By RHYS WALTERS

A town hall forum was held at Olympic View Elementary School on June 20 to discuss the City's need to make budget cuts because of the current recession.

City Council president Peter Steinbrueck and City Council members Jim Compton, Richard Conlin, Nick Licata and Jan Drago attended the meeting to talk about the City's plans to reduce public services expenditures by as much as 15 percent.

Steinbrueck said the budget cuts would result in some layoffs among the City's "11,000 person employee base."

Of the proposed budget cuts for 2003, the police and fire departments would be cut the least: about 5 percent. Administrative Services and Internal Services would likely experience the biggest budget cuts: as much as 18 percent each.

Steinbrueck said the City's 2003-2004 biennial budget won't be finalized until this fall. The meeting drew a turnout of more than 50 people. Citizens expressed concerns about the impacts that the budget cuts would have on public safety, human services and the Seattle Public Library.

Gloria Butts of Broadview said "the place that shouldn't be cut is community service officers and especially the crime prevention coordinators," who oversee the Block Watch program.

One man, who identified himself as "Kevin," told the City Council members: "The purpose of government is to protect from robbers and thieves. Can we go easier on personal life styles and harder on thieves, robbers and terrorists?"