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Wayne County treasurer requests $25.99M transfer from delinquent tax fund, flags property‑tax litigation
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Summary
Chief Deputy Treasurer Jeanviere Adams asked the committee to authorize a $25,987,000 transfer from the delinquent tax revolving fund surplus to the county general fund and warned of expanded exposure from ongoing property‑tax litigation including a case headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Chief Deputy Treasurer Jeanviere Adams addressed the Ways and Means Committee by Zoom to request authorization to transfer delinquent‑tax surplus funds to Wayne County’s general fund and to summarize related litigation developments.
Adams said the office is asking the committee to authorize a transfer of "25,987,000" from the delinquent tax revolving fund surplus to the county general fund for fiscal year 2026; the determination was made as of Sept. 30, 2025 and the transfer would be reflected in budget year 2026. In the record she described a substantial increase in litigation reserves tied to a series of property‑tax cases (the record alternately referred to a 'Rafale' case and to a Michigan case, "Peng v. Isabella County," for which the U.S. Supreme Court recently granted certiorari). She told commissioners the county’s exposure "is exponential" compared with earlier estimates under previous litigation models.
Adams said the treasurer’s office has been paying claims stemming from earlier cases and remains engaged in active litigation, including purported class actions filed in the Eastern District of Michigan. She said the treasurer’s office is coordinating with corporation counsel and that corporation counsel will brief the full commission on the litigation status at an upcoming meeting.
Chair Kenlock asked how the litigation might impact the county going forward and urged the treasurer’s office to meet with the chair and clerk soon. Adams said the treasurer is coordinating with corporation counsel.
What to watch - The transcript records a request to transfer $25,987,000 from the delinquent tax revolving fund surplus to the general fund for FY2026. - The treasurer reported an increase in litigation reserves and cited a pending U.S. Supreme Court case described in the record as Peng v. Isabella County; corporation counsel is expected to brief the full commission on potential exposure and next steps.
