By Paul Davis
CRANSTON, R.I. -- The City Council on Thursday night approved an amended version of Mayor Allan W. Fung's $256.7-million budget for next year.
The budget -- the mayor's fifth -- will raise spending by less than 4 percent, but calls for no new taxes for the year that begins July 1.
The Finance Committee tweaked the mayor's budget last week. After an hour of debate, council members approved the same plan.
A move by Councilman Steven A. Stycos to reduce the personnel director's salary to $35,000 failed.
The budget will rely on federal grants to hire new police officers and firefighters. The new hires will increase the two departments to previous levels --153 police officers and 196 firefighters.