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One of the most important responsibilities we have in county government is to set the priorities of services and programs for our residents. And we do that through the annual budget. I recently presented our most recent fiscal plan to the county Board of Commissioners.
The Fiscal Year 2025-2027 balanced budget is transparent, sustainable and, if you are interested in seeing for yourself, it can be found on Oakland County’s website. It maintains a healthy fund balance of $236 million in reserves and lays the groundwork for us to continue delivering excellent services to our residents while addressing our challenges.
Thankfully, by most metrics, we’re largely past the challenges presented by the COVID pandemic, our economy has fully recovered and we have retained the coveted AAA bond rating that is the foundation that allows us to achieve our goals.
But this spending plan also marks the end of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan, that has allowed us to create transformational initiatives that have helped our residents, businesses, communities and non-profits not only weather the pandemic, but move beyond it more resilient and armed with the tools that will outlive the special funding.
A few examples of the programs:
- The $20 million investment in the Housing Trust Fund is planting the seeds of affordable housing across Oakland County with projects underway in Pontiac, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Southfield, Hazel Park and Royal Oak Township.
 Hear from Sharmilla Thevakanthan, a mother whose son will soon benefit from a $20 million Housing Trust Fund that is used to provide affordable housing options in Oakland County for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
- We’re in the second phase of our Project DIAMOnD initiative, already supplying more than 300 small manufacturers with 3D printers and training, helping them become more flexible and competitive in a global marketplace. The program has been so successful that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has adopted the playbook and plans to expand the program, first in Wayne and Macomb counties and eventually statewide.
- Our ambitious Oakland80 initiative, to get 80 percent of Oakland County adults a college degree or advanced training, is providing our residents the tools they need to succeed, improve their quality of life and increase their earning potential. According to our first annual Oakland80 report, the number of adults receiving a college degree or training has increased from 61 to 69 percent and studies have shown that they can boost their income by an average of $37,000 a year. I also just met with the navigators who are working in high schools across the county to ensure that students know about the opportunities available to them too.
- We were able to stand up and support the Oakland Thrive non-profit, which has embedded consultants in communities across the county to help more than 7,600 small businesses succeed and thrive.
- We’ve put a premium on environmental sustainability with $5 million in funding for the Oakland SAVES program. In less than a week, all the money was spoken for, helping more than 1,000 residents save an average of $3,350 per household on their energy bills. Like Project DIAMOnD, this program also is being replicated by the state of Michigan on a statewide basis.
- And, earlier this month, the first 500 people received letters notifying them that their medical debt was being eliminated through a partnership between Oakland County and the National Undue Medical Debt program. An estimated 80,000 more residents are expected to get the same letter in the coming months.
These are just some of the projects that lift up our residents and businesses and give them tools to thrive.
The proposed budget is lean, disciplined and balanced. It does not include any withdrawals from the fund balance for ongoing operations. It also supports our current and future employees with a 2.4 percent pay increase and a robust benefits package that will help us attract and retain the best talent to our county.
This budget also recognizes the significant role of law enforcement in keeping our communities safe with investments in body cameras and tasers, an ongoing multi-million investment to upgrade the county’s public radio safety system, as well as staff to provide peer-to-peer counseling and officer training for the Sheriff’s Office and a permanent new position for the Prosecutor’s office.
We continue to rely on solid partnerships with the state and federal government, our local partners in the communities as well as non-profit organizations and agencies. Toward that end, our Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives office is actively searching for opportunities for grants and collaborations with governmental, foundation and non-profit partners.
These partnerships have helped to enable us to provide mental health services to tens of thousands of Oakland County residents and revitalize and reconnect the county to the historic downtown of Pontiac, a project that will begin to truly take shape next year.
We are committed to making a real and measurable impact in the areas that matter most: a strong economy, healthy and safe residents and communities, and opportunities for all who call Oakland County their home to live their best lives.
This budget is a testament to those values.
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