Budget, Finance and Audit Committee Meeting – July 15, 2026
Budget, Finance and Audit Committee Meeting – July 15, 2026
The Budget, Finance and Audit Committee of the Detroit City Council met on July 15, 2026, chaired by Councilmember Denzel Anton McCampbell. The meeting covered a range of financial and administrative items, including contract approvals, budget reprogramming, neighborhood enterprise zone (NEZ) applications, and public comments on various city issues. Several items were deferred to future meetings, including after the summer recess.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the minutes from the July 8, 2026 meeting (motion approved without objection).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Owner Papa opposed several agenda items: 5.5 (NEZ fiscal impact), stating NEZs are not helping the community; 5.2 (Dying with Confidence budget modification), arguing against moving funds from Detroit at Work; 6.4 (CDBG reprogramming), calling it a diversion of funds; and urged Councilmember Johnson to reconsider NEZs on her agenda, citing concerns about HRD.
- Betty A. Varner, president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association, raised concerns about DTE Energy's peak-hour pricing (3–7 p.m.) during heat alerts, which she said discourages seniors from using air conditioning due to 30–40% higher costs. She asked the council to urge DTE to waive peak charges during heat alerts.
- Black Bag (young blood from Brewster Projects) alleged voter fraud in Detroit elections, claiming Janice Winfrey lied about sending absentee ballots, and criticized the city's law department and election commission.
- William M. Davis asked about federal funds for storm damage from July 3rd storms, noting fallen trees and debris blocking sidewalks. Councilmember McCampbell responded that the earlier emergency declaration did not cover the 4th of July storms, but DPW/GSD are addressing sidewalk blockages.
- Jadante Smith apologized for previously supporting Marvin Walker and Detroit Priority Detroit, now alleging they are fraudulent and urged the council not to give them a Detroit Land Bank community partnership. He also criticized Real Token properties for lack of maintenance, Moonot's Realty contract, and called for firing of Conrad Mallie and David Whitaker.
- Brenda Butler, Community Advisory Council member for District 4, requested a written report on 6.4 (CDBG reprogramming) detailing which programs' funds were not spent and the planned reallocations. Councilmember McCampbell noted that the HTML agenda includes the resolution with line items.
- Wisdom Institute did not speak due to technical difficulties.
Discussion Items
- 5.1 – Property Tax Rate Reductions: The substitute language from Councilmember Callaway's office was presented, but a fiscal impact analysis is still pending from OCFO. The item was deferred to September 9, 2026.
- 5.2 – Dying with Confidence Budget Modification: Deferred to September 9, 2026.
- 5.3 – Health Department Follow-Up Memo: Received and filed.
- 5.4 – City Code Amendment (General Awards): Deferred to September 9, 2026.
- 5.5 – NEZ Fiscal Impact Memo: Received and filed.
- 5.6 – (Unspecified): Received and filed.
- 5.7 – Data Center Tax Revenue Impact Analysis: To be brought back in one week; report expected by Friday.
- 6.1 – Goal Line Program Contract Amendment: Approved (motion carried without objection). $2.2 million increase, total contract $8,200,000, extension through September 2027.
- 6.2 – Printing, Mail, and Data Processing Contract: Approved after discussion. Contract amount is $225,000 (not to exceed), based on assessor's office budget. Assessor Alvin Horn confirmed the contract includes translations in English, Arabic, and Spanish, with potential for Bangla and French. Councilmember Johnson requested notification if French is added.
- 6.3 – Internal Auditing Services Contract (CDBG-DR): Approved. Contract is $80,030 with Title Based Government Consultant LLC (Utica, NY). No Detroit-based firms bid; one Michigan firm had CRO certification but lacked disaster recovery expertise. The contract is for a HUD-required independent internal auditor for the $346 million disaster recovery grant.
- 6.4 – CDBG Reprogramming Amendment: Approved after extensive discussion. Funds from FY2019-2020 and FY2025-2026 are being reprogrammed to avoid expiration. Funds originated from COVID-related activities, summer jobs, and Section 108 loan defeasance. The $419,000 will go to the Piety Hill affordable housing project (pre-development costs) because it can close by August and spend by September 30, 2026, and the public service cap is already at 15%. Councilmembers Johnson and Waters questioned the selection process and whether other entities could have been considered. HHFS and HRD staff explained that Piety Hill was already in the pipeline through a competitive NOFA and had a prior CDBG award; the swap uses older funding years. They assured that future reprogramming will be presented to council.
