Council cuts proposed $2.53 billion budget

Baltimore County lawmakers will likely pass County Executive Jim Smith?s proposed $2.53 billion budget largely intact after agreeing to shave just $1.6 million during deliberations Thursday.

The County Council will require several agencies to delay filling vacancies, generating about $1.25 million in savings for fiscal 2008, which begins July 1. About $1 million of that was forced upon the public school systems, but officials said the cut represents a fraction of 1 percent of its $731 million operating budget.