Flint's mayor talks about violent crime, budget deficit and 'reconstruction'

Flint mayor Dayne Walling says his city must now make a transition to an era of 'reconstruction' after a 'generation of decline.'

Walling told the audience at his ‘State of the City’ address Monday that in order to begin that transition Flint must deal with its crime problem.

Flint had the worst violent crime rate in the nation last year. 

“We have lost too many lives. Too many of our promising youth who were confined to environments that were always dangerous and all too often became deadly,” Walling told his audience.

Walling says his goals this year are to develop a financial plan for the city, create a new master plan and get the city on a path to emerge from state receivership.

Flint has been run by an emergency manager for the past 14 months.

The city is waiting to hear back from the state on a plan to deal with Flint’s $19 million budget deficit.