Detroit council debates bigger budgets for at‑large offices; council approves smaller, targeted increase

Detroit City Council members spent the closing-budget session debating whether to increase recurring budgets for at‑large council offices, a proposal Council member Mary Waters said would expand staff and citywide outreach.

Waters presented a memo calling for an increase “from $1,340,000.00 to 1.534,” describing the request as a $500,000-per-office rise so at‑large offices could add staff, mailings and citywide outreach. “This funding adjustment is essential to support the broad citywide scope of at‑large responsibility and to ensure equitable, consistent service delivery for all Detroit residents,” Waters said while outlining staffing and outreach goals.

The proposal drew sustained pushback from several colleagues who said the request arrived too late in the budget process and lacked supporting documentation. Council member Scott Benson said the ask—later amended…