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Commission reviews proposed $733 million fiscal plan and schedules hearings on fees
Summary
Grand Rapids city staff presented a proposed $733 million fiscal year budget and outlined fee changes that will be the subject of a public hearing; commissioners asked for more detail on specific fee impacts and for additional community engagement on large projects.
City staff presented an overview of a proposed $733,000,000 fiscal plan for the coming year during a special budget workshop, and commissioners set public hearings to consider proposed service fees and the final budget.
The city manager opened the workshop by describing the agenda for a multi‑hour session intended to go “deeper into some of the specific areas of the budget” and to allow more time for deliberation on mobility, streets, health and environment, stormwater, capital and the start of a public safety discussion. The manager said a public hearing on proposed fees and the tax rate will be held next week and the fee schedule will be brought back to the commission for consideration on May 20 for adoption.
Deputy finance staff said the fee schedule under consideration contains 1,258 fees across departments. Roughly 57% of fees proposed for the year carry no change, about 24% are cost‑of‑living adjustments, and a smaller share includes increases larger than inflation or fees set below full cost recovery; staff flagged 11 new fees proposed across eight departments. The budget office told commissioners it advises departments but does not set fees — departments follow City Commission policy 700‑10, the city’s user‑fee policy, and may set fees below full cost recovery with justification.
The presentation also highlighted the city’s separate processes for utilities and parks: a fall rate study informs water and sanitary sewer charges, and parks and recreation fees are approved under city policy 1100‑08 by the city manager. Staff committed to post the detailed fee schedule on the budget office website and include it in the packet for the public hearing and final adoption.
Commissioners pressed staff for clarifications, including the list of fees that are free or reduced, the data behind projected fee revenue, and the interaction between fees and service priorities such as safety and access. Staff agreed to compile and post an itemized schedule and to follow up with additional data before the public hearing.
The commission did not act on fees at the workshop. The public hearing and the formal adoption vote are scheduled through the normal public process.
