By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
Democratic incumbent Joseph Palamara defeated Republican challenger Patrick O’Connell in the 15th District Wayne County Commission race, with Palamara winning 31,184 votes to O’Connell’s 21,827 in the eight-community district.
The 15th District represents Riverview, Southgate, Trenton, Wyandotte, Ecorse, Gibraltar, Grosse Ille Township and River Rouge.
Commissioners, who represent Michigan’s most populous county, have faced budget challenges, and were recently released from a consent agreement from the state.
As commissioners they adopt a budget and enact ordinances, and must fund pension liabilities, and operate with a budget that recently saw a 30 percent drop, to 2008 levels, due to declining property values.
Palamara, an attorney, was elected to the commission in 1998. He chairs the Ways and Means Committee, and is on the Economic Development and the Government Operations committees.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected])