Legislative Policy Division

The Legislative Policy Division (LPD) provides research, policy analysis, and general legislative support to the Detroit City Council.  It operates at the direction of, and reports directly to, the City Council.  The newly configured division is comprised of staff from the former Research and Analysis Division, the former Fiscal Analysis Division, as well as former City Planning Commission staff, including Historic Designation Advisory Board staff.  The centralized staffing is designed to efficiently provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary research and analysis on the wide variety of issues confronting the City’s legislative body and facilitate certain City services per City Code and State statute.

The division is staffed to offer City Council independent legal, fiscal, and planning advice.  Division staff drafts ordinances, resolutions, proposed charter language, and ballot language at the direction of the Council, provides policy analysis and staff support to City Council (including its committees and task forces), and as needed, consults outside experts and consultants to assist the Council.  

Fiscal staff provides the City Council with independent fiscal advice.  Staff analyzes the revenue sources and expenditure items as recommended by the Mayor in the proposed Executive Budget for City Council, conducts research on proposed changes in City, State and Federal public policy which would have a fiscal impact on the City’s budget, and makes recommendations to City Council on the various programs and objectives to be carried out in the annual fiscal budget year.  Fiscal staff also performs a review of the Mayor's proposed Executive budget, which includes a review of each City department for City Council, and quantifies the City Council's changes to the proposed budget.  

Planning staff reviews and makes recommendations to City Council on a number of matters, including:  the Mayor's proposed Master Plan of policies for social, economic and physical development; the five-year Capital Agenda and Annual Budget; development of renewal projects; proposals for community development and neighborhood conservation; proposals for acquisitions and disposition of public real property; and proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments. 

2024-2025 Budget Hearings/Budget Schedule

To view a copy of the 2024-2025 Budget Hearing Schedule please click here.   This link also leads to the budget analysis reports written to each department.