'Questionable pasts' of candidates hang over key Detroit City Council race
In a key Detroit City Council district race, the top vote-getter in the August primary was convicted of domestic violence 21 years ago, has a history of being late in paying her property taxes and is involved in a legal battle that has helped cause a rift in the historic Indian Village homeowners association.
Her opponent in the Nov. 4 general election was evicted from the Lafayette Towers apartment building in 2019, according to the 36th District Court case search, and was removed from a Board of Police Commissioners' meeting for arguing with and interrupting the chairperson.
Chrysler retiree Renata Miller, 57, faces Detroit Police Commissioner Willie Burton, 46, in the general election to represent City Council District 5, which stretches across westside and eastside neighborhoods and a slice of downtown. The two were the top vote getters among seven candidates on the August ballot vying to succeed City Council President Mary Sheffield, who is leaving the council to run for mayor.
Miller received 22.7% of the vote to Burton's 19% in the primary. Miller didn't respond to repeated requests for comment. Burton said that like so many in the city, he felt "the weight of rising rents" and ultimately left Lafayette Towers in 2019 "when costs became unsustainable."
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2025/08/27/questionable-pasts-detroit-city-council-candidates-district-5-renata-miller-willie-burton/85758051007/