Tagged: budget

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero formally presented his proposed 2014 budget to the city council on Monday, March 25.  The much anticipated proposal comes just days after an independent review team issued an ambitious set of recommendations to shore up Lansing’s long-term financial standing.  Current State’s Kevin Lavery attended last night’s council meeting and files this report.

Today on Current State: budget cuts for Lansing police; dancer Nic Gareiss; Dr. Shannon Manning on drug-resistant bacteria; the Ann Arbor Film Festival; and CAFOs for livestock.

Police and firefighters in the city of Lansing are under pressure to make concessions to improve the city’s short and long-term budget woes.  Last week, a long-awaited report from the city’s blue ribbon “Financial Health Team” called for a million dollars to be cut from the police department’s budget.  

Discussing the issue is the President of the Lansing Fraternal Order of Police---the police officers and supervisors’ union---Tom Krug and from the city of Lansing, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Public Service, Chad Gamble.

Governor Rick Snyder’s budget proposal includes some big spending increases for road repairs and early childhood learning.

Michigan's budget director says the state budget picture remains stable despite softer-than-expected economic growth.

Michigan's government may close last budget year with $1.2 billion on hand, but it will be needed to balance the current budget.

Local governments in Michigan are bracing for more revenue cutting. Last Friday, the state legislature approved a measure that would repeal Michigan’s so-called ‘Personal Property Tax.’ 

In Lansing, a panel of prominent business and civic leaders is diving into an  initiative with far-ranging implications. Last week, Mayor Virg Bernero announced the formation of a ‘Financial Health Team’ to study how the city might--over time--move beyond chronic budget deficits.   Bernero called it his “most serious and important endeavor.” The team--headed by former Mayor Dave Hollister--will explore whether the time has come for a new model of municipal finance.