The freeholders here introduced a budget Wednesday night that would keep the county's tax rate stable.

The county was faced with a $15.7 million budget gap, and suffered cuts totaling $2.6 million due to a reduction in state aid, a decrease in ratables and a decrease in income revenues.

The total budget is $206.2 million, about $1.4 million less than the budget in 2009. That would mean a tax levy of $148,020,000.

Thirty-four county positions will not be rehired Ð saving about $1.6 million, said Freeholder Director Stephen Sweeney. Last year, the freeholder director said, the county saved $5.7 million through attrition by not rehiring for 90 positions.

"We're just doing more with less," Sweeney said on Wednesday.

In the budget proposal, Gloucester County employees would start paying 1.5 percent of their incomes into their health-care plans. Also, about 60 percent of the workforce would be required to take two furlough days of their choice. Sweeney said that this will save about 50 jobs that could have been cut out of the budget.

"This is isn't about punishing our workforce," Sweeney said. "Everyone has to do more with less."

Richard Dann, president of Communications Workers of American Local 1085, said union members will meet Monday to make a decision.

"We're recommending that our members consider this," Dann said.

Dann said the two furlough days, combined with the 1.5-percent giveback, was an alternative to having members take six furlough days and suffer layoffs.

"We've spent a lot of time working this out with the county," Dann said.

About 1,100 of nearly 1,500 Gloucester County employees are with that union.

Freeholder Deputy Director Robert Damminger said no big projects will be starting, but the county is continuing many, including the Route 322 project. A two-mile section on that road is set to be repaved and a traffic light will be installed where Route 45 and Route 322 meet.

A new road is set to be created from that intersection to the Harrison House diner and Route 322 near Clems Run Road.

Gloucester County is investing $13.8 million in highway infrastructure. All but $3.7 million of that is coming from federal and state grants. About $1.4 million will be invested in a county road overlay program.

The county is also planning to buy and protect 51 acres of the Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

"It will continue to be a place of honor for several hundred veterans in years to come," Sweeney said.

Other projects include resurfacing and safety improvements to Mount Royal Road in Mantua and Grove Road in West Deptford, bridge replacement in Logan and Monroe, and drainage improvements in Pitman.

Gloucester County will also continue several shared services agreements it's already involved in. That includes services with the county library system and Gloucester County College. Sweeney said that county officials are also looking to other counties to share even more services.

"We look at where you can share services without sacrificing quality," he said.

And, as always, officials will look at where to save on energy costs, Sweeney said.

No stone was unturned, Sweeney said, when cuts were looking to be made and officials saw a savings of $10,000 by not printing as many county directories. The clerk's office advertising budget was also cut. County Administrator Chad Bruner said a lot more is going online.

"The nice thing is we're going to be fine," Sweeney said, "and if the economy turns around, we're going to be great."

The budget hearing will be held on May 5.