MichiganRadio

Lansing faces $15 million budget gap ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) -

The city of Lansing is facing a potentially major budget deficit in the next fiscal year.

City Finance Director Jerry Ambrose says Lansing faces a $15 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2012, if the city doesn't bring its projected spending in line with its expected revenues. Fiscal Year 2012 begins next June 30th. Ambrose says the city expects to spend $118 million next year delivering city services, but city revenues are only expected to reach $103 million. He says the city faces tough choices.

"We have to look at how many police does it take to be on the street? How many fire stations should we have? How many parks can we maintain? How are we going to maintain our roads? How are we going to clear the snow? What's going to happen with sidewalks? What's going to happen with human services?" says Ambrose.

Lansing's mayor's office will spend the next few months coming up with a balanced budget plan for the city's next fiscal year. The Lansing city council will get its first look at the mayor's budget plan in March. © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio