Message from Robert E. Guenzel,
Washtenaw County Administrator

Message from Robert E. Guenzel,
Washtenaw County Administrator

Hello and Welcome.

Approaching 2010, Washtenaw County government finds itself facing historic financial challenges brought on by the current recession. In just 2 years we project that Washtenaw County will have lost more than $1.5 billion in state equalized value on property.  Property tax revenue makes up the lion's share of our General Fund which, in turn, pays for more than 65% of the services we provide.

In the 51 years of Equalization recordkeeping, the County has never experienced a retraction in property values - until 2009. We currently face a projected $26 million deficit for the 2010/11 budget. Historic indeed.

Though no leader could possibly say "we saw this coming," that should not translate to say that we were unprepared. Uncharted territory meant that this organization had to come together as never before to assess, prioritize and present possibilities to the decision-makers, the eleven members of our Board of Commissioners. We initiated dozens of one-time and long term, permanent reductions including a hiring freeze, now in its second year.

With the deficit we face, options will inevitably include the loss of positions and some services. The adjustments must come through the key areas of revenue enhancement and reform, employee benefits and compensation as well as major structural changes in the way we do business.

The County has also sought answers to these very difficult fiscal challenges by reaching out to other jurisdictions to find ways to collaborate for greater efficiency, and throughout the country, in search of best practices. The Alliance for Innovation, based in Phoenix, Arizona has chosen Washtenaw County as one of just 12 local governments that will be sharing data and outcomes in a case study on weathering this economic crisis.

As it is for all County services, this web site will be your opportunity for information and engagement in the 2010/2011 Budget Planning process. We are committed to making this challenging process open and accessible to our Board, to our employees and to you, the public we serve. (Please see the Budget Process site) In a changing scene for local media and public discourse, we want to encourage community awareness and dialogue.

While we continue to deal with economic realities, I can tell you that our belief in the nobility of public service and our commitment to excellence remains steadfast.

Personally, I would be glad to hear from you on these comments, or on any issues discussed here on the eWashtenaw web site.

Sincerely, 

Robert E. Guenzel, Administrator
Washtenaw County