 19, 2018). "WHAT A STATE OFFICE OF POVERTY ELIMINATION NEEDS". The PuLSE Institute. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
4. Thompson, Bankole (November 7, 2018). "Bankole: A charge to governor-elect Whitmer". Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan. Archived from the original on November 17, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
5. Thompson, Bankole (July 10, 2019). "Bankole: Paradox of Whitmer's first six months in office". Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
6. "Election Summary Report Primary Election - August 3, 2010". Michigan Department of State. August 3, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
7. Rahal, Sarah (January 4, 2022). "New Detroit City Council sworn in, picks Mary Sheffield as president". Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
8. Kinchen, Dave (April 18, 2023). "Detroit city councilwoman proposes designating Greektown, Riverfront, other areas gun-free zones". Fox 2 Detroit. Detroit, Michigan. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
9. Robinson, Samuel; Guillen, Joe; Frank, Annalise (March 27, 2023). "Council member opposes sale of occupied houses". Axios Media. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
10. Mondry, Aaron (October 11, 2023). "This week in Detroit development: Planting 4,000 trees, Brush Park new build and a wild tax plan". Detroit Outlier Media. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
11. Oosting, Jonathan (November 28, 2023). "Michigan anti-property-tax group seeks to get on 2024 state ballot". BridgeDetroit. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
12. Dickson, James David (October 12, 2021). "Scandals plague two Detroit at-large council candidates as election looms". Detroit News. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021.
13. U.S. Attorney’s Office (May 20, 2010). "Samuel L. Riddle, Jr. and Mary Waters Plead Guilty to Corruption, Conspiracy, and Related Charges". fbi.gov. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023.
14. Barrett, Malachi (February 8, 2024). "Detroit City Council member starts congressional bid with 'world peace agenda'". Bridge Detroit. Detroit, Michigan. Retrieved May 30, 2024.,
15. "Accomplishments | Mary Waters for Congress".