By Lauren Talley/Rob South WKAR
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-884791.mp3
LANSING, MI – Bernero's final stop was in his home town where he told a crowd of supporters that the best thing he could do for the city of Lansing was to govern the state.
Bernero's stump speech included his trademark enthusiasm for job creation and protection of the middle class. Bernero used his immigrant father as an example of how the working class is neglected by the "wall street wizards" who are more concerned with numbers than with human lives.
"For the brokers and the banksters, he's not a father and a grandfather and who worked his whole life to earn his modest pension and health-care, he's just cost on a spreadsheet who needs to be dealt with, squeezed and ultimately cut."
Over the last four years Bernero has struggled to balance the city's budget without laying off employees. This year the city is facing a 12-million dollar deficit. Bernero says his gubernatorial bid will not interfere with his duties as mayor.
"So I'm very fortunate to have a very experienced team at city hall. Physically I've never really gotten into the department and ran them, personally. But I've run the city through the department directors and I'll continue to do that."
Councilmember Carol Wood says Bernero can't forget that the voters hired him to run the city.
"Yes, we do have department heads that we rely on for a number of those things. There is a face that becomes the mayor that helps with those agendas, so I'm concerned with how this will affect the day-to-day operation."
The only other democrat to officially announce her intentions to run for Governor is State representative Alma Wheeler-Smith.