The city council's budget committee, which is considering Mayor Mike McGinn's proposed slash-and-burn budget (the city has to fill a $67 million shortfall next year), got its latest set of briefings on recommended cuts from city departments yesterday. (Previously, the council was briefed by the transportation department and the parks department.)

Up this time: the Finance and Administrative Services Department, the Office of Housing, and the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs. Some highlights of their suggested cuts:

• Cuts of around $220,000 to janitorial and security services in city buildings;

• Cuts of about 25 percent to the housing department as a whole, including the elimination of an IT specialist and a communications specialist. The department also would not fill the position of deputy director, which is now empty;

• A 42 percent reduction in training for OH staff and other "discretionary" spending, including travel and consultants; and

• The elimination of funding to OneReel for the annual Mayor's Arts Awards, as well as the elimination of the city's on hold music service (which plays local music) and a reduction to arts and music programming at the city.

The departments will continue to present their proposed budget cuts to the council throughout the month; the council will adopt an amended 2011 budget by Thanksgiving.