A wage floor for city staff
Every full-time city employee moved to a minimum salary of $44,616 from July 1, 2026.
Source: detroitmi.gov ·
City Hall
A new mayor, and nine people who can stop her
Detroit changed mayors on 1 January for the first time in twelve years, and two of the nine council seats changed hands with it.
Mary Sheffield
Took office January 1, 2026
- The first woman elected mayor of Detroit.
- Previously president of the City Council, which she joined in 2013 at twenty-six.
- Defeated Solomon Kinloch in the nonpartisan election of November 4, 2025.
- Gave a first State of the City address on March 31, 2026.
Four things the administration has actually done
Rise Higher: the survey under the budget
More than 8,000 residents across all 39 Detroit ZIP codes answered, in five languages. They named six priorities: neighborhoods, safety, transportation and infrastructure, open government, pay and workforce, and things for young people to do outside school.
Source: clickondetroit.com ·A proposed property tax cut
A proposal to cut property taxes by 30 to 60 percent, argued as a way to grow both the tax base and the population.
Source: eu.detroitnews.com ·Rx Kids Detroit
A cash-aid program for expectant and new mothers, funded in the first budget.
Source: detroitnews.com ·The nine
Nine members. Seven represent districts; two are elected city-wide.
| Seat | Member | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Tate | Council president. Fifth term. |
| 2 | Angela Whitfield-Calloway | Incumbent. |
| 3 | Scott Benson | Fourth term. |
| 4 | Latisha Johnson | Incumbent. |
| 5 | Renata Miller | Newly elected. |
| 6 | Gabriela Santiago-Romero | Incumbent. |
| 7 | Denzel McCampbell | Newly elected. |
| At large | Mary Waters | Incumbent. |
| At large | Coleman Young II | President pro tem. |
James Tate chairs it; district 1. elected president on a five-to-four split. Coleman Young II is president pro tem. A five-to-four vote for the chair is worth remembering the next time the council splits.
Source: bridgedetroit.com · axios.com ·Eight months of Mary Sheffield, measured in what actually changed
· 388 words · Newsroom
Detroit's first woman mayor took office in January. Here is what has been enacted, what has only been proposed, and why the difference matters.