By Gretchen Millich, WKAR News
LANSING, MI – Ingham County Commissioners will hold a public hearing this week on the budget for the health department and other county services.
Commissioner Todd Tennis chairs the human services committee. He says federal stimulus money, along with funding from the state and private foundations, will allow the health department to get through 2010 relatively intact.
But Tennis says in 2011, revenues from property taxes are expected to drop dramatically, while costs continue to rise.
"We're still paying more every year for health care; were still paying more for electricity, for fuel, for all the things that it takes to run county government. And so when the expenses go up and the revenues don't, that means we have to make cuts and next year I think is when the rubber is going to hit the road and were going to see some really nasty potential cuts," Tennis says.
Tennis says if revenues dont rebound next year, the county might have to close more health clinics.
The budget hearing is this Wednesday at 6:00 p. m. at the Human Services building on South Cedar in Lansing.