To: Delrico J. Loyd, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: David Leyton, Prosecutor
title
RE: Approval of a request by Genesee County's Prosecutor's Office to apply for Local Prosecutor Support Grants from the State of Michigan, for the retroactive periods October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2029 and October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2030, in the amounts of $1,456,585.00 and $1,519,725.00, respectively, for FY2025 and FY2026
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Authorization to apply for the Local Prosecutor Support Grants for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026.
BACKGROUND:
As this Board is well aware, in 2023, the state legislature passed a bill to provide funding to six County Prosecutor offices around the state including Genesee County to assist in the reduction of caseloads through new hires and pay increases to existing staff. The first year’s appropriation was $3 million and we were supposed to receive similar funding in subsequent years. We went through all of Fiscal Year 2025 awaiting word from the State on that subsequent funding. It was not until February of this year that we received notification that we would be part of a new list of 15 counties to receive funding retroactively for 2025 and 2026. Under the formula used, it was determined and we were notified in February that we would be eligible for a FY2025 grant in the amount of $1,456,585 and for FY2026 a grant in the amount of $1,519,725. We were subsequently informed that we would have to officially apply for this funding. As this Board knows, State Senator John Cherry has promised to advance legislation as part of the FY2027 budget that would not only continue funding in FY2027 but it would also fill the shortfalls for the FY2025 and FY2026 grants to retroactively bring them up to at least $3 million for each year.
DISCUSSION:
This Board is well aware of the significance of this retroactive funding for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026. It is a critical first step in efforts to remedy an unfortunate problem created at the state level for funding for prosecutors.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
This funding will be part of a significant effort to provide assistance to Genesee County to provide for adequate staffing for the Prosecutor’s Office. It will alleviate the need to layoff dozens of staff which the Prosecutor’s Office simply cannot afford to do.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
The Board is well-aware that this funding will help reimburse Genesee County part of the stopgap funding the Board provided to the Prosecutor’s Office in its FY2025 and FY2026 budgets.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
None.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
None.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
This grant money advances the priority of safe communities by adding financial resources to the County’s General Fund in an effort to provide efficient, effective and competent prosecution of criminal cases and to provide mandated services to advocate for the victims of crime.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to authorize applying for a “Local Prosecutor Support Grant” from the State of Michigan for the retroactive periods October 1, 2024, September 30, 2029, and October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030, in the amounts of $1,456,585 and $1,519,725, respectively, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the June 10, 2026 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board).