Some Evanston employees are facing a reduction in planned raises for next year as the city moves to solve a nearly $4 million budget deficit.

A proposal introduced to City Council by Alds. Arthur Newman (1st), Melissa Wynne (3rd) and Gene Feldman (9th) would save the city $325,000 by reducing the raises for non-union city employees from 4 percent to 2 percent. The plan also would require that employees pay more toward their medical premium and reduce their sick pay benefits. City employees now are paid for sick days that are unused.

The aldermen’s proposal would affect all city employees not represented by a union. Of the city’s 864 employees, 415 are non-union. Union employees work mostly in public works, the police department and the fire department.

City Manager Roger Crum said he had not heard any grumbling from employees about the raise cuts, “but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any.”

The cut was first presented by Evanston resident Dick Stillerman at a January budget workshop. Stillerman said he developed the idea by analyzing Crum’s proposed budget and looking for ways to cut costs. Though aldermen first considered ways to raise revenue in fees and fines, Stillerman said he began looking at ways to cut expenses.

“My feeling is in hard times it’s advisable to hold down costs,” Stillerman said.

Stillerman said his proposal helps employees by saving jobs and benefits residents by preventing more property tax increases.

“Evanston is heavily burdened in taxes and fees,” Stillerman said. “It sends people out of the community.”

Newman said he and the other aldermen adopted the proposal as an effort to save money at a time when the city is facing financial difficulties.

“When you don’t have the money you can’t necessarily pay,” Newman said at Monday’s budget workshop.

In future years, Newman said the council may be able to grant a 4 percent raise to employees, but that this is not a good year to do so. Noting that the rate of inflation is below 2 percent, he said this rate is better for a cost-of-living raise.

Other aldermen are not so certain about the merits of the proposal. Ald. Stephen Engelman (7th) said he would prefer not to make this cut to only some employees.

“I have serious concerns about creating two classes of employees,” Engelman said. “I don’t like the idea of treating non-union employees differently.”

Engelman said he has not decided whether he will support the proposal because he sees the budget as a package that should not be decided individually. He said the council should consider reducing city programs.

“The real solution is cutting services,” Engelman said. “We are not going to get a handle of the situation until we solve the systemic problem.”

At Monday’s meeting, Ald. Edmund Moran (6th) said he was against the proposal because it departs from a longtime precedent in dealing with employees.

“It’s my understanding and belief that our approach has been to be equitable to the entire employee base,” Moran said.

Moran suggested aldermen re-consider other budget cuts, including those Crum indicated as possible cuts last December. But so far the council has not discussed these cuts, such as closing police outposts, reducing landlord-tenant support or eliminating adult health outreach programs.

“I think this is such a mistake to do this that I’d be willing to cut just about anything,” Moran said.