By Rob South, WKAR News
LANSING, MI – The Lansing City Council last night passed a $109 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year which starts July 1st.
The council passed the budget unanimously, and basically unchanged from what Mayor Virg Bernero recommended in March. Among the most noticeable measures is the recommendation to shorten the city work week for non-emergency workers to 36-hours.
The council changed the measure to instead allow for up to 26 furlough days. Council vice president Kathie Dunbar says the changes were made to offer department heads more
flexibility to decide what days employees could take off.
The measure saves about $1.5 million dollars. Councilmember Brian Jeffries proposed a tax increase to reduce the number of furlough days. His plan failed to garner council support. He voted for the budget last night, but warned that the budget has significant structural problems which haven't been resolved.
He says not all of the city's unions have agreed to concessions needed to balance the budget. He says the city could be faced with a mid-year deficit if the deals aren't reached. Mayor Bernero has issued mid-year deficit reduction plans every year he has been in office.