A Los Angeles City Council panel opened discussions Monday on a proposed series of cutbacks in the LAPD designed to reduce an $88 million budget deficit.

City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana last week proposed eliminating 225 civilian jobs in the Los Angeles Police Department in order to fund the continued hiring of sworn officers.

Employee unions, however, have urged the council to scale back hiring and retain the civilian jobs, which they say will actually put more rank-and-file officers on the city's streets.

Gerald Chaleff, who oversees LAPD budgeting, told the Budget and Finance Committee that it is too early in the process to make significant decisions that could affect staffing.

"We would like to hold off discussion on this until February until we have a better understanding on our accounts," Chaleff said. "We will have a better idea on reimbursable funds and other accounts. I think we can cut our budget significantly.

"During the summer, Chief (Charlie) Beck said we plan to live within our budget. That is still our goal. We do not want to have any more layoffs and it's not fair to create fear among these workers."

It was the threat of more reductions in the civilian staff that drew several LAPD mechanics to testify before the council committee.

Lou Schilling, a supervising equipment mechanic, said he is working alongside his staff members, trying to keep police vehicles operational.

"I'm a working supervisor," Schilling said. "I'm not sitting behind some desk. I know I speak for others when I say we don't see the rationale in hiring more officers while you are laying off civilians."

As the city tries to balance its budget, LAPD is facing the biggest reductions because spending in the department is $11 million over what had been anticipated and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has stood firm in keeping the sworn force at 9,963 officers.

Peter Repovich, a director with the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said the union agrees with other organizations on a need to scale back hiring.

"The problem will grow worse this next year when the department takes 90 officers to staff the new Metropolitan Detention Center," Repovich said. "It doesn't make sense to not hire enough of the critical civilians to take the place of higher paid officers. We think its time to consider a temporary halt to the hiring of new officers."

The proposal also calls on the Los Angeles Fire Department to return to its modified deployment plan, reducing staffing at 18 fire stations and returning staff assistants to fire companies.

Councilman Bill Rosendahl renewed his request for a tax on billboards as a potential revenue source for the city. Chief Deputy City Attorney Bill Carter said the proposal was deferred earlier this year because it involves a change to the city charter.