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Wayne
County
Commission
adopts
Executive
Evans’
$1.67
billion
2021-2022
Budget,
providing
for
needs
while
protecting
taxpayers
WAYNE
COUNTY,
Mich. –
The
Wayne
County
Commission,
for the
third
time,
unanimously
approved
Executive
Warren
C.
Evans’
$1.67
billion
2021-2022
budget
providing
for
essential
county
services,
including
the
creation
of the
Indigent
Defense
Services
department,
a new
program
championed
by the
county
executive
to offer
legal
services
for
Wayne
County
residents
facing
trial.
The new
budget
takes
effect
on Oct.
1.
“I
want to
thank
Commission
Chair
Alisha
Bell and
all our
commissioners
for
their
hard
work on
passing
this
budget;
together,
we have
produced
a budget
that
provides
for
residents’
essential
services
while
living
within
our
means
and
without
raising
taxes,”
Executive
Evans
said.
“The
partnership
forged
on the
budget
is an
example
of what
can be
done for
the
people
of Wayne
County
when our
shared
goals
and
objectives
align.”
Today’s
passage
of the
2021-2022
fiscal
year
budget
marks
the
third-straight
year
county
commissioners
unanimously
adopted
Executive
Evans’
recommended
budget.
Executive
Evans
has
presented
a
balanced
budget
without
a
general
tax
increase
in each
of his
seven
years as
Wayne
County’s
chief
executive
officer.
In all,
this
approved
budget
spends
$200
million
less
than the
2020-2021
budget
while
expanding
public
services
in
several
ways.
Key
highlights
from the
adopted
2021-2022
budget
include:
•
Establishes
the
Office
of
Indigent
Defense
Services,
a new
office
in the
county
championed
by
Executive
Evans to
coordinate
and
provide
expert
legal
representation
for
county
residents
who
cannot
afford
their
attorneys;
•
$2.2
million
to the
Wayne
County
Prosecutors
Office
and the
Wayne
County
Sheriff’s
Office
for
programs
promoting
conviction
integrity,
strengthening
the
mental
health
division,
support
for
juveniles
without
a chance
for
parole,
and
increased
resources
to
process
sexual
assault
kits;
• A
pathway
to a
$15-per-hour
minimum
wage for
all
county
employees
and a
2.5-percent
raise
for most
county
employees;
• $5
million
in
accelerated
roads
funding
to speed
up
needed
infrastructure
projects
across
Wayne
County;
and,
•
Funding
to hire
additional
professional
staff to
address
the
backlog
of
concealed
pistol
license
applications.
“Our
budget
expands
services
in key
areas
through
increased
efficiencies
and a
common-sense
approach
to
meeting
our
existing
needs,”
Executive
Evans
said.
“Today’s
unanimous
vote
shows
our
shared
commitment
to sound
fiscal
management
for
Wayne
County
and its
residents.
That we
were
able to
do this
in the
midst of
an
ongoing
global
pandemic
speaks
to
renewed
fiscal
strength
of the
county
and the
tough
decisions
we have
all made
in the
last
seven
years to
put us
on a
successful
path.”
Earlier
this
year, in
response
to
Executive
Evans’
sound
fiscal
management
of
county
operations,
the
investment
rating
agency
Moody’s
Investor
Service
increased
Wayne
County’s
credit
rating
to A3.
When
Executive
Evans
took
office
in 2015,
Wayne
County
faced a
looming
fiscal
crisis
of a
$123
million
accumulated
deficit,
$1.5
billion
in
unfunded
pension
debt,
and
state
financial
oversight.
After
only 14
months
on the
job,
Executive
Evans
eliminated
the
accumulated
deficit,
restructured
the
pension
obligations,
and led
the
county
out of
it
state-declared
financial
emergency.
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