East Lansing City Council is holding a public hearing this Wednesday May 9 for potential ballot proposals. Katie Cook reports.
The East Lansing City Council may put a tax proposal on the August or November ballots in an effort to bring the city out of financial crisis, and they’re seeking public input at a hearing this Wednesday.
The city is in about $200 million in debt- a shortfall blamed on state revenue sharing cuts and growing obligations to retirees.
A new tax can’t be imposed by the city unless a majority of voters approve it, and last November, they didn’t. 53 percent of East Lansing voters rejected the income tax proposal on that ballot, which was for 1 percent income tax on residents and 0.5 percent on non-residents.
The same income tax ballot proposal is being considered again, as well as proposals concerning property taxes, and bonds which could finance streets or parks and recreation.
This Wednesday's public hearing is at 7:00 p.m. at East Lansing City Hall in Courtroom 2.
The Council will hold another public hearing on May 14. The deadline for placing a ballot question on the August ballot is May 15.