E.L. officials prepared for revenue cuts

East Lansing residents will see fewer sidewalk repairs, slower action to fix damaged city property and shorter-staffed city offices during the next year, as the city struggles to cope with an 11 percent cut to its second-largest revenue source.

Staton

East Lansing city officials are planning to reduce the city’s budget by nearly $600,000 after a state legislative committee voted to cut revenue sharing by 11 percent for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

The cut — which is being carried out in municipalities statewide — will save $144.7 million in the state budget to help ease a $2.7 billion deficit.

Revenue sharing is money the state government allocates to municipalities to fund services such as police, fire and capital improvements. Shares are given based on tax collections from the state.

When East Lansing city officials passed the city’s budget in May, they made plans for a 10 to 20 percent cut in revenue sharing. City Manager Ted Staton said although the city had planned for a large cut, the 11 percent still will cause difficulties.

“It is a bit like being relieved that only half your home burned down,” Staton said in an e-mail.

At press time, the Senate had approved the cuts to revenue sharing and the measure was awaiting vote in the House.

Anticipating revenue sharing cuts to the next year’s budget, East Lansing began taking steps in May to reduce its spending by $95,000. Staton said the reductions included cuts to sidewalk repair programs and a reduction in capital outlay spending. He said department heads and various city workers also volunteered to take five unpaid furlough days to help reduce cuts, which will save an additional $112,000.

“Planning is done at the staff level with alternatives and recommendations being presented to the City Council for discussion,” Director of Finance Mary Haskell said in an e-mail.

Some positions will go unfilled as a way to help reduce cuts, Haskell said. Several positions in the police department, one position in the code department and one position in the clerks office will go unfilled, she said.

East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said the department has left four positions unfilled, including one patrol officer and one school safety officer. If the department needs to cut more positions, they likely would come from the detective bureau.

“The idea is, we are cutting now, rather than hire someone and have to lay them off when the cuts come,” Wibert said.

Despite the cuts, Wibert said police still are able to fill patrol shifts, so residents will not see an impact on response time or service.

Sen. Deb Cherry, D-Burton, was a member of the joint legislative committee that recommended the cuts in a 4-2 vote. Cherry voted against the cuts, saying they could harm public safety across the state.

“People deserve to feel safe,” Cherry said.

State Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Brighton, a committee member who voted for the cuts, said it was the only way to balance the budget without raising taxes.