Detroit may see more money in the city’s budget at the end of this fiscal year than originally predicted. 

Detroit officials are estimating an increase of $58 million or more in revenue for the 2027 fiscal year. The city’s Sean Tobin says that’s a result of increased money from corporate income, property, and wagering taxes.

Tobin says the city was expecting to see a decline in revenue because of President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. However,”they were decoupled from that that policy, meaning that it wouldn’t affect the revenues. So, based off of how fiscal year 26 ended, that beat our prior expectations pretty well, which is great news.”

Officials estimate the city will start next year with a $1.5 billion general fund. The estimate provides the start for developing the budget for fiscal year 2028. 

-Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Additional headlines for Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026

Sen. Gary Peters comments on SCOTUS absentee ballot ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration cannot change rules around mail-in ballots for the upcoming midterm elections. But a Michigan senator is worried about more attempts at election interference.

Democrat Gary Peters is happy about the high court’s 7-2 decision. But he thinks President Trump will try to meddle in the November midterms. “They want to change the rules. They don’t want free and fair elections. They want to do what they can to to undermine the credibility of our elections. So we have to be vigilant.”

Trump still claims the 2020 election was stolen from him and frequently blames ballot counting in Detroit as a reason for his loss. The Justice Department sent election monitors to four Michigan cities including Detroit and Lansing for this year’s August primary.

-Reporting by Russ McNamara

Americans for Citizen Voting proposal won’t make ballot

The Michiganders for Money out of Politics initiative will appear on the statewide ballot in November. But a measure to require all voters to prove they are U.S. citizens will not.

The Board of State Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 on the Americans for Citizen Voting proposal, denying it from the ballot. They could not agree on a way to resolve problems with petition signatures. Now, a State House Select Committee is trying to find out why.

Both campaigns turned in hundreds of thousands more signatures than were required. Harris says the committee plans to hear testimony from people affiliated with the campaigns, as well as state and local election officials.

– Reporting by Russ McNamara

Health officials warn about recreational nitrous-oxide use

Michigan health officials say the state has a growing problem with people using whippets or laughing gas. Nitrous oxide-commonly catted laughing gas has a variety of medical and culinary uses. But the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says recreational use of nitrous oxide has been linked to a growing number of hospitalizations.

Health officials say recreational use has been linked to neurological injury, blood clots and injuries related to impaired judgement. 

They say since 2024, a third of emergency nitrous oxide cases in Michigan required hospitalization.

-Reporting by Steve Carmody

Gas prices rise

Fuel prices are rising daily. AAA says Michigan drivers are paying an average of $4.54 for a gallon of regular unleaded this morning. That’s 11 cents higher than yesterday, and 32 cents more than it was a week ago. Diesel fuel is averaging a record $6.34 cents a gallon statewide.

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller 

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said that Detroit would end the year with a $1.5 billion surplus. This has been corrected to say that the city is expecting a $1.5 billion general fund. We apologize for the error. 

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