Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

Dearborn, MI – On Tuesday, March 12, Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans delivered his annual State of the County Address at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, Michigan, to a packed house of state, city, regional, and county officials, as well as friends and family. He spoke about the milestones and many achievements of Wayne County over the past year, as well as his vision for the future.

"We recently passed our ninth balanced budget, a $2.2 billion budget that invests in health, public safety, and our shared infrastructure. Wayne County's credit has been upgraded by all three major credit-rating agencies – Moody's, Fitch, and Standard and Poor's – elevating us to "A" level ratings across the board," Evans said.

Mounting debt from high medical bills has put a strain on the lives of many Wayne County residents, who had no choice but to seek medical care because of pain, illness, or injury. As a result, many of them found themselves facing medical bills they couldn't pay ruined credit and being unable to take advantage of other financial opportunities.

"Partnering with R.I.P. Medical Debt, a non-profit dedicated to retiring medical debt and local health systems, we're wiping clean up to $700 million in medical debt for pennies on the dollar. That means that thousands of Wayne County residents experiencing financial hardship will get a fresh start and peace of mind," Evans said.

While there have been challenges at the Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF), Wayne County has made significant strides in the last year. "We've improved everything from food quality to education to recreation at the facility. I remain committed to addressing the challenges head-on, working collaboratively to ensure the safety and well-being of our youth and staff. I care deeply about what happens to these children. They're more than a news story to me, and they're not just numbers on a chart," Evans said.

Wayne County is just months away from completing its criminal justice center. It will be the largest construction project in the County's history. The building will be state-of-the-art, featuring more than 1,400 office spaces for employees and serve as a centralized hub for our criminal justice operations.

Executive Evans also used the speech to highlight the value of a good education and how it can help shape the future of our county and state.

"We're investing in the pipeline between our education system and workforce. To that end, we invested over $13 million into Wayne RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency), to support mental health services and improve math and literacy outcomes for K through 12 students," Evans said.

The crisis in Gaza and Israel affects the lives of many residents of Wayne County, and Executive Evans is concerned by the toll it is taking on them, as many of their loved ones are directly impacted by its growing tragedies.

"I was one of the first elected officials to come out immediately and call for a permanent cease-fire, and, at the time, this was a very unpopular position, but popularity is not leadership. More than 300,000 Arab Americans and Muslims live in Wayne County, and they are a fabric of our county, as well as our neighbors, our colleagues, and some are our family," Evans said.

The county has invested $8 million into constructing a new 25,000-square-foot facility at the Kirksey Recreation Center in Livonia. The expansion will provide seniors with more space to thrive.

Executive Evans also highlighted his work to spearhead a joint effort between the County, City of Detroit, the courts, and state and local leaders to combat crime. The initiative led to Detroit experiencing its lowest number of homicides in more than half a century, accompanied by significant decreases in shootings and carjackings in 2023.

"I want to highlight two innovative lynchpins of this work: Wayne County's Violent Crime Reduction Initiative and the Fugitive Apprehension Services Team," Evans says. "Around here, we call it F.A.S.T. These teams operate in the background coordinating efforts to identify the source of our most serious violent crimes. It's working, and we're just getting started."