Word on the street in Gary that Indiana State Senator Eddie Melton would get in the 2023 Gary mayoral race proved true when Melton announced his candidacy Wednesday night.
He is the first to put his hat in the ring to unseat first-term Gary Mayor Jerome Prince.
“It’s time to move past just simply reimagining without a plan whatsoever,” Sen. Melton said, referring to the “Re-Imagine Gary” theme Mayor Prince used as a campaign slogan and attached it to many of the administration projects and communications.
“So often we define the city by the buildings, by the downtown structures, the infrastructure, the parks, the restaurants, and the businesses. That is not inaccurate,” Melton said, “but we know the true lifeblood is the people — the human infrastructure.”
Melton asked supporters to join in his vision to “restore Gary to her true glory. We will empower and build up her people. When we build up the people, the people will build up the communities. But without proper leadership in city hall, we can’t expect the people all over the city to have the resources or the inspiration to lead in our communities. That leadership, ladies and gentlemen cannot wait another four years. We need that leadership now.”