ATTLEBORO -- The city's annual budget hearing is usually a perfunctory affair with few if any citizens showing up to comment, but that could change tonight when officials concede there could be a crowd.

The draw will be the school budget that is about 8 percent or $4 million short of the amount needed to maintain the current level of services.

While schools are actually getting an $800,000 increase in funding or about a 1.6 percent hike, the money won't be enough to prevent 83 job cuts, program reductions and user fees, school officials have said.

The school budget is projected to be about $49.2 million, up from $48.4 million this year. The total city budget is $86 million.