City residents are questioning how Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero plans to spend money from a recent property tax hike.
The tax hike was approved last year. Many voters expected the money would be spent to hire back dozens of police officers and firefighters laid off in recent years. But Mayor Bernero's plan calls for bringing back just seven public safety officers.
Bernero says he’d like to hire more cops, but the city can’t afford it.
"I’m not going to hire people that I’ve got to turn around and fire tomorrow. I’m not going to do it," says Bernero.
Some Lansing city council members complain the mayor wants to spend money on rehabbing a building for the police department. That's money they say could be spent hiring police officers.
Brian Jeffries is the Lansing City Council president. He wants more money spent on rehiring laid off police officers and firefighters.
"We thought we’d get more police out there. That’s what we thought. We thought we’d get more fire personnel out there," says Jeffries, "Basically all we’re being told is this is just going to back stop any future losses.”
The city council has until the middle of May to approve or change the mayor’s budget proposal. The council will hold its own public hearing tonight.
