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County Council members proposed the cuts Tuesday to help address the county’s $27 million projected budget deficit. The cuts, which amount to about 2% of the overall budget, help stem spending that is ”eroding our financial reserves,” said Chair Shalonda Webb, a Democrat from unincorporated North County.

The council isn’t telling departments what to cut, whether it’s positions, services or something else, said Chris Grahn-Howard, the council’s budget policy coordinator. That’s up to department leaders.

They were reflecting Wednesday on what they would cut.

“Departmental leadership is assessing the potential ramifications that the proposed budget reduction will have on services and staffing,” said David Wrone, a spokesman for the public works department, which would see a 5% cut worth about $2.1 million.

But Democratic Councilwoman Lisa Clancy of Maplewood, the only council member who voted against the cuts, on Wednesday called the proposals reckless. The council, she said, doesn’t know how they would impact county services and staff.

“I agree with the spirit that we need to get a handle on our budget and make our budget more sustainable,” said Clancy. ”But it only cuts 2% and leaves so many unknowns.”

The county announced earlier this year it was canceling $27 million worth of road projects over the next five years because of inflation and financial troubles.

Along with the $2.1 million cut to public works, the health department would see an $8.2 million cut, or about 10% of its requested budget.

The council proposed cutting $1.6 million, or 10%, from the Department of Administration, which oversees budgets and delivery of county services, among other responsibilities.

The prosecuting attorney’s office would see a 5% cut equivalent to about $772,000, and the council’s proposal would bar the office from buying any new vehicles — a controversial issue in recent years.

The council also proposed 10% trims from four other offices:

County executive: $697,951.

County counselor: $570,069.

Department of Revenue, which helps manage property taxes and issues licenses and distributes money to other county agencies: $904,835.

Public administrator, which assists the public in handling wills, estates and other probate court matters: $104,993.

The cuts should eliminate the need for the tax rate increase proposed by County Executive Sam Page, said Webb.

But Clancy said eliminating new revenue and also making cuts puts programming at risk.

For instance, county administrative staff are still working to use federal pandemic relief money for several projects throughout the county. Eight nonprofits are still waiting for their funding to come through as the county works through a complicated compliance process. Cutting administrative staff means that process could slow or stop, Clancy said.

Council members considered what the departments actually spend at the end of the year when deciding where to request cuts, Grahn-Howard said. Often departments spend less than they budget for, and they may consider eliminating vacant positions.

The council added $21,000 back into its own budget — $3,000 for each of the seven council members to send physical mail to constituents. Clancy said she doesn’t think the council needs the extra money.

The council also added back in $718,000 for the police department’s Shot Spotter program.

Page proposed cutting that program, which often sends police searching for signs of gunfire but finding nothing. The council added it back in after police leaders testified to its usefulness.

The council could approve the budget as soon as next week.