WKAR’s conversations with Lansing city council candidates continue with newcomer Christopher Jackson. He’s running for an at-large seat.
Jackson is a legal aid attorney with Elder Law of Michigan.
The candidate says he doesn’t have a preference regarding which at-large incumbent -- Judi Brown Clarke or Kathy Dunbar-- he might replace.
"We need to focus on our neighborhoods," Jackson explains, "and I think no matter who's on the council (or) who is mayor, that we can do that.
Jackson lives in the fourth ward, but chose to run at-large rather than in the ward race against incumbent Jessica Yorko. "I want to serve the entire city," Jackson states. "If you're elected from a ward, you need to focus on the needs of that community. I think that we need to have strong individuals in a position to focus on the needs of the entire community."
Pay hikes for the mayor and members of the city council are again being considered. Jackson says that if he's elected, he would give any pay raise to a non-profit. "Seniors on Social Security now, their cost of living increase is only 0.3-percent," Jackson continues. "Our Lansing city council and mayor shouldn't be receiving a raise that's exponentially greater than that."
Jackson serves on the board of the Educational Child Care Center and is on the state representative assembly for the State Bar of Michigan.