Despite uncertainty caused by this morning’s federal government shutdown, you can be certain that the City of Berkley will continue to serve you by providing essential daily services, including public safety, infrastructure and waste management, parks and recreation, library services, and more. If you have questions about services provided by the City of Berkley, please contact our City Manager’s Office at cmo@berkleymi.gov or 248-658-3350.

 

It's important to understand that local, state, and federal governments operate on separate funding sources. The City of Berkley funds our operations through local revenue—primarily property taxes. These funds are collected and managed right here in our community, which means your city services are not dependent on federal budget decisions. Similarly, the State of Michigan operates using state taxes, such as sales and income taxes, which are also independent of the federal budget. While the federal government does provide grant funding for some specific programs that may experience delays during a shutdown, the core services you rely on daily—from police and fire protection to road maintenance and recreation programs—continue without interruption because they're supported largely by your local tax dollars.

You can also rest assured that benefits such as Social Security and Supplemental Security Income checks, Medicare, and veterans' benefits will not be disrupted by the federal shutdown. If you have questions about your benefits and assistance programs, you should contact Michigan Senators Elissa Slotkin or Gary Peters. You can reach Senator Slotkin’s office at 313-961-4330 (Detroit office) or 202-224-4822 (D.C. office), and Senator Peters’ office at 313-226-6020 (Detroit office) or 202-224-6221 (D.C. office).

• During a federal government shutdown, recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income checks. The Social Security Administration will continue to issue original and replacement Social Security cards, as well as process applications for benefits and appeals. Field offices will be open, and the national 1-800 number will be running.
  
  However, based on previous government shutdowns, recipients should anticipate that some Social Security services may be affected, such as benefit verifications and overpayment processing.
   

• Medicare and Medicaid are deemed mandatory programs, and the shutdown will not disrupt benefits. The shutdown will not affect Medicare’s open enrollment period, which begins October 15, or the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period, which begins on November 1.
   

• Veterans’ health care will not be affected by the shutdown. Benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits.
  
  However, based on previous government shutdowns, access to some Veterans’ Affairs (VA) resources will be restricted, including outreach, career counseling, transition assistance, and cemetery grounds maintenance. Regional VA offices that serve the public will close.

We understand that a federal government shutdown causes uncertainty and stress. If you have questions about any impact on your local City services, please do not hesitate to reach out to our City Manager’s Office or to our State representatives to address questions you may have about your essential benefits.