The East Lansing City Council is weighing a series of cuts to address a projected $3.1 million deficit in the city’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year.
At a meeting Tuesday night, City Manager Robert Belleman outlined several recommendations aimed at balancing the budget. Among them are proposals to reduce park funding from the city’s general fund, implement credit card fees for payments on city services and eliminate a proposed new position in the fire department.
Belleman warned that without changes, the city would only have enough funds to sustain operations for the next two fiscal years.
To make up for lost park funding, Belleman suggested voters could be asked to approve a millage or the city could collect a new fee from East Lansing Public Schools.
“There is no magic pot of money to fund things that we cannot pay for,” said Councilmember Erik Altmann. “I think it is very important that before we cut stuff, to give voters a choice about whether they want to pay for that stuff. I think that's essential.”
When Councilmember Dana Watson asked whether creating a new millage would pass the costs back to the community, Belleman said yes.
The city council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the budget on May 13. A tentative adoption is expected by May 27.
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.