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East Lansing council directs staff to draft parks and recreation millage ballot language after heated debate
Summary
The East Lansing City Council voted 3-2 to direct the city manager to prepare ballot language for a proposed dedicated parks and recreation millage, a step supporters called necessary to explore stable funding amid structural budget pressure and opponents warned was premature.
The East Lansing City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to direct the city manager to prepare proposed ballot language for a dedicated parks and recreation millage that could appear on the November ballot.
The action follows weeks of public comment and a lengthy council discussion about the city’s structural budget deficit and options to protect parks and recreation services. Mayor Mark Brookover and Mayor Pro Tem Singh joined Council Member Altman in voting to draft language; Council Members Meadows and Watson voted no.
Council members and members of the public framed the vote as a step to study whether a dedicated revenue source could prevent cuts to programs such as swim lessons, youth sports and senior programs. City Manager Mr. Bellman told council that the draft ballot language would be brought back to council for review and that adopting the resolution would not itself place a measure on the ballot.
Public commenters were sharply divided. Brianna Egan urged council to reject the proposal, calling it “a deeply flawed red herring proposal” that would shift costs to residents and called for more community engagement. Egan said the proposal “undermines public trust” and pressed the council for specifics, including the proposed millage rate and contingency plans if a measure fails. Barb Anderson and other speakers urged better traffic calming and housing definitions while several other residents described parks programs as essential to community life.
Council discussion ranged from procedural to strategic. Council Member Meadows urged reactivating a previously successful financial health team to study options and lead a public outreach program before drafting ballot language. Meadows recounted the work of the earlier financial health team and said the council should solicit its recommendations before moving forward. Mayor Brookover said the motion to draft language would allow council to consider an additional tool and to have timely options available as staff prepares the FY27 budget.
City Manager Mr. Bellman and staff noted the city’s narrowing general-fund cushion, the role of one-time federal ARPA funds in masking structural shortfalls and the ongoing uncertainty in state revenue-sharing. Bellman described the resolution as a request for staff research and draft language, not a final placement on the ballot.
The motion passed 3-2 in a roll-call vote: Council Member Altman, Mayor Pro Tem Singh and Mayor Brookover in favor; Council Members Meadows and Watson opposed. The council directed staff to return with draft language for review at an upcoming meeting and to coordinate timing with the clerk’s office for the August ballot submittal deadline.
The council approved the FY26 budget earlier in the meeting and retained parks and recreation line items in that adopted budget; the millage drafting vote directs staff to explore a separate, dedicated revenue option ahead of future budget cycles.
