Detroit City Council Budget Hearing and Executive Session - March 30, 2026

The Detroit City Council convened at 4:00 PM on March 30, 2026, to conduct a budget hearing and executive session. The meeting focused on reviewing and voting on a series of departmental budget line items, many of which were either approved, pinned for further discussion, or moved to a closing resolution. The council also heard public comments on housing, land bank, right to counsel, and other community concerns. The session ended with a plan to reconvene on March 31, 2026, at 2:00 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jadante Smith criticized the city for alleged waste in salaries of city employees (David Whitaker, David Bowser, Wendy Lau) and urged the council to defund the Detroit Land Bank Authority, stating residents oppose it.
• Mia Anderson raised concerns about the Detroit Building Authority’s use of Right of First Refusal to acquire properties and funnel them to the Land Bank, and expressed disappointment with the limited public comment time given the lengthy discussion of a coyote habitat.
• Daniel Hayes (community-based doula) urged funding for right to counsel in eviction cases, describing the case of a mother ousted from shelter due to hospitalization.
• Cassie Jones McBride (Co-chair of Detroit Right to Counsel Coalition) shared a success story where a right-to-counsel attorney helped a Detroit resident facing eviction from someone claiming ownership, leading to dismissal and referral to deed fraud task force. She requested full funding for the program.
• Lorinda Lewis (community doula, Right to Counsel member) supported full funding for right to counsel, citing the impact of eviction on pregnancy and postpartum recovery.
• Latanya Bell (Co-executive director of Wisdom Institute) argued that partial investments leave families behind and called for full funding of right to counsel.
• Reuben James Crowley Jr. made a heated statement accusing multiple council members of wrongdoing.
• Mr. Foster referenced 1 Timothy 5:8, urged keeping resources community-based, and cautioned about AI's limitations in predicting crisis.
• Betty A. Varner (president of DeSoda Ellsworth Block Association, age 76) pleaded for equal energy and funds for corridor improvements in her neighborhood as was given to the zoo.
• William M. Davis (general fund retiree) requested extra compensation for general fund retirees who took larger pension cuts than police and fire.
• Sergio Martinez (homeowner) expressed disappointment at the lack of funding for immigrant defense funds.
• iPhone caller asked about meeting procedures and requested help with building repairs.

Discussion Items

Health Department

• Line 52: (Urge coordination on crime hot spots) – Originally health, moved to Planning and Development Department, pinned for more information.
• Line 53: (Mental behavioral health at rec centers) – Pinned for cost details.
• Line 54: (COVID-19 research study) – Moved to closing resolution; Councilmember Johnson noted lack of follow-up on state disparity report.
• Line 55: (Childhood lead prevention program advertising) – Moved to closing resolution; dollar amount pinned pending conversation with HRD.
• Line 56: (Health studies for understanding and financial support) – Pinned; health department had just completed a study.
• Line 57: (Dining with confidence training coordination) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 58: (Increase health budget by $250,000 from marijuana excise taxes) – Approved.
• Line 59: (Data center moratorium request) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 60: (Safe storage containers for cannabis products) – Approved with $75,000 one-time for pilot program. Language amended to include "medicinal and non-medicinal substances."
• Line 61: (Behavioral health workforce development) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 62: (Metrics for CBI groups) – Approved for closing resolution.

Human Resources

• Line 63: (Contracting services in-house) – Pinned for further review.
• Line 64: (My Tri-Share program) – Pinned; needed cost details from HRD.
• Line 65: (City employee parking) – Removed from spreadsheet.
• Line 66: (List of city employees with vehicles/fuel cards) – Pinned; Director Johnson stated fleet audit already underway with capital budget.

CREO (Civil Rights, Equity & Opportunity)

• Line 67: (Language access program $250,000 recurring) – Approved; amended from $200,000 to $250,000 recurring.
• Line 68: (Minority business study $100,000) – Amended to remove funding (study achievable by existing staff), moved to closing resolution.
• Line 69: (Language access contractor review) – Pinned for further input from immigrant community.
• Line 70: (Disparity study $350,000) – Pinned for conversation with new director Attorney Jade Mathis. Councilmember Callaway explained the study aims to overcome barriers for Black women and men in city contracting, citing Atlanta and Philadelphia models.

HHFS (Housing, Homeless, Family Services)

• Line 71: (Air monitoring/facility dashboard) – Moved to closing resolution.
• Line 72: (Life and Legacy program $1 million one-time) – Pinned; administration requested further discussion.
• Line 73: (Mandate Life and Legacy participation for home repair programs) – Approved.
• Line 74: (Immigrant legal services fund) – Approved for closing resolution; language to be developed on sustainable funding.
• Line 75: (Zero percent loan program) – Approved.
• Lines 77, 78: (Lead-based encapsulation program) – Pinned for further discussion.
• Line 79: (Homeless services and job opportunities) – Removed.
• Line 80: (Quarterly mental health capacity reports) – Approved for closing resolution.

Do It (Innovation & Technology)

• Line 81: (Cybersecurity/media literacy $50,000 one-time) – Pinned for correct number.
• Line 82: (AI/AR/VR technology for public safety) – Moved to closing resolution after discussion on privacy and legality.

