Washtenaw County is unique among local governments as it produces a four-year (quadrennial) budget.

Long term budgeting and planning have been standard practice in Washtenaw County for several years—the county implemented biennial budgeting in 1993 and quadrennial budgeting in 2013!

Multi-year budgeting anticipates and plans for financial challenges in advance and provides for a stable operating environment for programs and residents.

The 2019-2022 budget is Washtenaw County’s sixth quadrennial budget. Under this framework, the county adopts a four-year budget plan and reaffirms that plan each year.

Budget development years (like 2018) are where the county determines the plan and identifies the resources necessary to carry out the plan. During reaffirmation years (like 2019) the county updates the resources necessary to carry out the plan. Each reaffirmation year includes a four-year outlook to ensure that the county maintains a long term focus.

Budget updates are provided to the Board of Commissioners on a quarterly basis. Additional information on past budgets, reaffirmations, and budget updates along with other financial data can be found on the County's Open Book web page.