CHARLOTTE, Mich — Eaton County leaders are preparing to make difficult budget cuts following failed millage proposals, with law enforcement services likely to see significant reductions as officials finalize the 2025-2026 budget.
- County officials say they must cut all non-mandated services after voters rejected the public safety millage.
- Residents will likely experience longer police response times with Delta Township being the only local department in the county.
- A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday evening to gather community input before finalizing the budget.
I spoke with county commissioners and residents about their concerns ahead of this crucial budget decision.
WATCH: Eaton County prepares for budget cuts after voters reject public safety millage
Before finalizing the 2025 to 2026 Eaton County budget, officials are holding a public hearing Tuesday evening to hear from residents.
"We have looked at a bunch of different options and came to the conclusion that anything that wasn't mandated we had to cut," Nicole Christensen said.
Christensen, the District 12 County Commissioner, tells me it was important to hear from the community before finalizing the budget.
"We've got some very important decisions to make," Christensen said.
The decision comes after the failure of the public safety millage, and one of the biggest concerns residents have expressed over the last few months is budget cuts within local law enforcement.
"I am very concerned about policing and the local court system," one resident said.
Christensen tells me that law enforcement is working on final steps, with help from Michigan State Police, but says residents will most likely see longer response times due to the failed ballot proposals.
"With Delta being the only department within the entire county, they are there for Delta. Delta is paying to utilize their officers. Yeah, the wait times are going to be or have been long," Christensen said.
Residents are encouraged to attend tonight's public hearing to share what matters most to them. The updated proposal will be brought to the Ways and Means Committee on September 12. The budget is set to be finalized on September 17 at the Board of Commissioners meeting.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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