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Norris J. Thomas Jr. States Reasons For Council Candidacy

Norris J. Thomas Jr. States Reasons For Council Candidacy image
Parent Issue
Day
3
Month
January
Year
1971
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

Norris J. Thomas Jr., a staff attorney with the county Legal Aid Society, formally announced today he is seeking the Democratie nomination to run for City Council in the First Ward. He will be running against Paul L. Spann in the Feb. 15 primary election with the winner facing Republican Edward P. Rutka in the April city election. Thomas is seeking the seat currently held by Democrat H. C. Curry who decided not to run for a fourth term. This will be Thomas' first run at elective office. In announcing his candidacy, Thomas said: "A just society requires close contact between community and government. Much more has to be done to assure that the poor, disadvantaged, blacks and other minorities get just treatment and their fair share of jobs and other opportunities. "Government should be brought to the people, since many people have become too frustrated to come to government. The people of the community must be assured that three will be fair administration of justice, not simply application of laws, for without just and fair i administration of the laws, we are not likely to have order." A May gradúate of the University Law School, Thomas said, "It is essential that our physical environment be protected from pollution and waste. We will have a better chance of solving the problems of our social environment if we have a decent physical environment in which to work. Planning must be carefully scrutinized; junk yards and other eyesores must be cleared from the First Ward; more steps should be taken to control the pollution of the air and the Huron River. "One way to reduce pollution of the air is to make economical public transportation available to people in all areas of the city. This will also elimínate much of the congestión of our city streets," he said. Thomas said one of the most crucial problems facing First Ward residents is housing and landlord-tenant relations. "The city should continue to plan and preserve housing. Decent economical housing must be made available to all residenls at prices they can afford. Planning must be done in a manner so as to preserve the building characteristics of neighborhoods." He called for University housing expansión for both married and nonmarried students "so that more of the non-University housing becomes available to the non-student community of Ann Arbor. "Another matter of great concern in this ward is the future of our Model ies Program," Thomas added. "Many of the people of this ward have mixed feelings about the operatïon of the program. There is consensus on two points, however, that the program should work to upgrade the physical and social environment of the Model area, and that the indigenous population should determine what the future of the área will be. I strongly support both of these goals." Thomas further urged involvement in city government by more persons who understand the problems of youth and I who can bring the youth into the political process. "As a recent gradúate of law school where I was involved in and exposed to many of the problems of students and youth in general, I feel I can readily relate to them. "The city is confronted with many complex problems which can be solved only by leadership which is committed, has ability, is imaginative, and has the willingness to work hard. I feel that I I I can offer all these," Thomas concluded. Born in Laurel, Miss., Thomas lives with his wife and three children at 1611 Chandler. He received his bachelor's degree in political science at Tougaloo College in Mississippi. Thomas also attended the University of Washington, the American University, and Harvard prior to receiving his law degree here. White attending the U-M Law School, Thomas worked as a student assistant at the Legal Aid Society and was hired as a law clerk for the Society after graduation. Upon passing the Bar Examination he became a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society.