Public Hearing on Budget
Detroit City Council
Finance
Politics
Remote
Join City Council Zoom Meeting: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/85846903626
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Note-taking by
chandler vaughan
Following a month of budget hearings, public was given time to express their concerns on the 2023-2024 budget.
Live reporting by
Alex Klaus
Following a month of budget hearings, public was given time to express their concerns on the 2023-2024 budget.
Alex 🌈⭐️
@mostlikelyalex
Good evening! Tonight at 5 pm I’ll be live-tweeting the City Council’s public hearing on budget for #DETdocumenters. @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
03:54 PM Mar 27, 2023 CDT
Today’s agenda is short, including presenting the proposed FY 2023-2024 budget for the City of Detroit, along with public comment: pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ash…
You can also find the agenda here: pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?I… https://t.co/WVXPGZRJTw
You can also find the agenda here: pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?I… https://t.co/WVXPGZRJTw
There are no documents about the budget available on the agenda. However, we already know some information about proposals for the FY 2023-2024 city budget.
Find past Documenters coverage about the different budget hearings in my thread here: twitter.com/mostlikelyalex…
Our first commenter is talking about the Right to Counsel Ordinance. He mentions that officials are saying this is being implemented but he says it isn’t. He says people are not being represented by an attorney, only being advised by one. He asks City Council to fully fund +
Our next commenter has been a Detroit resident since 1971. He works with @DetEvictDefense and says he’s seen the “incredible suffering” at the hands of developers and landlords. He supports right to counsel and says it helps people everywhere.
Next, a District 6 resident is disappointed that the DDOT budget isn’t even the full ask of $80 million. He says the DDOT budget should be a minimum of $150 mil and believes DDOT drivers should receive a higher pay.
Our next commenter is here to talk about the library. He’s worried about the 25% increase in our tax capture and says it will become an obligation for 25+ years. He mentions that Rick Snyder banned tax captures for the DIA and the zoo.
The next commenter is asking for bigger funding for the bus system. He suggests the Council increases the DDOT budget to at least $80 million up from the $73 million budget proposed by the mayor. He says it’s an investment in public health, safety, and education.
A District 5 resident is suggesting that the City Council increases the DDOT budget to the full $80 mil. They’re talking about how they share a car with their brother who lives in Ann Arbor and they rely on the bus frequently.
40 year District 4 resident is speaking in favor of the Right to Counsel because it addresses affordable housing. He mentions people in affordable housing are living in uninhabitable buildings. He mentions the lack of rental properties with a Certificate of Compliance.
A Certificate of Compliance is technically a required certificate for all landlords and rental properties in the city. In reality, only a very small percentage of them have a CoC.
bridgedetroit.com/seeking-stabil…
bridgedetroit.com/seeking-stabil…
Next commenter says President Sheffield neglected her responsibility to Detroiters. He says she never held a vote on whether contracts with authorities are to be put on the ballot.
Another commenter is talking about the Right to Counsel initiative. She says she’s lived in the city since she was 18 when she moved here on a student. She’s talking about the various issues she’s had in homes she’s rented. For example, shes had no heat in the winter and flooding
Next commenter says Detroit has the potential to have one of the best library systems in the US, but says we can’t do so unless we stop diverting funding from the library to billionaires like Dan Gilbert or to the police department who he says wastes money.
Next commenter says the Council should consider neighborhood budgeting and really getting people involved. They say the top-down management isn’t working.
President Sheffield says that they added the Right to Counsel to their “executive session” and they plan on discussing it more in detail.
The Detroit Affordable Housing and Homeless task force is talking about how people have been looted out of their home because their hones were illegally taken, foreclosed, and taxed. She wants the Council to audit the Housing and Revitalization Department.
A commenter is talking about the Detroit ID program. She says residents want the program to be continued and says the department should not use an outside vendor because they may share applicant data with Immigrations and Customs.
Next commenter says the city shouldn’t spend 28% of their general budget on the police, along with $18 million of other funds. She says police departments are not designed to cure violence, which requires using public health strategies.
