A third public hearing on Mayor Dan Sullivan's proposed $421 million city budget is set for 5 p.m. today at the Anchorage Assembly's Loussac Library meeting chamber.

The Assembly held two hearings earlier this month, taking advice from scores of people on where to spend and not spend money on services next year. Assembly members were scheduled to vote on the budget at a meeting Nov. 17, but barely started deliberating the spending plan at the end of a busy agenda and had to postpone final action.

Under city law, that meant the Assembly had to convene another public hearing before taking a final vote, which is now scheduled for Dec. 8.

Sullivan's budget proposal would hold property taxes $10 million below the ceiling allowed by the city's tax cap. It would eliminate almost 200 city jobs and cut operating hours for public buses, parks and recreation programs and shorten hours that branch libraries are open, among other things.

Sullivan says public safety is his priority and that he wants to avoid affecting police and fire line positions, but the budget cuts he proposes would touch the police and fire departments too.

The mayor has blamed most of the city's budget woes on costs stemming from four long-term labor contracts negotiated by former Mayor Mark Begich and approved by the Assembly in December. Fallout from last year's national economic woes also is expected to continue to weigh down the city's tourism-related taxes.