El Paso’s mayor and City Council spent their day slashing the current budget proposal. In total they were able to save about $3.5 million out of the $4.5 million they said they would need to slash if taxes were to stay flat.

"Basically we've gone through all the potential cuts where we could possibly save money,” said Mayor John Cook, D.

If the council cannot come up with an additional $1 million, the city property tax rate would increase from 0.633 to 0.666. This would increase a home’s city property tax valued at $100,000 by about $30.

“We’ve done a lot in the past two days in not effecting service and in some areas even increasing service,” said Rep. Emma Acosta.

Acosta and Cook said they would wait to find out if El Paso’s Police Officers Association would agree to forgo a pay raise for another year, which would help make up the budget difference.