She says investing in Detroit residents is what will lower crime. This includes the library, DDOT, Right to Counsel, remove employment barriers, mental health care, low income housing, and substance use disorder treatment.
Next commenter is tired of the administration throwing all their financial responsibility onto residents and suggests several changes she wants to see.
Another commenter is asking for increased DDOT driver pay. She says DDOT is in need of getting becoming an efficient service. Suggests the counsel increases the DDOT budget to at least $80 million.
Next commenter is talking about the Right to Counsel and asks the City Council funds the ordinance. She says Mayor Duggan is still “dragging their feet” failing to get the program running.
She says they will lose nearly $3,800 per year for every Detroit resident pushed out of the city due to eviction.
Advocacy director for @DisabilityPower is asking the Council to increase the budget for the Office of Disability Affairs to $1.4 million. He also calls for an increase in the DDOT budget and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund which is essential for disabled Detroit residents.
District 4 resident and Policy Analyst from @DisabilityPower thanks the Council for moving the Office of Disability Affairs to Executive Session for further discussion. She asks them to increase the Office of Disability Affairs to $1.4 million per year.
She also asks for increases in the DDOT budget for pay increases to $80 million.
Next commenter says the Council needs to consider the pros and cons of not fully funding the Right to Counsel. She says fully funding it will make it work effectively.
Organizer from the Detroit Peoples Platform Transit Justice team asks they increase the DDOT budget. He mentions the various people who experience the worst impacts of a faulty bus system.
Detroit Documenters helped @media_outlier report on the variety of issues in Detroit’s busing system. You can read about some of the issues here: outliermedia.org/news/getting-t…
Another resident is concerned about the lack of rental properties without a Certificate of Compliance.
Organizer at @DisabilityPower is asking for an increase in funding for the Office of Disability Affairs.
Another resident supports the Right to Counsel is talking about her struggles to maintain housing after experiencing hardships including illness from COVID-19. She encourages the Council to fund the ordinance.
Next commenter praises Council-member Waters for working with her member, Durhall. She asks the Council members to have a positive discussion regarding people with disabilities and to figure out how to keep people with disabilities in their home.
A policy intern from @DisabilityPower is asking the Council to increase funding for the Office of Disability affairs to at least $1.4 million. She also suggests that disabled residents be paid to train operators how to best serve disabled Detroiters.
An organizer with the Detroit Peoples Platform is asking for more investment into the DDOT bus system. She says we can’t have a world class city without world class transit.
Next commenter seconds the comment that we can’t have a world class city without world class transit.
She also says the city needs to fully fund Right to Counsel.
She also says nobody in the mayor’s office should get a raise until DDOT drivers get a raise.
She also says the city needs to fully fund Right to Counsel.
She also says nobody in the mayor’s office should get a raise until DDOT drivers get a raise.
Next is transit activist Cunningham Cunningham Cunningham is talking about tomorrow’s Transit Tuesday talk. Here is more information about how to attend: detroittransit.org/tuesday-talks/
He calls for City Council to increase the funding for DDOT to at least $80 million.
@fuzzytek Supports most of what commenters have talked about during this meeting. He says people don’t have a life without a reliable bus system and it’s very important to fully fund DDOT. He’s also concerned about the Tac Increment Financing for downtown development projects.
He’s concerned about the tax capture, and all income from 6,000 jobs will be captured by the development project.
President Sheffield says they will start their Executive Sessions tomorrow at 2pm.
Attachments
Agency Information
Detroit City Council
The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Council is responsible for the creation of local laws—called ordinances. Additionally they pass resolutions, motions, and the proposed city budget. The full-time council is required to meet every business day for at least 10 months of the year, with at least eight of these meetings occurring at a location besides city hall. The council may convene for special meetings at the call of the mayor or at least four members of council. Areas of responsibility for the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee include, Budget, Finance and the Auditor General.
City Council members are elected on the same cycle as the Mayor and will be elected in 2021. Seven members represent the seven council districts, while two members are elected at-large.
Documents
No documents available
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