Mayor Mike Duggan’s plan to spend federal money for pandemic relief is moving forward. Detroit City Council approved the budget framework Tuesday.
Detroit is expected to receive 826-million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act. Duggan wants most of that funding for blight remediation and to offset revenue shortfalls. Many residents objected to the plan during City Council’s public comment. Toyia Watts is president of the Charlevoix Village Association.
“What is the rush? What is the rush on this money? And people don’t even know what’s going on. People can’t even speak.”
Duggan’s framework will be used by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for budgeting. City Council will still need to approve individual appropriations.