You accurately reflect the point that munis like Ann Arbor, Pittsfield Township, and the City of Ypsilanti pay for their own police protection and their taxes are also being used to pay for county police officers. But I suspect that it can be shown that many of the small rural townships are also making a net contribution in taxes, not reflected in the coverage that they receive. (I don’t see any discussion of the general fund-paid countywide deputies authorized in recent years.)

The elephant in the room is always Ypsilanti Township. They use a disproportionate share of the deputy ranks because the sheriff is essentially providing an urban police force for them. Two effects: the rest of the county will be subsidizing Ypsilanti Township to an increased degree, and the increases in PSU cost will still be a significant budget item for the township. I wonder how those contract talks will go. Ypsilanti Township has a history of trying to strike a more favorable bargain.

Good luck with finding a new funding source. I’d hate to see all other county general fund priorities subsumed to pay for this one.