AUBURN -- If the city of Auburn's budget passes as it is currently proposed, city residents will go another year without a hike in their property tax, water or sewer rates.

City Manager Mark Palesh unveiled his proposed 2009-2010 budget to the city council Thursday. The $46.7 million plan keeps the tax levy steady at $12.81 per $1,000 of assessed value without major service reductions.

The proposal calls for the elimination of a few full-time positions (police detective, automotive mechanic and parking fee collector) and two part-time clerical positions. It adds a full-time utilities director position, which is currently held by a consultant on contract, and a part-time methane utilities mechanic.

If approved, the jobs would be eliminated through attrition or retirement, Palesh said. The budget estimates saving $93,461 through the personnel changes.

"No one's being laid off," Palesh said Thursday.

This is the fourth consecutive year the proposed budget does not call for a tax increase. Palesh said that was a top priority from the city council, and city staff reached it by meeting with department heads and finding places to cut spending.

This budget does not pull from fund balances or reserves.

"It is a very difficult deal," Palesh said of maintaining services while tightening a budget.

This year's proposal calls for about $535,000 less in spending than the 2008-2009 budget. The smaller amount correlates with the projected decrease in revenues, he told the council.

There is a caveat with the proposal, Palesh said. It was formulated under the premise that all city employees would be paid wages according to their current contracts, but the city is still negotiating multiple union contracts. If those contracts increase, that money will either be covered by a tax increase or taken from the city's reserve fund, he said.

Mayor Michael Quill said after the meeting that the council asked Palesh to keep from raising property taxes as a relief to the taxpayers. However, he said he and the other council members will study the 230-page document before making any decisions.

"With the state of the economy, we are trying to do everything we can for our residents," Quill said.

The council is scheduled to vote on the budget June 11. There will be workshops each week during city council meetings before the vote.

In other news:

* The council reversed a recent increase in the price of permits for food service facilities to do business on city sidewalks. Last July, the city increased sidewalk cafe permits from $20 to $200, but councilors unanimously voted Thursday to bring the price back down to $20.

* The city council is asking Gov. David Paterson not to close Butler Correctional Facility in Wayne County. Councilors unanimously approved a resolution calling on the state to reconsider closing the minimum-security facility.

William Graney said before the vote that many Auburn residents work at the prison and the community also benefits from the inmate work programs.

* The city will advertise for bids on its 2009 road improvement and sidewalk and curb replacement programs. The councilors unanimously approved to spend up to $1.2 million to fix city streets and $200,000 for the curbs and sidewalks.