New EL council member calls for different approach to city development

Economist Ruth Beier became a member of the East Lansing City Council in January. She says she grew tired of attending council meetings, complaining and getting nowhere, so she decided to run for office. Beier says it’s time for East Lansing to do things differently. Mainly, she says, it needs to shift more attention and resources away from the city’s commercial downtown to its neighborhoods.Ruth Beier works at the Michigan Education Association. Current State talks with her about development, city tax breaks for developers, the future of the Bailey Community Center and the recent ballot proposals involving the sale of city property and the decriminalization of marijuana.