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Callers oppose expanding DDA/DEGC captures, ask council to reduce library administrative fee and recover $407,000
Summary
Multiple public commenters at the Detroit City Council hearing criticized tax-increment capture and DEGC funding, asked for a reduction in the library administrative fee and pushed the city to repay $407,000 lost in bank fraud affecting library funds.
Public commenters urged Detroit City Council to limit expansion of tax-capture mechanisms, reduce an administrative fee taken from library funds and to restore $407,000 that callers said was lost to wire fraud executed through a city-controlled bank account.
Several speakers criticized the city's economic development spending priorities. Adam Barrett opened public comment by contrasting increased spending on development agencies with transit needs: "Instead of doubling DDOT, you all are quadrupling DEDC's budget," he said, asserting tax incentives shift property-tax revenue away from schools and libraries.
Veronica Smith and other callers called for reducing the library administrative fee from $696,000 to $50,000, and for repayment of $407,000 they said was stolen by two city employees while funds were under city custody in 2020 and 2021. "We really need the city council to show that when somebody commits felony crimes against the library in the through city assets, that they pay a price and that the city absolves itself by paying the library back," said Russ Belant, who identified himself as speaking with Detroiters for Tax Justice.
Why it matters: Callers warned that expanding Downtown Development Authority (DDA)-style tax capture across neighborhoods would reduce funding streams for separate entities such as libraries and schools. They said the library administrative-fee line should be justified in writing and reduced.
Agency response and context: The clerk indicated the line for the administrative fee had not yet been taken up by budget staff and that they would seek a status update. Some callers argued in favor of tax incentives and DDA tools, saying they help attract jobs and investment; Steven Hollering stated, "Tax incentives and the DDA are needed," and noted regional competition.
No formal vote or council direction on these demands was recorded during the public-comment portion of the meeting.
