Novi's Next Finance Director Could Shift Taxes

Novi is hiring a finance director, and this is one of those city jobs that sounds back-office until you look at what actually sits on the desk. This person helps build the budget, advises on debt and bond issues, oversees audits and utility billing, and supports the decisions that feed into millage rates and long-term spending. In other words — the job touches the mechanics behind what residents pay and what City Hall can afford to do. The timing matters because Novi’s own budget documents say the city is dealing with a structural challenge right now. ### What is Novi actually hiring for? The city posted the Finance Director opening on April 13. The job reports directly to City Manager Victor Cardenas and covers the whole financial spine of city government — annual budget work, long-range planning, the six-year capital improvement plan, audit coordination, bond issuances, payroll, accounts payable, utility billing, and purchasing policy. Novi is offering $135,000 to $160,000 a year for the role. (cityofnovi.applicantpro.com) ### Why does that matter to residents? Because taxes and spending priorities do not just appear at a council meeting out of thin air. The finance director is the person turning policy goals into spreadsheets that have to balance. If council wants road work, public safety upgrades, park spending, or restraint on tax pressure, finance has to show what is affordable, what can be deferred, and what might require new revenue or debt. (cityofnovi.applicantpro.com) Novi’s finance page spells this out pretty plainly — resources get allocated around council priorities using multiyear revenue projections. ### Is this really about tax rates? Indirectly, yes — but that is the key. City Council is the body that adopts the budget and millage rates in May under the city’s budget process. The finance director does not unilaterally raise taxes. But the person in that seat shapes the menu in front of council: revenue forecasts, cost assumptions, debt options, reserve strategy, and what tradeoffs look realistic. (cityofnovi.org) That can push the conversation toward holding the line, cutting elsewhere, or asking residents to support more revenue. ### Why is the timing so sensitive? Because Novi is not hiring into calm water. The FY 2026-27 recommended budget says the city faces a “structural challenge” and also says revenue decline requires continued action, even if officials describe the problem as manageable with the right decisions. That means the next finance chief is not just inheriting routine bookkeeping. The person is walking into an argument about how to close gaps without undercutting services. (cityofnovi.org) ### Who is making the calls? The city manager oversees administration and the budget process day to day, and the finance director reports to that office. But elected officials still hold the final power on the big public choices. Novi’s seven-member council sets priorities and votes on the budget and millage rates. So the hire matters most as a shaper of options, not as a solo decision-maker. (cityofnovi.org) ### What kind of person is Novi signaling it wants? Someone steeped in municipal finance, not a generic accountant. The posting asks for 5 to 7 years of progressively responsible financial management experience in municipal government and highlights debt management, treasury, budgeting, compliance, and capital financing. The city also stresses its AAA bond rating and more than a decade with no audit findings — basically, Novi wants a finance chief who can protect a reputation for clean books while navigating a tougher budget cycle. (cityofnovi.applicantpro.com) ### So what should residents watch next? Watch the May budget and millage votes, and then watch whether the new hire is framed as a caretaker or a strategist. That will tell you a lot. If council emphasizes stability, the job is about preserving Novi’s financial posture. If the talk shifts to restructuring, capital timing, or new revenue pressure, then this hire could become one of the clearest signals of where local taxes and spending go next. (cityofnovi.applicantpro.com) (cityofnovi.org)