Gainesville City Commissioners are projecting a budget deficit for the third year in a row and officials with the city's fire department say they're afraid cuts are coming their way.

Budget projections for fiscal year 2011 show a $6.5 million deficit, and even though the Gainesville Fire Rescue hasn't experienced cuts in the past, officials with the fire department say they'll likely happen this time. So they say to offset those cuts, property owners should be charged a fire assessment fee to maintain the level of service they have now.

Commissioners voted unanimously to pay $65,000 to study the fire assessment fee; and they'll reevalute it with the fire department in late March.

Alachua County Commissioners are also considering a fire assessment fee.
They have to approve a proposal to pay for a study as well.