Lansing mayor Virg Bernero is reviewing a wide ranging report that calls for major changes to the way the city spends its money.
Lansing faces a projected nine million dollar budget shortfall next year. Lansing city leaders have been struggling to pay for increasingly expensive city services with sharply declining tax revenues.
A special team appointed by the mayor recommends changing employee health care and pension benefits as part of the solution. The committee also suggests Lansing city leaders consider working jointly with other local governments to save money. And the committee says selling Lansing city hall should also be considered.
Bernero says none of the recommendations is “dead on arrival”.
“I asked for this report because I wanted to make sure that we weren’t burying our heads in the sand,” says Bernero, “I want to know where we’re headed….so we can make the tough financial decisions.”
Bernero will deliver his city budget plan next week.
He says he plans to incorporate some of the financial health team’s recommendations in the 2014 budget blueprint.
