Pay raises for 4,600 non-union employees will be delayed and 80 vacant jobs will be eliminated under a plan by Chicago Mayor Richad Daley to trim $8 million from the city budget.

Along with the consolidation of the city's construction and building departments, the estimated savings amount to 4.1 percent of the projected $193 million 2008 budget deficit.

The job cuts come in addition to a hiring freeze that went into effect in May and will save an estimated $2.6 million, Daley said during a city hall news conference Wednesday.

A six-month delay in wage increases for non-union employees will save an estimated $4.6 million, he said.

Combining the construction and permits and building departments and cutting back on the use of outside engineering contracts is expected to save an additional $770,000, he said.  Daley said the move will also reduce waiting time for some construction permits.

Daley said the city was seeing an increase in hotel and amusement revenues but that real estate and building revenues have declined.

Daley is scheduled to present the city's 2008 budget on Wednesday.

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