La Crosse Council makes $2M in budget cuts

The city of La Crosse is cutting more than $2 million from its current budget, to make up for a multi-million dollar revenue shortfall expected because of the coronavirus. 

The cuts approved by the city council on Thursday include $100,000 each from the police and fire departments, and half a million dollars from street and lighting spending. 

Council member Doug Happel says taxpayers need to know that certain services were going to be affected, if meaningful cuts were to be made, such as cutting the grass in city parks. 

The reductions also eliminate funding for the bicycle pedestrian plan and the city arts board, which drew objections from past and present art board members.