A City Council panel on Monday recommended a plan to save $87 million - mostly through cuts to fire and police service - to begin chipping away at Los Angeles' $300 million-plus budget deficit.

On Wednesday, the full City Council is expected to consider the plan approved by the Budget and Finance Committee.

"We already were at a $300 million (deficit through 2011-2012) and now we are looking at another $80 million to $100 million," said Councilman Bernard Parks, chairman of the committee. "We have to deal with this now or it will get even worse when we consider the budget next year."

The plan would require the Los Angeles Fire Department to immediately return to its modified deployment plan, in which 15 fire engine companies are taken out of service each day, on a rotating basis around the city.

The Los Angeles Police Department will also have to look at ways to plug a shortfall of more than $11 million. Officials said the department will have to consider layoffs of civilians, more furloughs and other spending cuts.

There also a dispute between the LAPD and the City Administrative Office over who should pay for officer uniforms. The department said others should foot the bill but the CAO thinks the department should pay.

During the budget talks, a number of council members questioned the mayor's insistence on maintaining the LAPD's sworn police force at 9,963 officers.

"We have a $300 million-plus deficit for next year ..." said Parks, who served as LAPD chief for five years. "Those are real numbers we have to be aware of."

Councilman Dennis Zine said he believes the city needs to re-evaluate the staffing commitment.

"We have to look at the 9,963 number," Zine said. "Is it a magical number? Or can we use money from that to hire more civilians. I don't know when this became the magic number for the LAPD."

The figure is the number of officers the city had two years ago and was frozen when the budget problems began to develop. Over the last two years, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the council agreed to continue to hire to that level.

City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana also is warning that further cuts might be needed in coming months if city spending continues unchecked or if new revenue - such as projected receipts from the leasing of city garages - fails to come through.

Parks said the city is relying on $53 million coming in for the garages, but no revenue has come in yet as the city continues to analyze bids.

Revenue to the city is down in almost all categories, Parks said.

"Unless we see a turnaround, we are looking at additional cuts," Parks said. "We will have no choice."