Group Of Democrats Backs Gop's Garris For Mayor

First it was a group of Ann Arbor Republicans who carne out against the iGOP'S mayoral standard-bearer, and now a group of Democrats has come out opposed to the Democratie candidate for mayor, Robert J. Harr.is. The new group of Demoerats, named Concerned Demoerats, issued a stateIment this morning backing the RepubliIcan candidate Jack J. Garrís for next iMondav's electioñ, The statement was oc; - - endorsed by six Democrats, according to Mrs. Mary Fox. The statement read: "We, Concerned Democrats, feel our traditional philosophy has not been expressed by the present mayor. We have identified ourselves politically as Democrats but have the same goal and aspirations for Ann Arbor as the Republican candidate, Jack J. Garris. The election of a new mayor is imperative to restore the confidence of ALL Ann Arbor citizens. This time we urge your vote be cast for Jack Garrís." Signing the statement were Mrs. Fox, I former vice chairman of the I cratic city and county committees, former secretary and chairman of the Democratie Second Congressional Committee, and state organizer of the Democratie Party Training Program; Cornelius J. Ulberg, former Democratie City Council member for 10 years; Deborah C. Grubbs, Michael Lenio, Henry Schek and Harrison H. Caswell Jr. Mrs. Fox said the statement released I ..- - yesterday by Republicans opposing Garris had no effect on the Democrats' statement today endorsing Garrís, a former Democrat. The Democratie committee working for Garrís' election was formed a month ago, she said. Mrs. Fox added that many Democrats were opposed to Mayor Harris' re-election both on philosophical grounds and because of specific developments in the past two years. She directly referred to what she termed the recent increase in the number of "drying out houses" for ■ drug users. "To have this many drying out houses and places means someone has been asleep in past years," she said. Mrs. Fox also said she and others fear Ann Arbor is becoming a "hippie town" under the present city leadership. "I think our city is getting a reputation I'm ashamed of," she said. She also praised Garris for "not being afraid of standing up and sticking his neck out" in searching for solutions to problems. On the law and order issue, she noted that Garris is a practicing attorney who is closer to the problems than Harris, who is a University law professor. Mrs. Fox also criticized Harris' handling of the S. University Ave. disturbances a year and a half ago. She said there was common knowledge in that area several months before the disturbnces that trouble was coming, but the city leaders either did not know of it, or refused to take action to prevent it.