KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City leaders are bracing for deep budget cuts as the city faces a projected $100 million deficit in the upcoming fiscal year.

Starting Friday, a citywide hiring freeze will go into effect with only a few critical departments spared.

City officials are working to prevent what some are calling a looming fiscal free fall after internal budget forecasts revealed a concerning gap between revenue and expenses.

“The fact that we have this forecast should be alarming to everyone. Our revenues are down and our expenses are up,” said City Councilman Crispin Rea, who serves on the city’s finance committee.

Documents obtained by FOX4 show that next fiscal year, Kansas City expects to spend nearly $940 million while only bringing in about $840 million. That’s a shortfall

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