JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Mayor John Peyton had already answered the biggest question about funding a $30 million increase in public safety: there will be no tax increase this year.

On Monday morning, Peyton revealed the details on how he proposes funding a $972.3 million spending plan for 2008-2009.

"This is a budget that lays the foundation for taking back our town and capturing our future," Peyton said in a 30-minute address to City Council.

The budget calls for a 1.8 percent increase over the current year's budget -- one of the smallest annual increases in city history.

In addition to funding an increase in the sheriff's office budget to pay for more officers on the streets, Peyton is funding other recommendations of his Jacksonville Journey citizen's panel, including $11 million for juvenile programs designed to keep children from starting a life of crime.

"We have an important year ahead of us," Peyton said. "We have an opportunity for historic accomplishment by reversing rampant crime, helping create jobs and encouraging investment and working to protect the precious St. Johns River."

The mayor's proposed spending increases come during the first year that homestead exemptions on property doubled, reducing property tax revenue for the city.

Peyton said the budget was balanced through a combination of spending cuts and new revenues, including the new -- and unpopular -- fees for garbage pickup, storm water runoff and a surcharge on utility bills.

The city says the fees free up more money for public safety -- but not enough to pay the whole bill. So the budget calls for some cuts, including

• $3.2 million in computer programs
• $3 million in savings from using fewer and more fuel-efficient vehicles
• $2 million in insurance savings
• $1.8 million from cutting the city's workforce by 100
• $1 million cut to library funding

The mayor's office even forecasts a $500,000 annual savings by using both sides of paper coming out of printers and copy machines and other office conservation measures.

The city said it is also seeing savings from combining, departments, jobs and equipment.

Some of the spending increases for public safety was also funded by a small growth in the tax rolls, despite the slow economy.

Peyton concluded his 30-minute address challenging both himself and the current City Council members to earn a legacy of changing the course of the city.

"We took back the city because we had the honesty to recognize our brokenness and barriers, we had the will to drive change, we had courage to commit and the bravery to invest in saving both the soul and future of this great city," Peyton said.

For Jacksonville's sheriff, Peyton's message was right on target.

"That the bad guys in this community understand that they are going to be held accountable," Sheriff John Rutherford said after the speech. "(It) starts at school level, all the way to these folks out here robbing our banks."

But many members of council were not ready to rubber stamp Peyton's spending plan.

"Hopefully those dollars are not being divereted to something else, because if that is the case, that is going to be a real problem," said Councilwoman Denise Lee.

Council must approve the city's spending plan before the fiscal year begins Oct. 1.