County Hall is to ask people if they would pay more council tax to try to fill a huge gap in its finances.
Leicestershire County Council bosses say they will need to be saving £100 million a year by 2017/18 to meet a shortfall in their cash grant from the Government and to deal with the increased cost of providing the services it currently does.
Today (Mon) the county council has launched a consultation to ask residents for their views on how the savings should be made.
It is asking people to fill out an online survey.
The Tory-run authority says another 1,500 jobs, on top of the 1,000 made in previous cuts of £63 million annually, will go.
It has said that it intends to increase its share of council tax by 1.5 per cent for the next two years generating £16 million but the consultation asks people asks people if they would be prepared to meet rises of three per cent or more.
If councillors choose to go down that route a referendum will be needed which could cost £1 million.
An radical rise of five per cent could generate £40 million.
Deputy council leader and cabinet member for finance councillor Byron Rhodes said: "We need to ask if people will be prepared to pay more to protect front line services.
"It's a possibility because we need to look at every possibility.
"The numbers we are talking about are huge. We are having to save a third of our budget.
"That will have a profound effect on our services.
"That's why it is important people take part in our consultation."
County Hall's Liberal Democrat opposition leader coun Simon Galton said: "We're pleased that the consultation will provide an opportunity for residents to express their view on how the council should plan services over the next four years and how much council tax should be raised to protect services.
"I hope the Tories will pay better attention to this consultation than they did to recent one on cuts to school transport. Despite 90% of respondents expressing opposition to the proposals, the cabinet ploughed on ahead regardless."
The consultation, costing £30,000, runs until September 15.
To take part visit www.leics.gov.uk/future
