Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield unveils proposed 2027 fiscal year budget

For the first time, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield unveils her proposal for the city's 2027 fiscal year budget. 

"This budget focuses on building strong and safer neighborhoods, investing in our children, our youth and our small businesses, and reducing poverty and supporting our most vulnerable residents," said Sheffield.

The budget includes $1.5 billion in the general fund and more than $3 billion across all city funds.

Notably, next year's plans will see a $34.6 million decrease from the 2026 budget, due to what leaders call tightening revenues citywide.

"As a city that is committed to reducing poverty and expanding opportunity, we must lead by example," said Sheffield.

Some of the highlights include allocating $30 million for Detroit Department of Transportation, $9.3 million for homeless services, nearly $5 million for expansions to youth and senior services and a new living wage standard for all full-time city employees.

Three months into her first term, Sheffield says the need to make significant investments involves more than just money.

"The people who serve this city deserve the dignity of being able to support for themselves and their families," said Sheffield.

Nine hundred employees, or 34 percent of city employees, will see the boost, which will push the full-time employee minimum wage to $21.45 an hour and a minimum of $44,616 a year by July 1.

Local unions say this increase is a welcome and necessary step.

"We do have members, employees that are working two and three jobs just to make ends meet, and this is not acceptable," said Joe Valenti, president of Teamsters Local 214.

"This is a great thing for the working class, the community, and Detroit can only get better," said city employee Darius Bills.

"It's going to be a breath of sunshine for me. I've been working two jobs, trying to just balance out life. I'm helping my son with his son, and it's just going to be great," said city employee Shadon Adams.

Leaders say the funding comes from part of the city's non-departmental budget, with the growing surplus able to cover it completely.

The Detroit City Council plans to hold budget hearings from now until April before officially adopting the budget.