Baltimore County Fire Chief John J. Hohman told the County Council on Thursday that he cannot spare $7 from next year's proposed budget, much less the $700,000 in cuts recommended by the Office of the County Auditor.

Hohman described the steps that the department has taken to be more efficient over the last year, including cutting positions and crafting a cheaper budget for 2012.

The auditor's recommendation was based on lower than budgeted growth in past years and eliminating some investigative services program positions.

The Fire Department's proposed budget is $94.6 million — $1.3 million less than this year's spending plan.

The council also reviewed budgets for the Corrections Department and Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability on Thursday. The auditor's office did not recommend cuts for those departments' budgets.

The hearing was the second of many that the council will hold over the next few weeks as it reviews County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's proposed $1.6 billion budget.

The council is scheduled to adopt the budget on May 26.

raven.hill@baltsun.com