Press Release

On February 19, 2020, the voting principals of the City’s Revenue Estimating Conference approved economic and revenue forecasts for the remainder of fiscal year 2020 and for fiscal year 2021 through fiscal year 2024. State law requires the City to hold independent revenue conferences in September and February each fiscal year to set the total amount available to be budgeted for the next four years.

The Revenue Conference reports recurring General Fund revenue projected at $1.073 billion for the fiscal year ending June 30, up $15 million (1.4%) from the FY 2020 Adopted Budget. The increase is driven by a larger than expected Income Tax base following the final FY 2019 results and by increases in State Revenue Sharing.

Recurring General Fund revenue for FY 2021, which begins July 1, is now forecasted at $1.085 billion, an increase of $12 million (1.1%) over FY 2020. The Income Tax forecast, which accounts for most of the increase, assumes national economic growth slows in FY 2021 and FY 2022, consistent with independent economic forecasts. Overall, modest increases are projected from FY 2021 through FY 2024 across the City’s major taxes and other revenues.

Earlier this month, the City of Detroit, in partnership with the University of Michigan, released its first economic forecast for Detroit, which showed ongoing gains in household income, employment, and labor force participation through 2024.

The Detroit economic outlook is strong and property values are rising. Income Taxes are showing growth, but other major taxes are more restrained. Property Taxes are limited by the State Constitution, which protects homeowners by capping increases at inflation. Detroit’s State Revenue Sharing is largely set by the annual State Budget. Wagering Taxes show steady but only modest annual growth.

The conservative revenue estimates approved require the City to focus on controlling costs over the next four years to keep the four-year plan balanced and fund legacy pension contributions that resume in FY 2024.

“While it’s great that the economy continues to grow over the next four years, the City has to do more with less,” says Chief Financial Officer David Massaron. “Economic growth in the City does not directly translate to growth in City revenues. Our relatively flat revenue growth means that the Mayor and City Council must budget responsibly to ensure a balanced four year plan.”

“Now that revenues have been determined, I look forward to working with the Administration and City Council on the approval of our budget and four year financial plan,” says Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Budget Director Tanya Stoudemire.

The estimates approved set the revenues for the City’s FY 2021 Budget and FY 2021 through FY 2024 Four-Year Financial Plan. The voting conference principals included David Massaron, City’s Chief Financial Officer; Eric Bussis, Chief Economist, Michigan Department of Treasury; and George Fulton, PhD, Director Emeritus, Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics, University of Michigan.

As with any economic and revenue forecasts, there are potential risks to the estimates agreed to today, including national economic trends, international economic issues, and significant changes in federal and state policy.