East Lansing city officials and city employees from across the state watched speakers advocate for revenue sharing funding at the Michigan Municipal League’s rally for public safety and revenue sharing Thursday. Speakers included city officials from Lansing, East Lansing and cities around the state, and they discussed the economic impact from the loss of revenue sharing funds.

State legislators voted to cut revenue sharing — funds that help supplement city services such as police and fire departments — by 11 percent for the 2010 fiscal year. East Lansing would have to cut its budget for the current fiscal year by $600,000 to make up for the cuts announced this fall.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm is expected to sign the proposed budget that includes the 11 percent cut, but she has the power to line-item veto certain portions of the budget, which could save the funds.

But Granholm has not said what line-item vetoes she will issue, her spokeswoman Megan Brown said.

“The governor has been calling on lawmakers to approve revenue so we can keep firefighters and police officers on the street, protecting our communities and family,” Brown said. “With that said, I cannot tell you the specific action the governor will be taking regarding line-item vetoes in the budget.”

East Lansing city officials came out in support of the rally, with representatives from almost all of the departments, including department directors and members of City Council. With signs in hand, they called for action from state legislators to reconsider the cuts.

“The state is not allocating the money where it needs to go,” City Assessor Jane Meddaugh said. “We all know there is not a lot of money (in the state), but you need to put the money where it’s most important.”

Revenue sharing has been cut in East Lansing for the last eight years, Wibert said in his speech. The effects were grave this year, but it’s a pattern the city has seen for a while, he said.

“We haven’t been able to hire new police officers,” he said. “The youngest officer on our force turns 30 next April 15. That means next April, we will not have a police officer in their 20s at the East Lansing Police Department. We’re missing an entire generation of police officers who have graduated from college and are moving to other states.”

Although some are pessimistic that legislators will compromise to renew the funding, City Manager Ted Staton said the actions of the people at the rally will speak louder than their words.

“E-mails and phone calls to legislators is one thing,” he said. “But being here in mass, particularly with all the men and women in uniform, on the steps of the Capitol, I think is an image they will remember.”