Law Department

• Line 83: (Maintain city public properties) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 84: (AI rollout policy and safeguards) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 85: (FOIA response fulfillment) – Approved; quarterly updates required.
• Line 86: (Pilot program to address fraud) – Pinned for costs.
• Line 87: (Blight/vacant apartments on Greenfield) – Approved for closing resolution with amended language. Councilmembers noted recent cleanup efforts.
• Line 88: (Office of Senior Affairs entire budget) – Pinned for information.

Mayor's Office - Neighborhoods

• Line 89: (Expand food access program to seniors) – Pinned.
• Line 90: (Youth affairs programming outside rec centers) – Approved.
• Line 91: (Signs for littering/illegal dumping) – Pinned pending DPW discussion.
• Line 92: (Brightmore framework plan – training/employment on infrastructure projects) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 93: (Regular meetings between council, neighborhoods, BSEED, DPW) – Approved.
• Line 94: (Millage for cultural institutions) – Approved; amended to focus on Charles H. Wright Museum and Detroit Historical Society, with a standalone resolution.
• Line 95: (Determine ROI for cultural millage) – Approved.
• Line 96: (Workforce housing fund $500,000 one-time) – Pinned for discussion with HRD.
• Line 97: (Hire liaison for Land Bank complaints) – Approved.

Board of Police Commissioners

• Line 98: (Match stipend to CPC for commissioners) – Pinned; charter prohibits stipends, only mileage reimbursement allowed.
• Line 99: (Increase BOPC budget $250,000) – Pinned; discussion on legality and underspending.

Detroit Land Bank Authority

• Line 100: (Nuisance abatement program discussion) – Approved for closing resolution; Councilmember Waters will provide language.
• Line 101: (Inquiry on how nuisance abatement program was created) – Pinned for response.
• Line 102: (General land bank authority discussion) – Pinned; reminder that MOU expires November 2026 and fund balance runs out by end of 2027.

Historical Museum

• Line 103: (Youth programming at museums) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 104: (Relationship with media services) – Approved.
• Line 105: (Museum art in Coleman A. Young Municipal Center) – Approved.
• Line 106: (Support of property tax millage) – Removed (duplicative).
• Line 107: (Increase budget $3.2 million one-time) – Pinned.
• Line 108: (Employment of Detroiters at historical museum) – Approved.

Zoological Society (Detroit Zoo)

• Line 109: (Senior program $50,000 recurring) – Fund already in mayor's budget; removed dollar amount, moved to closing resolution.
• Line 110: (Coyote habitat at Bell Isle Nature Center) – Extensively debated. Original ask $500,000. Councilmember Benson proposed $100,000 with Wayne County match. After objections (Councilmember Callaway citing ethical concerns, others favoring investment in Bell Isle), the item was moved to closing resolution with commitment to match only if county matches.
• Line 111: (Support millage for cultural institutions) – Removed.
• Line 112: (Increase font size of “Detroit” on zoo water tower) – Approved for closing resolution after a vote with one objection (Councilmember Santiago Romero opposed spending on signage).

Eastern Market

• Line 113: (Box lunch program and Black Bottom archives) – Pinned for Member Miller.
• Line 114: (Urban farmers grant $240,000 one-time) – Approved.

Port Authority

• Line 115: (Tracking mechanism for youth careers) – Approved for closing resolution.
• Line 116: (Mobility innovation terminal $1.5 million one-time) – Pinned after debate; Councilmember Young presented strong ROI case, but Budget Director Johnson cited limited funds. Pinned for further discussion.

Key Outcomes

• Votes & Approvals:
  • 17 items approved to closing resolution (Lines 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 67, 73, 74, 75, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 100, 103, 104, 105, 108, 112, 114, 115).
  • 1 item removed (Line 65, 79, 106, 111).
  • Several items pinned for further discussion (Lines 52, 53, 55, 56, 63, 64, 66, 69, 70, 72, 77, 78, 81, 86, 88, 89, 91, 96, 98, 99, 101, 102, 107, 113, 116).
  • Line 67 amended from $200,000 to $250,000 recurring.
  • Line 68 removed $100,000 but retained in closing resolution.
  • Line 94 amended to specifically include Charles H. Wright Museum and Detroit Historical Society.
  • Line 60 amended to cover non-medicinal substances.
  • Line 110 moved to closing resolution after compromise on $100,000 match with Wayne County; Councilmember Benson withdrew motion after further discussion with Budget Director.
  • Line 116 pinned despite Councilmember Young’s detailed ROI presentation; Director Johnson stressed limited resources.
• New Items Introduced:
  • Councilmember Waters introduced a motion for $75,000 recurring stipends for the Tenant Rights Commission (9 commissioners at $150/month). Pinned due to charter limitations and need for ordinance change.
  • Council President Tate introduced a motion to add $1 million recurring to the Detroit City Council budget – unanimously approved.
• Procedural Notes: Meeting agenda will continue March 31, 2026, at 2:00 PM (after formal session). Public testimony closed at 5:00 PM with 5 in-person speakers and 5 online callers.