NEW YORK, NY November 06, 2008 —Layoffs and tax increases are just part of how Mayor Bloomberg plans to balance the budget this year. WNYC's Lisa Chow reports on some of the other ways he plans to save money.

REPORTER: The city will save a lot by simply not hiring people to fill vacated positions. That affects pretty much every city agency, from police to parks, to sanitation and street cleaning.

The mayor has proposed cutting library hours and closing dental health clinics that serve poor children. City officials say families can access this service through Medicaid. Che city will also reduce nighttime staffing at five firehouses.

The mayor also hopes to raise money through new fees, such as charging consumers five cents when they use plastic bags, instead of paper bags.

He'd work with the Mets and Yankees to help boost memorabilia sales and getting a piece of that, and increasing parking meter rates at various locations south of 60th Street.

That's if budget negotiations go the mayor's way. For WNYC, I'm Lisa Chow.