Brandon Betz

The Lansing city council has decided not to include a proposed police funding cut in its budget recommendation to the mayor.

The Lansing city council heard more than two hours of public comment during a meeting Monday night over a proposal to cut the city’s police budget in half over five years.

Two incumbents were ousted from the Lansing and East Lansing City Councils in Tuesday’s election. The upsets were part of a trend of progressive and anti-establishment newcomers, unseating well-financed and widely recognized incumbents. WKAR’s Abigail Censky talked to Lansing State Journal Reporter Sarah Lehr about the results. Below are highlights of their conversation. 

After the State of Michigan voted to legalize recreational marijuana in the 2018 midterms, cities and municipalities across the state are now deliberating what role marijuana will play in their future. Yet for many, including Lansing, markets are still developing and businesses are just beginning to be licensed forcing city council candidates to take a stand on how permissive they'll be toward cannabis businesses.  

Tuesday is the primary election for the Lansing City Council. Eight challengers will face four incumbents for four seats. Lansing State Journal reporter Sarah Lehr covers the council and she joined WKAR’s politics reporter Abigail Censky to preview the election.