New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a range of painful cuts to city services in his budget plan Thursday, including layoffs he said were unavoidable because it is getting "harder and harder" to trim expenses.

Some of the cuts may not happen, as Bloomberg's outline of his vision for the city's fiscal 2011 budget still has to be negotiated with the City Council over the next several months. The final budget will be adopted in late spring or early summer, for the new budget year beginning July 1.

The mayor said the economic picture has improved, but is far from bright.

Job losses will be less severe than expected but are expected to continue through this year. Wall Street saw record profits in 2009 - the city forecasts $58.1 billion - but those are predicted to fall back once interest rates start rising.

"Our city's economy still has a long ways to go toward recovery," Bloomberg said. He added that New York "can't escape another set of difficult budget choices."

To help close a deficit of about $3.5 billion in fiscal 2011, his plan contains $484 million of savings for this fiscal year, and $1.1 billion for fiscal 2011.

The mayor's plan does not contain any new taxes.

He would eliminate four fire engine companies on top of 16 set to close last year, until the council saved them; delaying a class of police cadets; shuttering four city swimming pools; cutting library budgets, and closing a 24-hour homeless drop-in center.

Bloomberg also wants to raise metered parking rates from $2 an hour to $2.50 in midtown Manhattan and is examining the idea of eliminating the 15,000 emergency fire alarm boxes on city streets, which would require legislative approval.

He proposed slashing the 300,000-person city workforce by more than 4,200 jobs, 834 through layoffs and 3,352 through attrition.

West Babylon closing school ... Montauk dredging ... Fitness Fix: Deer Park Athletic Club  Credit: Newsday

Concern over Nassau-ICE partnership ... West Babylon closing school ... Slick commute ... SALT negotiations 

West Babylon closing school ... Montauk dredging ... Fitness Fix: Deer Park Athletic Club  Credit: Newsday

Concern over Nassau-ICE partnership ... West Babylon closing school ... Slick commute ... SALT negotiations 

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