- 6.5 – NEZ Certificate for 4128 4th Street: Approved. Petitioner Ted Witten and his wife are building a new single-family home (2 stories, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, ~3,100 sq ft, $700,000 cost) as their retirement home. The house is designed to be energy efficient with passive solar. It includes a first-floor bedroom and full bath that are wheelchair accessible (one step at entrance due to drainage, but a ramp can be added). Councilmember Johnson advocated for zero-step/ranch designs for new homes, especially for the Mayor's 1,000-home initiative.
- 6.6 – Removed as duplicate.
- 6.7 – Taxes Owed on Gastomunas Property: Referred to law department; brought back in one week.
- 6.8 – Request for Grant Opportunities for Detroit Community Organizations: Deferred to September 9, 2026.
- 6.9 – Analysis of Proposed Property Tax Legislation: Councilmember Waters requested analysis of Speaker Hall's proposed property tax legislation (which failed). LPD reported that new bills (House Bill 5873 and House Bill 5880) are similar: HB 5873 would eliminate the 6-mill state education tax and state real estate transfer tax (creating a $3 billion hole in the school aid fund), and HB 5880 would create a 6% sales tax on luxury services. The committee expanded the request to include analysis of these new bills. Item deferred to September 9, 2026.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of minutes.
- Received and filed: 5.3, 5.5, 5.6.
- Approved: 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5.
- Deferred to September 9, 2026: 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 6.8, 6.9.
- Deferred to one week: 5.7, 6.7.
- Removed: 6.6.
- Councilmember McCampbell noted that the city did not meet the threshold for a federal disaster declaration for the July 4th storms, but DPW is addressing debris.
- Councilmember Johnson announced a wellness expo on July 25, 2026, in District 4.
- Councilmember McCampbell announced a District 7 virtual meeting on July 23, 2026, to discuss the master plan.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to call the budget finance and audit committee meeting of Wednesday, July 15th to order. Will the clerk please call the role? Councilmember Denzel Anton McCampbell. Present. Councilmember Letitia Johnson. Councilmember Mary Waters. Present. Mr. Chair, you have a quantum present. Thank you, Madam Clerk. That'll move us on to the approval of the minutes. Members of the committee should have received the minutes from the July 18th. 2026 meeting. And with that, is there a motion to approve? Motion. It's been a motion to approve the minutes from July 8th. See no objections that action shall be taken. That'll move us on to chair remarks. I know there's uh cooling centers that have been activated once again. Uh so please do check on your neighbors. Um do stay cool and also um try to limit as much exposure to the heat as possible and including pets as well. If you have any pets outside, um, it would be good to make sure that they're they are sheltered and have water and bring them inside if possible. With that, um, that'll move us on to public comment. But before we move to public comment, if Madam Clerk, if you can note that we've been joined by Vice Chair Johnson. Clerk was so notes. Thank you so much. Move us on to public comment. Um, request for public comment will close at uh 115. Um, please limit your remarks to two minutes. We'll start with folks in the room here and then move on to those who are joining us virtually. If you are joining us virtually, please do use the read the raise hand um feature, and you will be called in order. With that, seeing no folks currently in person. How many folks do we have on Zoom so far? Good afternoon, Mr. Chair. We currently have six hands raised. All right, let's go to our first speaker. All right, our first speaker is Owner Papa. Ms. Hughes, good afternoon. You have two minutes. Good afternoon, and through the chair, may I be heard. Yes, you may. Thank you. 5.5 on your agenda is for a um a fees of a feasibility, a f a fiscal statement, of something that says the that these NEZs are helping our community, and I tell you unequivocally, they are not. 6.5 and 6.6 on your agenda should be tabled. Anything calling for new NEZs should be tabled until we have the answer to if they are and how much are they robbing the general fund? Um 5.2 would would be a no. I don't think that we should move thousands of dollars from Detroit at work to move it over to help restaurant owners and rest and and train their employees.
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