San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales announced during his annual June budget speech that the city needs to maintain its "conservative fiscal strategies."

The city is operating with a budget that is 24 percent less than last year, a reduction of $2.5 million. The proposed combined operating and capital budgets for both the city and the city's Redevelopment Agency is more than $4 billion.

The mayor proposed balancing the budget, with its projected $77 million deficit, with an approach that will reduce costs, minimize layoffs and maintain public services.

The city is no longer considering shutting down certain San José Public Library System branch libraries an extra day a week, as had previously been proposed.

The mayor's budget outlines six priorities: building stronger neighborhoods, keeping San Jose the "safest big city in America," ensuring that children achieve academic success, building improved transportation systems, building a strong economy and making "city government work better."

The city council will consider the mayor's budget proposal at its June 10 meeting, to be held at 1:30 p.m. in the council chambers at 801 N. First St.

A copy of the budget can be viewed at http://www.ci.san-jose.ca.us, and the mayor's message can be read at http://www.sjmayor.org.

—William Jeske